(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Yesterday, I went into the future and recapped the episode that was aired in most places today. Magic! However, it’s my understanding that it was again preempted in some areas today. There are no words, except to say, if you missed it altogether, you can catch up here:
Hopefully, Friday’s episode will be on Friday, but who knows what’s going to happen in this topsy-turvy world we now live in, where low-rated hearings are forced on us and Franco is a nobody. Or is it Drew?
🍵 Tea For You…
Since there were no new evening episodes for the usual programs, enjoy some trash talk. I mean, articles on the world of entertainment.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
I missed the first few minutes, and hope this isn’t indicative of the week.
Kim asks if Franco is ready start their new life. He says he’s very sorry, but he can’t leave Port Charles with her after all. Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes!!!
Alexis asks if TJ is saying that she somehow ingested rat poison. There’s an antidote, right? Elizabeth comes in with Finn, and asks how Alexis is feeling. Finn says her blood pressure has dropped to its lowest point, and Alexis says it probably shot up after she heard TJ’s theory. TJ says her symptoms are consistent with thallium poisoning. Finn says, it’s been banned for decades, but TJ suggests they run tests to be on the safe side, and Finn agrees.
Kim tells Franco that she doesn’t understand, and asks if it’s about slowing down. He says, that’s not it, and she asks, why stay in Port Charles? She saw Monica, and Monica understands. He says, it has nothing to do with Monica, and she asks if it’s about Elizabeth and the boys. He says, it’s about Franco, and what Franco did for him when they were kids.
Julian flashes back to Kim saying he was never her Charlie. That man never existed. It was him pretending to be someone he’ll never be. A woman (let’s just say it, Brook Lynn) asks if he’s working today. She wants a black Russian. He says he’ll get someone to help, and she says, or he could pour it himself. Unless he has something better to do.
Brad says he didn’t know Lucas spoke to Julian, and Lucas says, yesterday. He was with Julian when Brad called. Once Brad said Charlotte had been abducted by Cassandra, it slipped his mind. Julian just made excuses about how he was protecting him and Wiley from Brad’s shady dealings. Brad says he was set up, and Lucas says, in reality, the only person they needed protection from Julian. Julian is nothing to him. If they see him when they’re out somewhere, they’re going to turn the other way. He’s sorry Brad got set up. It seemed like he and Julian were getting close, and he knows how that hurts. Brad says, it hurt Lucas too; he’ll miss his father. Lucas says he misses the father who raised him. He doesn’t miss Julian. Lucas’s phone dings, and he says he has to get back to work. Brad says he and Wiley will be waiting.
Diane tells Jason and Sam that they don’t need to debate the evidence. It’s already on record, and Judge Madrigal has a reputation for fairness. The judge comes in, and the bailiff says, court is now in session; the United States vs Sam McCall. The judge asks if they’re ready, and Diane introduces herself as council for the defense. She says they’re ready, but the US attorney seems to have something better to do. Judge Madrigal asks the bailiff if there’s been any word, but he says not that he knows of. Diane says, in light of the no show, she’s asking that all charges be dismissed immediately. Jason makes a face like one of my dogs makes when I have food in my hand.
Diane says, her honor is of course (🍷) familiar with the spurious charge of murder against Sam. She doesn’t use the term spurious lightly. At the time of Shiloh’s death, Jason was definitely unarmed and in imminent danger. The charges against her client were hyper-inflated, and are now outright lies. They say Sam arranged Shiloh’s escape for the sole purpose to kill him herself. Phone records show Sam answered a call from Dev Corbin, who was on the Haunted Star. She went unprepared and unarmed, which is illogical. If she arranged to kill Shiloh, why go unarmed? It makes no sense. Sam never should have been charged and taken from her home, where her two children need her, to spend even one hour to clear her name. It’s a clear-cut case of self-defense. She asks that the charges be dismissed. A man – who looks a lot like Anderson Cooper – runs in, and introduces himself as Gabriel Burke. He apologizes for being late, but he was interviewing the victim’s friends and supporters. They were once homeless and down on their luck, and they’re now thriving. They all tell the same story. If not for Shiloh, they’d be on the street. The man Sam shot in the back and erased from the world was a healer, helper, and hero. We all gag.
Obrecht asks Lucas how Wiley is, and he says she doesn’t even have a vague interest in his son. Brad is finished with her. She says she’s sorry to hear that. He’s been in contact with Britt, and she has an update. He tells her, give it a rest. She’s been blackmailing Brad. She took advantage of him being an anxious new father, and wrote a prescription for him. She took advantage of it, and used Brad to tamper with Sasha’s tests. Obrecht says she doesn’t know if he’s naïve or being deliberately ignorant, but in his eagerness to put the blame on her shoulders, he conveniently ignores what he knows about his own husband. Brad is a liar, and capable of lying to him.
On the phone, Julian tells Lucy that he has the right to keep Olivia’s deposit (he still hasn’t mentioned in what world), and to get her client under control. Brad asks if he’s having a bad day, and Julian tells him, get out. Brad says Julian might want to hear his deal first. Julian says Brad got the best of him this time, but he still has a story to tell, so don’t get cocky. He’s not done. Brad tells Julian, never mention how Wiley fell into his arms again, or Sonny will be over to visit so fast, it will make Julian’s head spin. But he has a more positive reason for visiting. Something that should make Julian happy.
Alexis says she’s sorry she doubted TJ, and TJ says he doubted himself too. Maybe he’s wrong, but her symptoms are specific. He wonders how she might have come in contact with the poison.
Franco tells Kim, Franco sacrificed himself, and his life was damaged irreparably. Despite monumental challenges, Franco rebuilt his life. Franco had a relationship, a family, and a home, until he showed up and took them away. Kim says, Shiloh and that crazy doctor did that. He had no choice. Franco says, Franco sacrificed himself for Cameron, and years before, did the same for him. Kim says if he feels obligated to visit Elizabeth’s family and be a friend to the boys, she’ll accept it. It won’t be easy, but they can stay. She just wants to be with him. He says he wants be with her too, but he can’t. He has nothing but love for her, but he’s going to have the procedure reversed. I say, thank God, and God laughs because these people aren’t real.
TJ says, maybe a local exterminator is using the poison, and Finn asks if Alexis has eaten any take-out. She says, only the usual; Kelly’s, Charlie’s, the Floating Rib, the MetroCourt. None of them would use something like that. Finn says it’s possible an employee had it on their hands. TJ says there would be other cases if that happened. Elizabeth brings back the test results, and Finn says, TJ is right. It’s thallium. Alexis says, now that they know what it is, tell her there’s a cure.
Franco says he’s not trying to hurt Kim, but he has to do right by Franco. He was never meant to be there. Kim says, but he is there. She can touch him and feel him. He says his memories are in another man’s body. A man who saved him when he was too little to save himself. Kim says he can’t. It’s too dangerous, and he could end up in a permanent coma. He says, the last thing Franco said to Cameron was, tell Elizabeth that he’d be back. Kim says, Elizabeth is handling this. Please. She can’t lose him. He says he has to try. He’s no good to her, himself, or anyone else if he doesn’t.
Brad tells Julian that he’s willing to let bygones be bygones. What Julian did was despicable, but not unforgiveable, especially since they were starting to be one big happy family. Julian asks what Brad wants now, and Brad says he’ll ask Lucas to give Julian another chance. Julian asks how he’ll mange that, and Brad says, he’ll have to take it slow; wear Lucas down over time. But Julian has to play his part. Keep his distance, and Brad will make sure he and Lucas are close again. As long as Julian doesn’t even think about exposing the secret about Wiley.
Lucas tells Obrecht to stop playing her twisted mind games. They don’t work; not with him or Brad. He doesn’t trust her, and if she ever tries to blackmail Brad again, he’ll go to the authorities. Obrecht says then she has no choice but to reveal the cold hard facts about Lucas’s husband, and why she was involved.
Judge Madrigal says Gabriel was late, and now he’s grandstanding. It’s a bench trial, not the theater. The only important thing she’ll pay adherence to is a productive argument and the charges. Prior to his death, Shiloh had been charged with sexual assault, attempted murder, murder, blackmail, and money laundering. He was a complex man who had a complex death, and it’s her job to judge whether there was malice aforethought or not. Diane calls Jason to the stand.
Jason says when he got the Haunted Star, Shiloh was standing over Sam, who was lying on the ground with broken glass all around her. Shiloh was attacking Sam, and he told Shiloh to stop.
Sam says, once she was alone on the boat, she knew she had to plan her escape, so she kept Shiloh talking. She went to the bar to pour a drink. That’s when he told her that he was responsible for his father’s death; that he tampered with the breaks on his father’s car. Gabriel objects, saying Shiloh isn’t on trial for his father’s death. Diane says it shows the state of her client’s mind; she was clearly in fear for her life, and it shows intent. Shiloh – the hero – admitted to murdering his own father. The judge says, continue, and Sam says Shiloh was closing in on her. She took the bottle to use as a weapon, but Shiloh got it out of her hand, and threw it on the ground. Then he threw her to the ground on top of the glass. He forced her legs open, and started to unbuckle his pants.
Jason says he shot Shiloh. He hit Shiloh in the chest, and thought he was dead. He didn’t check Shiloh’s pulse, and went directly to Sam. Diane asks how Shiloh survived, and Jason says, he had a bulletproof vest he took from a guard when he escaped. Jason didn’t realize, and was on deck when Shiloh came at him with a gaffing stick.
Sam says, Shiloh was going to kill Jason. She had no time, so she just reacted, shooting him in the back with a flare gun. He stumbled, and fell overboard. Gabriel says what she described sounds terrifying. Was she terrified? Sam says, of course (🍷). Gabriel says, then why did Sheri say in her sworn statement that Sam knew Jason didn’t need help, and could deal with Shiloh on his own? She shot Shiloh because of what he’d done to her sister and her. Diane says, hearsay, but Gabriel says Sam wanted Shiloh dead, didn’t she?
Finn tells Alexis the antidote is in paint, like the kind in Van Gogh’s Starry Night. It’s also used in blueprints. It binds to the metals in the body, and flushes them out safely. Alexis wonders how someone came up with it. They licked a paintbrush? (That sounds like something I’d ask. I know. Let’s try drinking paint!). Finn says she’s going to be okay. TJ comes back, and says there’s no report of anyone else being poisoned in or around Port Charles. Finn says the symptoms are unique to Alexis, which brings them back to why.
Sam says she won’t apologize for wanting Shiloh away from her sister or the other young women he preyed on. But no matter what, she took a shot to protect Jason. Gabriel says, so she was mistaken. She didn’t think he could handle it himself. Diane says, hearsay, which the prosecution should understand. He’s using backdoor maneuvers to get the statement on record. The judge says, sustained. Move along.
Gabriel suggests that Sam and Jason set up a sting operation, but Diane objects, saying that’s a speculative premise. The judge sustains her objection, and Gabriel asks if Jason ever physically assaulted Shiloh. Jason says they fought, and Gabriel asks, how many times? Did he ever throw Shiloh down the stairs? Diane objects again. She says Gabriel had ample opportunity to present the evidence of Jason allegedly throwing Shiloh down the stairs, but none was presented. There’s no way to prove it happened. Her objection is sustained. Gabriel says there are numerous counts of assault, and Diane objects again. Judge Madrigal says, sustained. She warned Gabriel about grandstanding, and next time, she’s going to cite him. Gabriel asks if Jason was so inexplicably defenseless, that if Sam hadn’t shot Shiloh, he wouldn’t have been able to defend himself. Diane says, that calls for speculation, and Gabriel says, withdrawn. Diane brings out the gaffing stick, and asks Jason what it is, for the record. He says it looks like the gaffing stick Shiloh was going to hit him with, and Diane says, Shiloh’s fingerprints were all over it. Gabriel – who’s really reaching now – says Sam could have placed it in Shiloh’s hands after he died. Diane says, false narrative, but Gabriel says, Sam, Jason, and Shiloh were alone on the water, with no witnesses to give history. The only life in danger that night was Shiloh’s. I wonder why they’re not making more of Dev’s phone call.
Julian says Brad loves throwing Sonny’s name around. Maybe he should tell Sonny his grandson is still alive. He’ll be so grateful, he’ll shake Julian’s hand. Brad says he came to Julian in good faith with a peace offering, but Julian says, how about extortion? Brad says Julian can get his son back if he lets them keep theirs, but he’ll have to agree to the terms. Julian tells Brad that he’d better not screw up. Brad holds out his hand, but Julian doesn’t shake it. Brad leaves, and Julian announces there’s a problem in the kitchen, and they’re closing. Their charges are covered, but they have to get out. Brook Lynn continues to drink.
Kim says, so he’s giving up his life, but Franco says it’s not his life to have; it’s Franco’s. If he holds on to it, he’s no better than the men who did the procedure in the first place.
On the phone at Charlie’s, Brook Lynn says, they owe her. O-W-E, owe, not own. They can find someone else if they want someone to push around. Go to hell. She hangs up, and tells Julian, black Russian, take two. He says, the bar is closed; she has to leave. She says she’ll get where she’s going eventually. In the meantime, she’s comfortable. Is he going to pick her up and toss her out, or call the cops? It would be simpler to just get her the damn drink.
Franco asks what Kim will do now, but she says she doesn’t know. All she knows is, she can’t stay and watch, hoping it doesn’t work out. However it turns out, he’s no longer hers. Franco says she doesn’t need to leave because of him. She says she needs to leave because of her. Without him and Oscar, there’s nothing left for her in Port Charles. Franco says, she’s an amazing woman. He wishes he could love her the way she deserves. She says he did once; they both did. She guesses this is goodbye. She cries, and says, goodbye, Chief Andrew Cane. He holds her, and says he loves her. She says she loves him too. He walks to the door, and walks out without turning back. She cries, and says, she always will.
Alexis tells Finn that she’s careful with her diet, and she’s working out with Kendra. Finn asks if she’s gotten any herbs or teas from the internet. She says, the only other thing is the supplement she’s been taking, and she had her doctor check it out. Finn asks if she’d mind if he took a look at it, and TJ says he has a key to the house; he can pick it up. Alexis says, that’s not necessary. She can have Kendra drop some off. Why? Why did she say that? Elizabeth comes in with Alexis’s first dose, and Finn says she’ll feel better in a couple days. She drinks it, and says, tastes like paint, but if it saves her life, she won’t complain. TJ says they still need to uncover how Alexis got exposed. He thinks she probably got it from a restaurant. Finn says he has a hard question. Is there any chance someone poisoned her intentionally?
Lucas tells Obrecht that she has no right to blow up their life. She says that’s not what she wants. She’s never subscribed to the philosophy that the truth will set you free, but he seems like he was raised on that principle. He should thank her for full disclosure. Lucas says her manipulation no longer works. She has nothing to tell him that he doesn’t already know. She says, is that so? His husband has a colorful past. So many highs and lows. She has something to tell him. Brad blows in, and asks, what’s going on? Obrecht says Lucas was lauding Brad’s honesty and disparaging her in the same breath. If his manners don’t improve, he’ll live to regret it, and so will Brad. She walks off, and Lucas asks if that’s a threat. Brad tells him, forget it. She won’t say anything or she’ll be implicated too. It’s over. Lucas says he doesn’t think it is.
Gabriel says Sam paid Brice to arrange Shiloh’s escape, but Diane says the defense admitted an affidavit from Brice’s lawyer. He was in the process of cutting a deal and amending his statement, when he was brutally murdered. The judge says the court has read it, and the statements offset each other. Neither will be counted to weigh more than the other. Gabriel says they only have the testimonies of Sam and Jason. Shiloh can’t give one, and conveniently, there were no security cameras. Perhaps Sam arranged that so she could kill him, and fabricate a story of attempted assault. Diane says, seriously? Hearsay and speculation. Gabriel says they haven’t offered once ounce of tangible proof, and the judge says, point taken, but she’s warned him. Gabriel says Sam shot Shiloh in the back, not to save Jason, but to snuff out a man she despised. Shiloh deserves his day in court. She took his life, and should be held accountable. Jason’s arrest record proves he was anything but defenseless. Judge Madrigal says she’s heard what she needs to hear. There will be a short recess before she gives her ruling. Spinelli tells Sam and Jason, everyone is in good health, but he has an emergency, and has to leave. His heart is with Sam. Sam asks Jason what he thinks. Is it going to go in her favor?
Alexis says she can’t think of anyone who would want to poison her except Helena, and she’s dead. She supposes Helena could have left posthumous instructions. TJ wonders if it could be a disgruntled client, or the family member of someone Alexis had put away. Finn tells Alexis to rest and let the medicine do its job. They’ll deal with the rest later. He leaves, and TJ starts to go, but Alexis says, not so fast, you. He saved her life. She thanks him, and he says he’s glad she’s okay. He’ll call Molly and let her know. She tells him to make sure to tell Molly about his role in it, or she will. He says he’ll check on her later. When he’s gone, she gets a text from Kendra asking how she is. She texts back, great news. I’m going to recover.
Kim looks around the empty apartment.
Elizabeth is at the reception desk, when Franco walks in. She asks what he’s doing there, and he says he needs to talk to her.
Julian asks the woman, why stay in a place that’s closed? She asks, why did he close it? What’s up with that guy he was talking to? It seemed heated. He says it’s none of her business, but she says she’s a total stranger, and they can be the best listeners. What not take advantage of that?
Brad tells Lucas, back to normal, but Lucas says, every time he turns around, there’s another secret. Brad asks what he means, and Lucas says Obrecht told him she knows the cold, hard facts about Brad and Wiley’s father. What else is Brad hiding?
Sam asks Diane how she thinks it went, but Diane tells her, it’s difficult to say. Sam and Jason were both compelling and straightforward, which works in their favor, but it’s hard to imagine Jason being defenseless. That shouldn’t count, but it can cast doubt. She asks Jason, how many fights he had with Shiloh. Jason says, real fights? Four. Diane asks, what’s a real fight? and Jason says where one of them almost killed the other.
The judge comes back in. She says, after careful consideration of the evidence and testimonies, she’s prepared to make a ruling. Will the defense rise?
Tomorrow, Kim hopes Hayden is as happy there as she was, Lucas asks Brad why everyone is after him, Olivia suggests she and Sonny open something together, and the verdict is read.
Below Deck
27 hours before charter. Brian says he kissed Courtney last night, and Ashton says, sh*t went down. Kate tells Ashton, good morning, lover boy. He asks how they hooked up, but Kate says he put his tongue in her mouth. That’s all that happened, so stop saying that. She loves him, but not that way. In Ashton’s interview, he doesn’t know how that happened, but it wasn’t him; it was Smashton. That’s the way Smashton operates. Kate tells him, get out of here. In Kate’s interview, she says she looks at Ashton as a brother, and she’s not that kind of family. Tanner feels better, like a new person, and says sleep was what he needed. Kate tells Tanner about Ashton kissing her, and he asks how that was. She says, disgusting. Tanner asks Courtney about Brian kissing her, and she says, that never happened. It was a peck. Ashton says they were so cute together, and she says, never going to happen. In Courtney’s interview, she doesn’t know how she feels. She’s a bit picky. Did she cringe, or does she want to kiss him again? Those are the two options. Tasks are given out. Tanner swills water.
Tanner watches Cortney and Simone fold clothes, and jets before he’s asked to help. Simone tells Courtney that she has to stop breathing when Tanner is around. Kate tells Simone that she’ll be on late, so she’ll be helping more with service. She asks what part of service Simone wants to work on, and Simone asks what Kate thinks she needs to work on. Kate asks how she is at opening wine, and Simone goes, uhhh… In Kate’s interview, she says it’s like on a sports team when someone is saying, put me in coach, but she doesn’t want to rush Simone either. Kevin makes up songs in the galley. Kate hands Simone a bottle of wine, and tells her to show her skills. Simon fumbles around. Kate tells her to do it without using the counter. In her interview, Kate says, that Simone doesn’t know how to open a bottle is a little troubling. She said she worked for a year on yachts. No one drank on that boat? Kate shows her how to open the bottle, and they move on to pouring.
Time for the preference sheet meeting. In Simone’s interview, she says most of her experience has been on laundry and housekeeping. She wishes she could get full service instruction. Captain Lee says their new primary is Michael Blackton, who owns a helicopter charter business. He and his closest friends went to Florida State. Kate says she knows people who went there, and the only major is drinking beer. In her interview, she says, no employer goes, wow, when they see Florida State on a resumé. The captain tells them that Michael says the crew isn’t prepared for what’s going to transpire on board. Kate says all they’ll need is red Solo cups. The captain says they want a beach lunch, a college style party with garnet and gold decorations, a pirate day, and they want the crew to come up with another theme dinner of their own creation. It’s going to be full-on. He asks how Tanner is, and Ashton says, he’s 100%. Captain Lee says they need him back. In Ashton’s interview, he says he has a calm exterior, even though inside, he’s pretty nervous. Kate makes a call to get a bunch of pirate stuff. Brian slips on deck, and hurts his knee. Tanner asks Ashton if they’re going to have hats and eye patches and sh*t, and Ashton nods.
Captain Lee watches as Simone irons. She tells him the iron is malfunctioning, and he shows her how to use it. Kate says it’s an honor and a privilege to watch him iron. I actually think it’s sexy. Tanner tells Kate about Brian whacking his knee, and asks how her tongue is doing after the attack. She says it recoiled to the back of her throat.
Ashton wants the boat looking nice and sharp, and the deckhands take care of last minute details. In Brian’s interview, he says he’s not sure what’s happening with his knee; it’s swollen. He can still do his job, but he can’t focus 100%. He hopes the pain goes away soon; he doesn’t need this on deck. The provisions come in, and Courtney says, yay Florida. Brian says his knee is hurting, and everyone gets changed to their whites. Tanner says he’s dripping sweat, and the captain says, four minutes to show time.
Kate brings out gold and garnet leis. As the guests come up to the boat, one says they’re going to get ripped every night, and Michael says, they have no idea what’s coming for them. Captain Lee says he’s not ready for these guys. In his interview, Ashton thinks the girls are beautiful, and it’s going to be a distracting charter. I’m a good bosun. I am a good bosun. The captain tells the guests they have a fun few days planned. Kate will give them a tour of the boat, and they’ll get this party started. Kate does the tour, and anchor is pulled up. One of the female guests wonders when Ashton’s shirt is coming off. Kate describes Michael to Kevin as still being in the fraternity and having a Republican haircut. She puts Courtney on laundry duty. Michael wants to see pirates. I don’t think Captain Sandy would agree that’s a good idea. Kate tells Simone to check on the guests. In Kate’s interview, she says if Simone wants to improve in service, when she says, check on the guests, that doesn’t mean wander around. She didn’t speak to one of them. A guest comes to the galley, and asks for a vodka/Sprite. Kate tells Simone, look at every guest, and ask if she can get them anything. You never want them to have to ask.
Michael is already making all kinds of inappropriate remarks to Simone. Courtney suggests Brian get an actual bandage on his knee, and tells him to stop touching it with dirty fingers. Simone says she wants the guests to be super happy and drinking. Kevin makes ribs, and says, Michael is fantasized [sic] by an American type steakhouse. Tanner asks if Brian is going to text Courtney to marry him. Kevin sings, love is in the air. Kate says Courtney has a glow, and Courtney says that’s because she got some sun. Kate says, he’s the son of someone. Michael says, let’s get loose, and asks when Simone gets to drink. He tells her that he was going to bring his girlfriend, but they broke up before the trip when he found out she was a hooker. He thinks this is pretty funny, while the rest of us just look at him blankly. He grabs Simone’s hand, asking about her ring finger, and guessing her size, telling her, he’s good at that. They arrive in Koh Roi. Simone tells Kevin, the main guy is ugh. In her interview, she says she’s trying to be professional, and Michael is being creepy. Get her out of there.
Kevin tells Kate that he wants to go over to the beach with the food. Ashton explains that he’ll make the initial run with the crew, and while they set out the food, he’ll go back for the guests. In Kevin’s interview, he says he wishes he could trust Kate with the beach picnic, but she’s checked out. We flash back to Kevin looking for Kate the last time. He says she needs to manage better, and he doesn’t trust her with any of the aspects of a beach picnic. I dub Kevin officially insane. He tells Kate that he’s going along because he doesn’t want to make more work for her. Ashton has a meeting with the deckhands, and the tender is put in the water. Captain Lee asks Ashton what Brian did to his leg, and Ashton says, that’s how hard he fell for Courtney the other night. We all laugh. Tanner asks Brian how his knee is, and Brian says, effed up.
Kate gets ready for the picnic, and says, the gang’s all here;Tito, Jack, and Jim. Ashton thinks it’s the hottest day so far. They leave to set up, and one guest asks for a banana daquiri. Simone says she can do it, and then looks it up on her phone. Courtney says, it’s just a daiquiri with bananas in it. Kevin sets up, making Ashton and Tanner change things around from what Kate told them. Ashton says they’ll just do what Kevin wants to do, and Kate says, welcome to her life. In Kate’s interview, she says, usually, she’d like the chef to show up and participate, but Kevin is very OCD, and it makes everything more difficult. Simone conquers the daquiri, and the guest pronounces it delicious. Kevin starts talking about dinner, but Kate wants to deal with lunch first. The guests arrive, and Kate tells them, welcome to lunch. Kevin tells Kate not to forget the salt and pepper, and she says it’s on the table already. In her interview, Kate says, whenever Kevin jumps into the service realm, he’s doing it to overpower her. Kevin needs to stay in his lane, or take over the job fully, and she’ll take a vacation. She tells Simone, practice makes perfect, and to serve the guests so they don’t have to get up.
Courtney doesn’t understand ironing. It just rewrinkles. Tanner tells Courtney, it’s going to be a chill charter for her – until the laundry starts coming in. In Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s like a frat party, but they’re forty. It’s chill, but it’s pretty sad. I think it’s just pretty sad. The guests play in the water. Simone stays to pack up, and the guests return to the boat. Brian tells Simone that guest Kim is hot, and Simone says, Kim is a scorcher. He asks if she has any comments on the guys, and she says, Tanner makes her… and she fans herself. Brian says, he makes her flustered
Kate tells Courtney, tonight it’s garnet and gold forever. And beer pong. In Kate’s interview, she says the guests are having a college-themed party because the college years were the best years of their lives. Anyone still talking about college, peaked in college. It’s embarrassing. She makes Courtney the creative director of Jell-O shots. Ashton gets the slide ready by himself. The guests jump into the water from the side of the boat. Brian says his knee is worse; the pain is intense on the sides. Ashton says Brian’s knee isn’t looking good. In his interview, he says, there’s a massive difference between being one man and two men down. He hasn’t had a full-strength team all season. He’s exhausted. He asks to talk to the captain.
Ashton tells Captain Lee that Brian banged his knee, and it’s swelling. In his interview, the captain says he has to come up with a backup plan in case Brian can’t work. He feels like a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest. Kevin goes over dinner with Kate. Tanner tells Simone that he thinks he found the coolest spot on the yacht. Simone agrees, and they catch a breeze. One of the guests says she’s trying to get a buzz. She’s way too sober. Tanner tells Simone about Brian’s knee. Michael goes to the galley, and asks Kate where the group shots are. Tanner asks if Simone misses home. She says she misses her grandma, and talks about her all the time. Tanner says his grandpa is his best friend. They have to treat each experience like they don’t want it to be the last one. In Simone’s interview, she says, not only does Tanner have his symmetrical God-given face, he appreciates his grandparents. He asks how old her grandmother is, and she says, ninety-five. In Kate’s interview, she says, Simone is exhibiting all the telltale signs of being a yachty with no experience. If she can hear Simone, the guests can hear her. It’s not Simone’s cruise. She tells Kevin, Simone is having a conversation on the sundeck, and the guests are listening to her life story. Kevin says Simone talks too much. Kate says she’s like a puppy you want to train, but don’t want to break its spirit. Kevin says you need to give it house rules. Everyone looks at the sunset. Kate tells Simone to change into her blacks. The guests get dressed for dinner. Kevin prepares a New York cheesecake.
Kate tells Simone to get the glasses for dinner. Ashton tells Tanner that Simone likes him, and asks if Tanner likes her. Tanner says, that’s dangerous. Kate tells Simone that the guests could hear her talking to Tanner. She was busy making drinks, and didn’t hear what it was about. Should she ask the guests, or does Simone want to tell her? Simone says they were just talking. In Kate’s interview, she says she’s annoyed that Simone is playing that she wants to learn. If she wants to learn, a little less this – she makes a hand gesture for talking – and more of this – she gestures like she’s cleaning something. She tells Simone, if guests are around, be careful.
I just have to interject here. I’m always surprised at how brazen the guests are, like with asking a deckhand to take their shirt off or being forward with a stew. It’s never once crossed my mind to make a pass at any kind of waitstaff or server when they’re technically in my employ. It’s outrageously inappropriate. Does money make people stupid? I had money for five minutes once, but the only inappropriate thing I ever did was take a limo to a Spice Girls concert, and it wasn’t even my idea.
Ashton tells Kate that he’s another man down, and Kate asks, how down is he? Ashton says he needs to rest. As usual, Kate makes a gorgeous centerpiece, using green/gold netting and fairy lights. Kate tells Simone, during service, keep conversation to a minimum. The guests hear everything. A guest says there’s finally a breeze, and Michael says he hasn’t had a BJ this good in years, causing all of us to collectively roll our eyes, and push him off the boat. Okay, I made up that last part. In Kevin’s interview, he says he hasn’t really been around college students before. They’re toasted, and he thinks they’ll be impressed with dinner. Michael talks about playing the drinking game, Never Have I Ever, but never have I ever played that game, nor have I ever been interested in playing. In his bunk, Brian puts a towel over his face.
Tanner and Ashton continue working. Ashton wishes he could go to bed. The captain looks at Brian’s leg, and says it’s going to be a pain in his ass. He’ll probably have to get a doctor. He tells Brian to put ice on it. The guests ask for green tea shots with Red Bull (bleh), and they need them quickly. Simone tells Kate, and Courtney brings some cheesecake to Brian. He asks if she’ll get him some ice, and promises to take her for champagne when the crew goes out. Kate downs one of the shots, and declares it good.
Kevin delivers the cheesecake, singing, once, twice, three times a cheesecake, on the way. Michael toasts to waking up and not getting pissed on. A guest says it’s the best cheesecake they’ve ever had. Michael tells them, it’s college night tonight, and Kate says they have beer pong, and a two-story beer bong. The guests change, and then play beer pong. Simone watches and laughs. Kate tells Courtney the laundry is looking good. Courtney says, it’s a nice change, but it’s boring. Kate asks her to help Simone for a while. These people really are acting like they’re in college. I’m embarrassed. Michael messes with the kayak that’s hanging on the side of the boat.
Ashton tells Michael, no. Please don’t do that. In his interview, Ashton says, what the hell does Michael think he’s doing? He’s beyond drunk, and he’ll snap the kayak, and himself. Michael says Ashton is effing up his kayak experience, but commends Ashton on saying it properly. He puts his arm around Ashton, and Ashton says at least he got the message. Simone tells Courtney that she’ll finish up. Ashton puts the slide away by himself. Brian tosses and turns in pain.
Kate asks Kevin to practice his pirate talk. He says, arghhh! Kate says, yay! Pirate day! It’s not the most gentile, elegant thing, but she can play along. Shiver me timbers. Arghhh! In Brian’s interview, he says his knee is worse. He couldn’t sleep, but he’s not the type of person who can do nothing, especially since he’s lead deckhand. He feels guilty. Ashton looks at Brian’s knee, and in his interview, he says he tried having a positive mindset, but he needs to deal with the fact that he might lose Brian. One of the guests is stoked that it’s pirate day. Kate tells Kevin that she can only use one hand. When he asks, why? she says she only has one, and shows him the hook prop on her other one. I actually have one of those because we did Peter Pan one year for Halloween.
Kate tells Kevin that she’s a leprechaun pirate. Captain Lee tells Ashton, be ready to rock and roll at 8:30. Kate gives the captain a gentle reminder that it’s pirate day. He says, them’s that dies be the lucky ones, and she says, totally. They pull anchor. Kate tells Courtney, she looks like she’s a lame not-team player. She’s working with a hook. She says it’s Courtney’s last chance to choose her own outfit or she will. The captain asks about Brian, and says if he sees his ass up and around, he’ll have his ass. He gives Ashton the helm, and says he has a new deckhand coming. Brian is so close to being down, he wants to get her on board. In his interview, Captain Lee says, when you’re shorthanded, you run the risk of injury. It’s dangerous, and they can’t continue down this road. Ashton asks if he can look at a copy of the deckhand’s CD, and the captain says he already knows her. It’s Ryleigh. In Ashton’s interview, he says, you have to be effing kidding. Captain Lee says they’ll see if she learned anything.
This season, elephants; Captain Lee tells the crew that some of them aren’t getting his two rule message – don’t embarrass themselves or the boat; Ryleigh says she’s back, bitches; Ashton isn’t ready for this; Ryleigh says she’ll make Brian forget Courtney; Kevin says it’s getting heated; Alexis Bellino is a guest; a guest calls Kate a bitch; a nasty child; Kate hopes the boat sinks, and a cat in a snuggly.
📺 Tonight, I also watched a rerun of Watch What Happens Live, the Bravocon edition, aka WWHL at Bravocon. While I still wish I could have gone, holy! it was crowded. During the show, Andy basically trotted out all the Bravolebrities, so there was a massive amount of people on stage as well, but I can’t imagine even standing in an autograph line with this many people. You would have needed some kind of VIP ticket just to survive, and I’ve been to crowded conventions. I loved seeing LVP, joining the Vanderpump Rules cast, along with Puffy. She looked like the princess she is. I’ll never give up wishing she’d adopt me. Even with all my dogs, her house is so huge, she’d never even know I was there if she didn’t want to. And I’d treat her so much better than Cedric, or whatever the hell his name was. That POS from the first season of RHOBH. The highlight was Andy introducing Kim Zolciak, and not knowing the words to Tardy for the Party, but singing along anyway. You know. Like you do in the car. They played Squash That Beef, and Ramona had to go up quite a few times. Shep, Jax, and Vicki won the drawing for the shotski. The whole thing must have been insane.
👓 I also checked out Blind Date, and was not impressed. The premise is exactly what you’d think, watching a blind date, but stupid pop-ups are scattered throughout. Dating: No Filter (on E!) is a thousand times better. I think the narrator for Blind Date might have been the same person who narrates the Olive Garden commercials, since for a moment, I thought the couple went to Olive Garden when I was looking at an ad. I give it a D-.
🍵 Bravo had repeats of Below Deck again, so I watched a documentary about Preppy Killer Robert Chambers, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Edward Albee never gets old. In lieu of any new TV, here are some cups of tea I’ve collected.
🍸 At Least We Still Have VPR…
As much as I’ll miss her, I totally understand why she left.
What can I say? Like Shannon Beador, I love a costume. And yes, I looked at all of them. How many Halloween parties can the Kardashians possibly go to?
🐣 I’ve also been watching Welcome to Plathville – Tuesdays, 10 pm on TLC, my second favorite channel. It’s about a family that lives somewhat off the grid. While they’re not like the Amish – although the Amish aren’t even like the Amish anymore, so many have cell phones – Kim and Barry Plath have raised their children minus a lot of the media that most kids are joined at the hip to today. They don’t know who Justin Bieber is or have ever had soda; IMO not bad things. The Plaths aren’t tyrants, however, and it looks like we’ll be watching some new experiences for the kids in this limited run series. I can identify somewhat, at least in their surroundings, since I grew up on a pseudo farm, and being in the great outdoors is still a passion of mine. (I know, you wouldn’t think so, since I watch so much TV.) I wonder if the parents fear, as I do, that the exposure from the series will drastically affect the family, and not in a good way. Hopefully, these kids will never lose their core values.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Today’s episode of GH was preempted in most areas, however, I was able to watch it via my super-secret source. SPOILER ALERT – they will probably show this episode on Thursday, but if you want to be ahead of the game, read on…
General Hospital
At the station, Laura holds Lulu. Jordan tells Robert that the coastguard is searching, and they’re talking to anyone in the vicinity. Nina asks Valentin if he heard that; an explosion. Valentin says, Charlotte was nowhere near it, but she says, whatif…
Charlotte runs in, followed by Anna, and runs to Valentin. He holds her tight. Anna smiles.
Hayden tells Finn, good morning. He sees breakfast out, and asks if she cooked. She says, have they met? She got it from Kelly’s. She pours him coffee. He says she didn’t have to, but she says it was a special occasion. He says he barely slept, thinking about it all night. Violet is going to know he’s her father.
Dante goes back to Jax’s house, and Jax asks where he was. Dante says he had business to attend to, and Jax grabs him by the collar, slamming him against the wall. Jax says he had to lie to his own daughter, and now Carly is involved and has to lie. He’s about thisclose to blowing Dante’s cover. Quit leaving the house.
Trina doesn’t understand why Josslyn wants to move. Josslyn says there are no memories of Oscar in her dad’s house; it’s like a clean slate. Trina gets it. Josslyn doesn’t get why her parents are making her wait. She sees Carly, and asks if it was a rough night. Carly flashes back to seeing Nikolas.
There’s a knock at Ava’s door, but she says, no visitors this early. Sonny thinks she’ll make an exception for this one, and brings Avery in. Ava gets out of bed, and Avery hugs her. She tells Sonny she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t surprised, and he says Avery has been asking for her. She asks why he brought her, and he says he saw Laura the other night. She told him that Ava wasn’t dangerous or violent, and reminded him of his own history. Mental illness runs on both sides of Avery’s family, so there’s a greater possibility that she’ll have to deal with it when she’s older. He doesn’t want her to feel any stigma, or that she can’t ask for help. Ava doesn’t want that either.
Nina hugs Charlotte. Lulu and Laura come out, and Charlotte runs to Lulu. Lulu hugs her, saying she’s so happy Charlotte is safe. Laura says that makes two of them. Valentin says, Anna was a part of this rescue? Anna says, right place, right time. Charlotte tells Lulu that Anna saved her from that horrible Cassandra woman. Nina says, she is horrible. Valentin says he owes Anna, and she says, he owes Jason. He says, but he does owe her. He’s been so angry at her, and it’s made them both miserable. With this, she’s transcended everything. He can’t tell her how grateful he is. She thanks him. She says she hopes Charlotte never gets into trouble like that again, but he should know he has a very resourceful girl on his hands. He says Anna is hurt. He puts his fingers to his lips, and touches her hair. Lulu asks why Charlotte left the restaurant alone.
Hayden tells Finn, last chance. Say the word, and he can back out. He says he’s not going anywhere. Violet is his daughter, and he wants everything that comes with that. She was hoping he’d say that, and tells him, it’s going to change everything. Their talk meant a lot to her. He says, him too; it put everything in perspective. Violet runs downstairs, and Hayden says, show time.
Carly tells Josslyn that she was up with Donna a lot last night. Josslyn says, that’s weird; she didn’t hear Donna crying. Trina says she has to go. She’s grounded, and she’s supposed to be checking on her internship. Which, technically, she’s about to do. She leaves, and Carly says Josslyn is up early. Josslyn says she thought it would be a good time to finish their conversation about her moving in with Jax part time.
Nikolas says, Carly is a grown woman. If she chooses to protect Jax and Spencer, that’s on her. Jax says, she has to lie to her husband now, and Nikolas asks since when does Jax care about Sonny and Carly’s marriage? Jax says the three of them have committed to providing a stable home for Josslyn, and Nikolas needs to understand that.
Lulu asks why Charlotte left Kelly’s by herself, and Charlotte says she wanted to see if the launch was clear. Lulu says, the launch is nowhere near Kelly’s. This is completely unacceptable. She can’t wander off, especially at night. Valentin says, Lulu is right. Before Charlotte leaves anywhere, she has to check in with whoever is watching her. Charlotte says she’s sorry; she guesses she wasn’t thinking.
Jordan asks Chase to take the lead in the situation with the guard. They also need Anna’s official statement. She welcomes Anna back, and Chase says he knows someone who’s going to be especially excited to see Anna. Anna says, the feeling’s mutual.
Finn puts syrup on Violet’s waffles, trying to make a dog shape. He says he needs to work on his syrup pouring skills, but in his defense, Roxie doesn’t eat waffles. He pours Violet and Hayden some juice, and Finn tries to pour a fairy princess shape. I can relate to this, having had Goofy-shaped pancakes demanded of me once.
Chase asks if Finn knows Anna is back, but she says she was a little preoccupied. He says he has something to take care of, and tells her, welcome back. Lulu tells Charlotte, they’ll have plenty of time to discuss it at home, but right now, she wants Charlotte to thank Anna. Charlotte says, no, then turns to Anna, and thanks her. Anna says, any time, but Valentin says he hopes it never happens again. Charlotte tells Lulu, when she said no, she meant she wasn’t going home with Lulu.
Ava plays with Avery. She asks if Laura told him why she’s there. Sonny says, only because it involved her son. Ava says she’s seeing dead people. It’s pretty unnerving, especially when she thinks about what Sonny could do with the information when it comes to their daughter. Sonny says he only wants to tell Avery that her mother is getting better. So get better, for her sake. He asks Avery if she’s ready, and Avery tells Ava she loves her. Ava loves her too, and hopes she sees Avery soon. They start to leave, and Ava thanks Sonny. The nurse asks if that’s her little girl, and says she’s a doll. Ava says she isn’t arguing. The nurse gives Ava her medication, and Ava says she doesn’t think she’ll need it much longer.
Josslyn says she doesn’t want Carly to think she’s not enough, or that Josslyn doesn’t love her. She is and she does. Carly says Josslyn just needs to be somewhere that doesn’t remind her of Oscar. Josslyn says, while it’s not Carly’s fault, Carly knew Oscar and spent time with him, and Jax didn’t. It makes it easier for her to not be grieving and just be herself. Carly gets it, and she’s not mad. She’s going to miss Josslyn, but gets this is where she is right now. She just hopes Josslyn’s dad understands.
Nikolas says he’s handling it, and Jax tells him, shut up. This has turned into something that could hurt his kid. This is where a smart businessman would probably cut his losses. The bell rings. Jax says Nikolas knows what to do. It’s Jordan, and Jax invites her in. He asks how he can help her. She says, as he probably knows, Cassandra escaped. She got away in a rental van, paid for by a J.J. Jax of Alaska corporate credit card. He tells her, his card was stolen. She can check; he reported it. She says she already checked, but finds it interesting that it was used to break out a woman that he’s been investigating since he got back to Port Charles. Nikolas listens in.
Josslyn says she doesn’t understand why Jax wants her to wait. She’s fine with crashing on the couch. Carly says she’s not sleeping on a couch while she’s in school. In addition to the renovations, her dad is in a bit of a situation right now. Josslyn asks if he’s okay, and Carly says, he’s fine, but needs to deal with it first. When it’s all cleared up, her moving in will be a go. Josslyn says, okay, and Carly says she doesn’t want Josslyn to think they’re micromanaging her. Josslyn says, really, she’s fine. Carly asks what Josslyn is thinking, and Josslyn says she’s going back and forth on everything these days. She feels all over the place, and misses feeling confident. Carly says, she’ll get there. When you’re in the middle of this place, your decision making sucks. She knows from experience. That’s why not acting on impulse is important. Recognizing your judgement is impaired, you need to think things through carefully. Josslyn says, sounds like work, and Carly says, it is.
Charlotte says, it’s papa’s week, and she wants to go home with him. Please. Lulu says she missed Charlotte last night, and was hoping to make it up. Valentin says they need to teach Charlotte proper boundaries, and it is his week. Maybe it’s best for everyone if they stick to the schedule. Laura agrees, and Charlotte asks if Lulu is mad. Laura says they were just worried, and Lulu just wants to keep her close. Now that they’ve seen her, and know she’s okay… Valentin says, shall they? Charlotte hugs Lulu, and leaves with Valentin and Nina. Lulu can’t believe she just let her leave with him, and Laura says they have to find a better way to do this.
Robert tells Anna, nice entrance, but he expected nothing less. She asks what she’s missed.
Violet asks go to park, and Finn says, before they go, there’s something her mom and him wanted to talk about. Hayden says when Violet asks about her daddy, she always says her daddy loves her very much, but it’s a story for another time. That time is now. Finn says her mom and him aren’t just old friends. They were very much in love. Hayden says, Finn saved her life, and Finn says Hayden saved his back. They were so in love, they made a baby, and that baby is her. He’s her dad. Violet says, for reals? and Finn says, for reals. Violet asks if that doesn’t mean he loves her, and Finn says, yes, more than he ever thought possible. She asks if that makes Roxie her sister, and Finn guesses so. Violet says, cool. Finn says Violet can totally say no, but does she think he can give her a hug? She nods, and hugs him.
In the interrogation room, Chase tells Officer Sommers that he doesn’t know if she’s aware of it, but there’s evidence that after money was anonymously transferred into her account, she reassigned the prisoners who were on work detail. Cassandra should never have been cleared to leave the prison, yet she was – by her. You don’t have to be a detective to realize this facilitated her escape. The guard says she doesn’t know anything about that, and he asks what she does know. She says, just that she was asked to clear the prisoner for work detail. He asks, by who? He wants a name.
Jax tells Jordan, his interest wasn’t in Cassandra, but in Valentin. Valentin’s history, which is public record, was just one more stone he had to turn over in his investigation. Jordan says, now she’s dead. Someone provided a getaway boat, and it exploded shortly after it left the pier. Once the coastguard examines the blast, they could be looking at a murder investigation. Nikolas continues to listen.
Carly tells Josslyn, everyone tells teenagers not to drink alcohol, but it’s not about getting drunk; it’s about the decisions you make when you’re drunk. Like getting behind the wheel of a car, or jumping into a pool. Grieving affects you the same way; it impairs your judgement. You can choose not to drink, but you can’t just stop grieving. You can be aware though. Does it make sense? Josslyn says, it does. She just wants to get back to who she was. Carly says, and she will. Josslyn wonders how to do it without letting Oscar go. Carly says, that’s the hardest part. You feel like moving on is disloyal. Josslyn says she thinks she’s genuinely not ready to let go of who she was. Now she’s talking in circles again. Carly tells her, stop being so hard on herself. She’s right where she’s supposed to be. She’ll be okay. Carly hugs her, and Sonny comes in. He asks if he’s interrupting, but Carly thinks they’re done. Josslyn goes upstairs to write in her journal. Sonny asks if everything is okay, and Carly says he has to make more of an effort where Jax is concerned. She thinks it’s important for Josslyn. It’s good for her, and he needs to do it for her. Sonny asks, why not go back to their plan to have Josslyn move in with her father?
Jax hopes Jordan isn’t implying he had anything to do with Cassandra’s death. She says, no. They don’t even know if there was foul play, but if they do have to open an investigation. All kinds of people will be asking questions, so if he’s hiding anything, now is the time to tell her. He says he’s told her everything he knows. She says she’ll be in touch, and leaves.
Nikolas comes in (that seems to start a lot of sentences), and says he really appreciates Jax not saying anything. Jax asks if Nikolas murdered Cassandra.
Nina asks if Charlotte is okay, and Valentin asks if there’s anything she’d like to talk about. Charlotte says she’s okay, and Valentin asks if he can talk; ask her questions. She says, sure, and he says she knew how dangerous Cassandra was, and she knew what Cassandra looked like. How did Cassandra get her to go with her? What happened? Nina says Charlotte can tell them anything. Charlotte says she went because Cassandra said she’d send Nina to jail if she didn’t.
Officer Sommers tells Chase, they never met. She never got a name. She had no idea they were planning anything like that. Chase says, and she didn’t care, as long as she got the cash. They’re tracing the origins of the deposit. She says, her lawyer… and Chase says, is on their way. In the meantime, he suggests she think about her colleague who was almost killed, and ask herself, was it really worth it?
Anna tells Robert that she knows it was her idea, but can they table the catch up for another day? She just wants to go home. She wants to be in her own bed, and she wants to catch up with Finn. Robert says, before she does anything, he thinks there’s something she should know.
Hayden asks if Violet has any questions, and Violet asks where Finn has been. Hayden says, mommy and daddy had a misunderstanding, and mommy moved away. It’s not that her daddy didn’t want to be with her; he didn’t know. Finn says, mommies and daddies sometimes make mistakes. The important thing is that they forgive each other, and figure out a way to do things better. Hayden says, and that they love her. Finn says he’s glad in Violet is in his life, and Violet says, her too. And mommy too? Hayden says, that’sright.
Charlotte tells Valentin and Nina, Cassandra said Nina did something bad, but she wouldn’t tell. Valentin asks what Cassandra told her to do, and Charlotte says, show her the back way out of Kelly’s, and she did, but when they got to the pier, Cassandra took her phone. She said she was calling him, and if he did what she wanted, she wouldn’t tell the bad thing Nina did. Nina says she loves Charlotte, and that Charlotte was trying to protect her, but she needs to promise never to do it again. Never put herself in danger for Nina – ever. She loves Charlotte so much, she’d rather go to prison a thousand times over than have something happen to Charlotte. Charlotte says she knew it would be okay, because Cassandra was calling her papa. She knew he’d fix it, like he always did.
Jax tells Nikolas, don’t try to tell him it’s a coincidence. Nikolas says, is he going to cry tears over Cassandra’s death? No, but he didn’t kill her. Think about it. She had explosive (his word – ha-ha) information on Valentin. Now it’s gone. Jax says Cassandra was going to expose Nikolas. Maybe he did the math, and thought she was too much trouble to keep alive. Nikolas says, it wasn’t him. It was Valentin.
The doorbell rings at Windymere. Nina hugs Charlotte, and says there’s a horse out there who wants Charlotte to ride him. Valentin says, look who it is, and Laura and Lulu walk in. Lulu says she knows it’s Valentin’s week, but she missed Charlotte last night and thought they could have a snack together. Valentin says, that sounds pleasant, and Charlotte says, stop. She knows they can’t stand each other.
Anna tells Robert, spit it out. She’s exhausted. Robert says, Finn’s ex came back. Anna says, Hayden? She knows about her, and Robert says, that’s not what she needs to know. Anna asks why he thinks she would be threatened by Hayden. Chase walks up, and says he needs a word, but Robert says, this is important. Anna says they’ll catch up after. It’s good to see him, and Chase. She leaves, and Robert says, didn’t Chase think he was in the middle of something important? Chase says, poking holes in Anna and Finn’s relationship? Robert knows as well as he does, Hayden isn’t a threat. Robert says, that was before. Now, Finn has found out he has a child. Don’t think things won’t be different.
Violet asks if they can go to the park, and Finn suggests she play in Anna’s room for a while before they go; there are a lot of toys in there. He hugs her, and tells her, have fun. Finn says his heart exploded, and Hayden says, hers too. She thinks it went surprisingly well. Violet finally got a dad, and she thinks it’s awesome. It’s Violet’s best day ever. Finn says, his too.
Trina visits Ava. She tells Ava she wanted to check in and see how Ava is doing. She has bad news. She won’t be able to commit to this Wednesday. She got in trouble, and has detention. Sorry. Ava says, it’s okay. Don’t worry, Kiki. Trina says, Kiki?
Carly tells Sonny, you know what would be nice? If Sonny would be more accommodating. He asks, is it post-partum hormones talking, or what? Carly thinks Jax has something going on that’s stopping him from having Josslyn move in, and she’s asking him to do something – be kind to her daughter’s father, not just deal with him. She’s been putting up with Dev for Sonny, so she thinks he can do this for her. He says he thinks Jax is in trouble, and she knows what it is.
Carly says, if he must know, she thinks Jax is seeing someone. Sonny asks if Carly has met her, and she says she didn’t ask for details; it’s none of her business. He says, even if it effects Josslyn? She says, if Jax prefers she not meet her, that’s his prerogative. Sonny says nothing, and she says, what? Why is he staring at her? He says, no reason. If Jax has a guest, and doesn’t want Josslyn to know about it, he doesn’t have a problem, but it seems she does. He goes upstairs.
Josslyn writes while a song plays. These words remain…
Ava says, she meant Trina. The medication makes everything hazy. She knows who Trina is. Trina says, as long as she’s getting better, and Ava says, that’s the plan. What she needs now more than anything is rest. Trina says she’ll visit again soon.
Laura suggests she and Charlotte give her mom, dad, and Nina a chance to talk. She can tell Laura about what happened. They leave, and Nina says Charlotte is smarter than the three of them combined. Lulu says she does hate Valentin, but she thought she was doing a better job of hiding it. Valentin admits he’s not doing any better. Charlotte deserves more from them. Nina says, they have to present a united front for her to get through this. Valentin agrees, and Lulu says she’ll do anything for Charlotte.
Charlotte tells Laura, the explosion was so big, and Laura says she’s glad Charlotte was far from it. Charlotte says, what’s weird was, when everyone was looking at the flames, she saw a man. When she turned back, he was gone. Laura asks if Charlotte recognized him, and she shakes her head. Laura says he was probably just a dock worker. Charlotte says, probably.
Nikolas says, Cassandra held Charlotte hostage. What would Jax have done if it was Josslyn? Cassandra crossed Valentin and he killed her for it. Jax says perhaps Valentin is more lethal than he realized. Nikolas says, it’s a problem, but he’ll figure it out. Jax says, do that, or he walks. It’s his final warning.
Chase says, Finn has a child? and Robert says he sees Finn didn’t tell him. He and Hayden have a little girl named Violet. Chase says, he’s an uncle, and their dad is a grandfather. Finn never even.. Robert says, if it’s any consolation, Finn just found out. He’s sure Finn’s life has turned upside down. Give him time.
Finn says, whatever is going on in their lives, he and Hayden are Violet’s parents. She’s their first priority. Hayden agrees 100%. He asks why he’s sensing a but, and she says she thinks after what happened, they’ve earned the right to be honest with one another. Co-parenting is the number one priority, but she can’t guarantee the only way she’ll see him is as Violet’s father.
Anna comes in, and asks if Finn is there. She’s home. She looks over, and sees Finn and Hayden sitting together on the couch.
They had no preview. I suppose because they weren’t even supposed to have the episode. Again, I think they’ll be showing this tomorrow on ABC.
The Real Housewives of Dallas
Brandi and LeeAnne meet for drinks. Brandi says LeeAnne is a real housewife now. She gives LeeAnne a T-shirt that says, Recharging My Awesomeness, and a gift certificate for a couples massage. LeeAnne is happy for the opportunity to get naked with Rich.
Stephanie and D’Andra meet to shop for party outfits. Stephanie tells D’Andra that Kameron isn’t coming to Travis’s party because of something her kids have going on. We flash back to Kameron complaining that Stephanie used her kids to get out of going to LeeAnne’s shower. D’Andra says, what are the odds?
Bryan and Brandi pick up Stephanie and Travis. Travis has no idea where they’re going. In her interview, Stephanie says, Travis is worried about his father. He’s stressed out, and doesn’t know if his father is going to survive. She wants to make him laugh, and feel like a kid again. They pull up at Medieval Times. I’ve never been there, but I’ve always wanted to go. I’d want to dress up though. Bryan says he hasn’t been there since… The girls crack up laughing. The group is bestowed with paper crowns. A page tells the queen that for his 50th birthday, Travis desires to become knight of the realm. Travis is knighted, and Bryan is knighted as well. When they sit to eat, Bryan is a big baby who doesn’t want to eat without the proper utensils. There’s a jousting match that looks amazing. Stephanie asks how Travis’s dad is, and Travis says his dad wanted them to bring him back. He thought he was dying. He’s taking is medication, just less of it. Travis is frustrated because he can’t do anything about it. In Stephanie’s interview, she says Travis puts on a brave face, but he’s barely sleeping and stressed out. Travis says, it will be an interesting trip.
Court and Kameron take the kids to do archery. In her interview, Kameron says, Hilton is going to sleepaway camp, and most of them offer archery. She needs to look supercool for Hilton. She’s not athletic, but she’s good at Pilates. Court tells Hilton to stay as far away from mom as possible. Hilton does really well on her first shot. Court isn’t sure if Kameron holding a bow is attractive or terrifying. In Kameron’s interview, she says Hilton bonds with Court over football and soccer. She wants to bond over sports too. Kameron’s shot is way off. She doesn’t even hit the target circle. Court says, Hilton is crushing it. Kameron asks what the trick is, and he says, aim. He suggests she mentally put someone’s face on the target, but Kameron says she doesn’t do that. In her interview, she says she’s not shooting Stephanie. She’s annoyed about Stephanie bailing on the shower at the last minute, so she’s not going to Travis’s birthday party. She could probably make it happen, but surface friends don’t go to husband’s 50th birthdays. A target with balloons on it is brought out, and Kameron is good at that one. Hilton says, impressive. In Kameron’s interview, she says she nailed it. Maybe Hilton will see her in a new light. Bullseye.
Kary has a photoshoot to launch her website. When she started her company, it was a hobby. Now her hobby is turning into a reality. She’s excited. It’s important that her kids see her as financially independent. Eduardo has nothing to do with the business. She’s paying for the shoot with her own money. She and Olivia strike some poses. Stephanie joins them, and Kary says she wants to include Stephanie. In Stephanie’s interview, she says Kary has a strong personality. She’s surprised Kary agreed to a prenup where she gets nothing. She thinks Kary feels screwed, and this will empower her. She doesn’t need a man. She can do it on her own. Stephanie is proud of her. Kary asks if Stephanie has ever done ozone therapy. She went with Kameron this morning, and Kameron said Kameron said she’s not going to Travis’s birthday. She feels Stephanie isn’t making an effort in the relationship. We see a clip of Kameron and Stephanie talking, and Kameron says she’ll go above and beyond for a close friend, but Stephanie doesn’t want to put in the effort. Stephanie tells Kary, she’s trying to figure out how to have a friendship with Kameron without setting her off. She feels like it’s not easy for Kameron either, but she doesn’t want to beg Kameron to love her. In Stephanie’s interview, She says it bothers her that she’s not proving herself worthy of Kameron’s friendship. It’s so stupid. She tears up, and says she doesn’t know why this is making her cry. Kary says, it’s a sensitive issue. They all have sensitive triggers. It has a lot to do with chemistry. Some relationships and friendships are easier, and some take time. Stephanie says she was hurt in the past, and she’s not comfortable sharing. She doesn’t let people in unless she feels they won’t hurt or judge her.
Susan’s mom has come for the party. Stephanie says the party is going to be the death of her. In her interview, Stephanie says she loves having her mother there. She can tell Susan anything; she’s like a therapist. She is a therapist. She tells Susan about going to Thailand. She says Travis is going for work, and to see his dad, who’s not feeling well. He’s going to be working a lot, so she invited the ladies. She feels like she’s in a good place with all the girls, but she’s nervous. She and Kameron seem to be having a power struggle. When she does something wrong, or states her mind, Kameron gets upset. Kameron isn’t coming to the party because of her kid’s dance recital. She says it’s all about family, but told Kary that maybe she’d go if Stephanie called and made her feel wanted. Susan says Kameron is trying to manipulate the situation by making Stephanie bend to her standards in order to be her friend. That’s not what a friend is. She says Kameron doesn’t deserve this much energy. Stephanie says she seeks peace over resolution, and got it from Susan. In her interview, Stephanie says, when she was growing up, some people treated her mother like crap. They didn’t think her mom was good enough for her father because she was poor. Her whole life, she was taken advantage of. She would hold her tongue and be nice, and then cry in private. Susan says she taught Stephanie to be a good person to others, but not to herself. She says she wants to cry. She feels Stephanie’s pain; she’s been there. If she seems sensitive, just ignore her. In Stephanie’s interview, she says she and her sister were treated equally bad because of their mother. A group of women always made her feel like she wasn’t good enough, and it changed her. Stephanie tells Susan that Kameron brings her insecurity out. Susan says Kameron’s opinion doesn’t matter. Stephanie’s opinion of herself is the only one that matters. She’s sorry Stephanie is feeling this way. Susan hugs Stephanie, and tells her that she’s okay. In her interview, Stephanie says Kameron triggers her, reminding her of the worthless felling she felt as a child. She says she feels like she taught Kameron it was okay to treat her that way, and doesn’t want do that anymore. Susan says, a friend shouldn’t make her feel this way. She’s proud of Stephanie. It’s taken her sixty years to know she’ll be okay without certain people in her life. She’s not casting her pearls before swine. Kameron doesn’t deserve her friendship, don’t cater to her. Stephanie knows what makes her feel good, and asks if she’s Susan’s favorite daughter. Susan says she has two favorite daughters.
Stephanie gets dressed up to look like Peg Bundy from Married with Children. She says when she thinks midlife crisis, she thinks of Peg. She’s a hot mess, and the epitome of midlife crisis. The party is set up, and Travis thinks it’s awesome. Stephanie says, everyone is wearing costumes, and they’re having fireworks, a full bar, and lots of food. It cost more than her wedding. She thinks a midlife crisis costume would be wearing something not age appropriate. Travis’s outfit is absurd. It’s Gucci, and obnoxiously expensive. She thinks around $5K. He’s wearing a T-Shirt, pants, and baseball cap with the Gucci logo. I have no words.
In her interview, Kary says, even though she and Eduardo had a stressful dinner, she’s learned to move on. Life is short, and he’s a good husband. They have to figure out the financial situation, but that’s for another day. I dunno. I don’t think a good husband gives you nothing when they’re loaded like Eduardo is.
Brandi arrives as a Playboy bunny. In her interview, she says, who doesn’t like a bunny? Anyone in their 40s willing to wear the costume, obviously wants attention. Stephanie’s father shows up dressed as a pimp, sporting heavy gold jewelry.
Stephanie and Brandi sit on a swing in the yard. Stephanie tells Brandi that Kameron can’t come because of the children, but she told Kary that if Stephanie had expressed more effort, she would have come. She can’t live her life for pleasing other people. It’s all she’s done her whole life, and it’s exhausting. She’d like Kameron to be there, but wants her to want to be there. She asks if Brandi has heard anything about the baby. Brandi says they should have some news before they leave for Thailand. She’s been waiting and praying. In Brandi’s interview, she says they’re in a waiting pattern with the test to see if the baby is Bruin’s full sibling. She’s struggling with three children, and if the baby is only a half sibling, she’ll be more hesitant to adopt. Stephanie says they can sleep for twenty hours on the plane.
Kary and Eduardo come looking like Jersey Shore cast members. In Brandi’s interview, she says Kary is supposed to be Snooki, but that’s not midlife. She has it all wrong. LeeAnne is wearing a Hear Me Roar T-shirt and midi skirt. She says she couldn’t think of anything. The wedding stole all her creative moments. She tells the others that she couldn’t find a blowup doll that looked seventeen. In Stephanie’s interview, she says she looked like a hooker for LeeAnne, and LeeAnne couldn’t dress up for her. LeeAnne tells Stephanie that Rich is sick, and can’t be there. D’Andra walks in as Mama Dee, and LeeAnne says she has the attitude down.
D’Andra announces that she’s Mama Dee Simon Jr. In Kary’s interview, she says D’Andra looks like Mama Dee gone prostitute. Stephanie suggests D’Andra go to the bank and get what she wants out of the trust. They’ll never know. She tells D’Andra that her hair looks like Mama Dee’s, and D’Andra says that’s because it is. She merged her own midlife crisis with Mama Dee’s crisis. She tells Kary that LeeAnne coming along makes her feel better, since Jeremy can’t be there, and most of the husbands are there. Kary hopes now that LeeAnne is married, she’ll move on to the next phase.
Tiffany and husband Tyler make an entrance as middle-aged Barbie and Ken, complete in their boxes. I love it. LeeAnne asks if D’Andra got permission from Mama Dee to wear her wig, and D’Andra says she did. Stephanie gets up on stage, and everyone chants Travis. She introduces their kids, and says everybody they love is in this space. It means the world to them. Travis is the most amazing, wonderful, incredible father, and she loves him so much. The cake comes out, and everyone sings Happy Birthday. There’s applause, giant sparklers, and a band plays.
D’Andra has some shots, and gets in the Barbie box. Fireworks happen. LeeAnne says she’s not enjoying watching D’Andra get drunk over, and over, and over, and making an ass of herself. D’Andra takes off her jacket, and in Stephanie’s interview, she says, not just Mama Dee, but Mama Dee’s nips came out to play. In LeeAnne’s interview, she says, anyone who doesn’t know D’Andra would think she’s just being the drunk, funny class clown; but people who know her know it’s a slippery slope from getting drunk in private to getting drunk off her ass in public. Oddly enough, it’s Brandi who ends up falling over.
In her interview, Stephanie says she thinks D’Andra is trying to reach LeeAnne, but doesn’t know how to be around LeeAnne while she’s sober. D’Andra wanders around, looking for her jacket, and LeeAnne finds it. Kary says she thinks LeeAnne needs to babysit D’Andra. In Kary’s interview, she says LeeAnne loves to pretend D’Andra is like her child. We flash back to Mexico, and LeeAnne telling D’Andra that they’ll have conversation when she’s sober. LeeAnne tells Eduardo that his wife can do the babysitting. He asks, for who? and LeeAnne says, is he kidding? He can’t figure out who needs sitting? D’Andra takes a selfie, and Travis does shots with the girls. D’Andra yells that it will be fun in Thailand, and there’s lots of screeching.
Everyone packs for the trip. LeeAnne tells Rich that she heard women pop turtles out of their vaginas, but he thinks that’s an old wives tale. She says, the ping pong thing is true, and he says he knows nothing about that. She asks if he’s seen it, but he tells her that he’s not dignifying that question. I take that as a yes.
D’Andra has an absolutely massive closet. Bigger than Kyle and LVP’s put together. Mama Dee asks what’s going to happen with the company while D’Andra is gone. D’Andra says it would be better if she was there, but she needs to go on this trip. It will be nice to have a few days off from the stress. The Mexico trip was good, but it was really her 50th birthday celebration.
Travis’s sister tells Stephanie that it’s a humid, sticky, and horrible time to go to Thailand. Great endorsement. And it’s monsoon season. Stephanie says that makes her feel better.
While packing a million things she’ll never wear, Kameron tells her assistant that a lady never leaves down until she has to sit on her bag. She wonders if she’ll have a roommate. She hates not knowing, and hates surprises, unless it’s fabulous jewelry.
Bruin tries get into Brandi’s suitcase. Brandi asks if Brooklyn is going to miss her, and Brooklyn says, no, but Brandi will miss them.
At the airport, Court tells Kameron not to say anything bad about the king, or she’ll go to jail. Kameron says she’d never do that. In her interview, Kameron explains that Thailand time is the complete opposite of Dallas time. They’re traveling to the future. D’Andra is the last to arrive. In their interviews, the producers ask the women what they know about Thailand, which is basically nothing. Kameron says it’s far away.
On the plane, D’Andra thanks Stephanie for planning the trip. The drinking commences. In LeeAnne’s interview, she says it’s her first time going to Thailand, and she’s excited. She’d like to have a good time. Trips with the group haven’t always worked out. She says maybe they should do some flashbacks to see, and we flash back to several trips, ending with Mexico. LeeAnne says, no Bueno.
The plane ascends.
Next time, the Thailand trip; Kameron looks up the rules, and reads, do not start a quarrel easily and make a scene, and Stephanie thinks they’ll have issues; D’Andra tries LeeAnne’s Infinity dress; and LeeAnne and Kary are at odds.
🍕 I glanced at RHONJ, but there was nothing earth shattering. Marge and Danielle still hate each other. Teresa is still friends with Danielle. Juicy Joe is on ICE. Danielle said something snarky about Marge’s Joe#3, and I got very confused, forgetting there are three of them. The women ran an obstacle course to make Teresa happy, and everyone did fine until afterwards. Dolores had them over to her place, and it didn’t take long for Marge and Danielle to go at it. I’m not fully paying attention until RHOD’s season is done, but it doesn’t seem like much is going on except the same old. It doesn’t help that we all know how things shook out with Joe#1.
😢 While I would have loved to go to Bravocon, sadly, the tickets sold out in an hour – didn’t see that coming – and my attempt at entering their #1 Fan contest apparently failed. No doubt my meager essay on why it should be me was eclipsed by some kind of media extravaganza that I have no time to write, direct, and star in. In a subsequent stupid move, I missed out on entering to meet Lisa Vanderpump (all expenses paid!) because I misunderstood the cut off time, mistaking 12:00:00 for 12:00. But even through my rejection haze, I tip my hat to Andy Cohen, who loved pop culture so much, he became a part of it. I suppose I did too, in a way, with Rocky Horror, but he’s certainly living the pop dream big time.
💧 Everyone Else Got Snow…
And all we got was a bag of rain. Which sums up November by the Shore so far.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Finn catches Hayden on the phone with her daughter.
Ava sits sipping a martini at the bar in the Rib. She has the stack of Ryan’s letters with her, and Chet says, most people don’t have time for handwritten notes anymore. She says, the author of these letters has nothing but time on his hands. She downs the martini, and Chet asks if it’s not good enough to be savored. She says, on the contrary, but on nights like this she prefers to go right to a bout of well-lubricated amnesia. Michael comes up to the bar to pay his tab, and Ava asks him to tell his father to please stop ignoring her voicemails. She’s supposed to see Avery tomorrow, but can’t finalize plans if he doesn’t respond. Michael says Sonny has been busy. He and Avery have a new baby sister. Ava needs another drink. Or four.
Carly tries to get Sonny to go to the waiting room; their daughter needs to feel him close to her. Jason comes in, and Sonny asks him to stay with Carly while he checks on their daughter.
Laura says, Doc found a clue in the painting? He says, possibly, but he might possibly be seeing what he wants to see. He wouldn’t be the first cryptographer who saw a clue that didn’t exist. Laura asks what he thinks he sees. He says, that the codicil actually exists.
Nina wonders where Valentin got his musical talent. She doesn’t think it was from Mikkos. Valentin says, Mikkos didn’t sing; he screamed. Even though he doesn’t want to invite bad luck, he doesn’t want to be so far away from her. They kiss, and Jax smiles at them.
In the bathroom, Sasha tells Obrecht, she doesn’t know how much longer she can keep this up. Obrecht says she made a choice; they both did. She chose to keep Sasha’s secret in order to protect Nina. Her niece’s happiness is of the utmost importance to her. Therefore, Nina must never know Sasha isn’t her daughter. Inside one of the stalls, Lulu hears, and registers total shock. Sasha says Obrecht doesn’t have to remind her what’s at stake. Nina’s happiness is her priority too. Obrecht says Sasha made Nina believe that she was Nina’s daughter, but she’s an imposter. Now they’re both in too deep to get out.
Sasha tells Obrecht not to act like some victim. Obrecht says, there’s only one victim here – poor, trusting Nina, who believes Sasha is her long lost daughter. Sasha says she’s right. She took advantage of Nina’s trust, but why did Obrecht go along with it? Obrecht says Sasha genuinely seems to care for Nina. Sasha says she does. That’s why she can’t live with it. Obrecht says neither can she, but Nina has to believe her happily ever after is finally there.
Jax asks if it’s Nina and Valentin’s last night out as single people, but Nina says it’s what’s left of there bachelor and bachelorette parties. Valentin says, driving rain wasn’t as conducive to golf as Peter thought it would be. Nina says, and her bachelorette party kind of fell flat, but their luck changed, and they wound up in the same place. Jax says, congratulations. It seems like things are going their way. Nina says what about him? He doesn’t seem like a Floating Rib kind of guy. Jax says it has its charm, and he wanted something casual, since he’ll be celebrating their relationship tomorrow. Valentin says he doesn’t have to. They don’t care if Jax approves of their relationship. Nina says, but they do. She wants him to respect their relationship.
Doc tells Laura to look at the jewels on Helena’s collar. Some sparkle, some don’t. He thinks it’s intentional. It reminds him of a constellation. Corona Vera. She asks how he knew that, and he says he’s a bit of a constellation nerd. She says, of course (🍷) he is. He says some historians believe that cryptologists were the original stargazers. They looked to the stars for meaning. Laura asks what her favorite cryptologist knows about this constellation. Doc asks if she has other cryptologists in her life, and she says, no, but she thought it sounded better than only. He says he’ll take it. She wonders if it’s a constellation out of Greek mythology, and Doc says, it’s possible. Corona Vera is roughly translated to true crown, but could be taken as rightful heir.
Michael tells Ava that he’ll pass along her congratulations, and she says, please do. He tells her that if she’s seeing Avery tomorrow, try to be sober.
Carly thanks Jason for waiting with her. She thought it would be better for Sonny be in the waiting room. He has room to pace. If she could walk, she’d be pacing with him. Jason asks how she’s holding up, and she says physically, she’s fine; there were no complications. She’s not worried about herself. She’s worried about Donna. She’s so tiny. They let Carly hold her, and she’s so sweet, pretty and alert; Carly can’t believe she’s on the operating table. Jason says, Michael had surgery when he was a newborn and came through it. Donna will too. Carly says she knew it was coming, but didn’t know she’d be so scared.
Jason gives Carly a present. He says he bought it for her. He bought it for Donna too, but mostly her. She says he doesn’t give presents, but he says, it’s a special occasion. She unwraps it, and it’s a travel guide for Africa. She says he gave the same one to Michael, and Jason says, it was the first book Michael had. He just thought it would be a great place for her and Donna to get started. She thanks him. Wow. Those Corinthos kids must be smart, reading travel guides when they’re babies.
Hayden asks if Finn is hanging over her shoulder. Finn asks since when does she have a honeybun? She says Honeybun is her dog. He asks since when does she have a dog? What kind of dog is it? She says it’s a lab named Honeybun. It’s been a while since she’s seen Honeybun, and talking helps the separation anxiety. She’s trying to make sure her baby is managing without her. She tells Finn, tease her all he wants. Finn says, it’s sweet; it’s very maternal. She says, that’s her; maternal.
Laura finds a book on constellations and myths in the library. She tells Doc, Corona Vera is connected to a myth. She reads, a distant relative usurps the crown of a rightful heir. Earning the enmity of the gods who cast him down. She says he nailed it. Helena bequeathed the portrait for a reason. It all fits. Doc says, unless she was toying with Nikolas. Were they at odds when she died? Laura says, they were. Helena tried to control Nikolas, and for decades, she tormented him. Eventually, he flipped, and used her tactics against her. He became as ruthless as she was. Laura thinks it was Helena’s plan all along. Doc wonders if she wanted to help him or hurt him, and Laura says, Helena would want Nikolas to inherit the estate before Valentin. Nikolas is her own blood, and Valentin was the product of her husband’s infidelity. She’d never want the Cassadine estate to land in Valentin’s hands. Doc says the painting seems to confirm Valentin is not the rightful heir, but that doesn’t make them any closer to the whereabouts of the codicil. Maybe the answer is in the stars.
Obrecht says, Nina doesn’t know Sasha is nursing a guilty conscience. She’s afraid Sasha is going to have a relapse. Does she want Nina worrying on her wedding day? Sasha says, of course (🍷) not. Obrecht says, then stop thinking about herself, and think about Nina. She’s going to be married, and Sasha has to be the daughter Nina needs her to be, instead of a selfish Sasha, a nobody from nowhere. They leave, and Lulu, who’s been sitting with her feet up on the toilet and getting angrier, peeks out. She says, Valentin, you son of a bitch.
Jax tells Nina that he hopes the wedding will serve as a new beginning. Not just for her and Valentin, but for them. Strictly professional, of course (🍷). No more spying, no more secret files. Nina says Jax was the one with secret files, and Jax says she and Valentin both hired Curtis to spy on him. It was a wasted effort. They could have focused on the magazine. Moving forward, he hopes they can do better. Nina does too. Put the past in the past, and leave it there. Valentin couldn’t agree more. Jax suggests calling a truce, and asks what they should drink. Obrecht sidles up, saying, a vodka martini, shaken not stirred. Jax says it’s lovely to see her, and she says, him too. She asks if he’d like to join her in a martini. I wait for him to say he doesn’t think they’ll both fit, but instead, he says, only if he’s buying. Obrecht says, they can catch up. Nina thinks it should wait until tomorrow. They have to get back for their beauty rest. Obrecht says her beauty requires minimal maintenance. Jax says something to her in German, and they have a short conversation. He leaves, and she says, what a man. Nina says, he’s very charming, but please take it slow. Obrecht tells her not to worry. She and Jax are both cosmopolitan citizens of the world. Nina didn’t even know he could speak German. She asks what Jax said, and Valentin says Jax asked her to save him a dance tomorrow night. Obrecht says, no doubt, he’ll be a marvelous dancer. Nina thinks this conversation can end.
Sasha orders a glass of wine at the bar. Michael tells her that he’s going to GH to check out Donna and Carly. Sasha says she’ll see him tomorrow, and he says, without a doubt. He tells her to keep her chin up. It will all be over soon. He kisses her, and heads for the hospital.
Obrecht tells Nina they have time for a drink. It’s her last night of freedom, and must go down with a roar, not a whimper. Nina asks if Obrecht doesn’t want rest up for her big dance, and Obrecht says, perhaps she’s right. She wants to make the most of tomorrow’s opportunity. Sasha joins them, and Nina guesses this is goodnight. Valentin hates that she’s spending the night on Spoon Island. If the weather gets worse, they’ll close the harbor, and she won’t make it back. She says she’ll swim to him. Nothing will keep her away. They kiss, and Lulu comes out of the bathroom, looking shocked and furious.
Nina thanks Lulu for coming out. She knows they’ve had their ups and downs, and appreciates Lulu making an effort. Lulu says, it’s not Nina. She thinks Nina would want… Nina asks if Lulu is okay, and Valentin suggests she overindulged. Lulu says she’s not drunk. Valentin says, no judgement, but she doesn’t want a hangover tomorrow. Lulu guesses she’s just tired. Nina tells her to get some rest. If she shows up early, they can take some cute pictures of her and Charlotte. Obrecht says, it’s time to leave, and Nina says she’ll see them tomorrow. Lulu says, yes; she will. When Nina is gone, Lulu asks Valentin if he understands how much Nina means to Charlotte. If he jeopardizes that, and Charlotte gets hurt even a little bit, she’ll tear him down. He tells her, go home; she’s drunk. Dustin comes along, and asks if he can buy Lulu a drink. She says, if he doesn’t mind, she’d like some fresh air. Dustin says he doesn’t mind, and it’s cheaper too. She says she has to get out of there.
Looking at the book, Laura tells Doc, the stars have been used for navigation for thousands of years. Maybe their position in the sky means something. He says, their position when? She says, maybe when the stars are bright? and he says, like the jewels in the painting. She says, maybe they indicate the location of the codicil. He suggests they start by finding out when the constellation is most visible.
Hayden asks what Finn is doing at the Rib, and he says he got roped into Valentin’s bachelor party. Hayden says the things they do for love. Jax approaches them, and says, there she is. He thinks they should grab a table. Hayden say she needs to use the restroom. Jax asks Finn if Hayden is okay, and Finn thinks she just misses her dog. He says, strange. He never thought of Hayden as a dog person. Jax says it’s news to him too. Finn asks if Jax has never met Hayden’s lab, Honeybun.
Hayden finds Ava crying over the sink in the bathroom. Hayden says, rough night? and Ava says, rough couple of years. Hayden needs to use the sink, and asks if Ava minds moving. Ava says, actually, she does mind.
Carly ask Jason to tell her what’s going on. She knows him. He wouldn’t have left if it wasn’t important. He says, Sam’s been arrested for Shiloh’s murder. Carly says, what? How is that possible?He’s a kidnapper and sexual predator. Sam shot him to save Jason’s life. He says, Sam shot Shiloh in the back, and Carly asks what she was supposed to do. Politely ask him to turn around? Jason says, that’s what the cops said, but Carly says, the cops are wrong. Jason agrees, but a nurse overheard Sam say something potentially incriminating. Diane says the statement is hearsay, but then someone dropped off a recording with Sam saying she wanted Shiloh dead. Carly says people say that all the time, and he says, but Sam didn’t say it. The tape is fake. Someone is trying to frame Sam. Carly asks what they’d get out of it, and he says, maybe they’re leftover DoD members. If that’s all it is, Diane can handle it, but Sam is in lock-up, and her arraignment is tomorrow. Hopefully, this is the end of it. Sonny comes in, and Carly asks if it’s over. Sonny says he didn’t see Donna, but the operation is over. The surgeon is going to talk to them
Outside the Rib, Dustin gives Lulu his jacket. She thanks him for walking with her. He says she seems stressed, and she says, it’scomplicated. He says he can handle it, and she says, someone she knows was lied to by a person they love. He asks if it’s bad, and she says, it’s despicable. He asks if she’s going to tell them, and she says she hasn’t decided yet. There’s chance a chance this someone would prefer not knowing. Dustin says, so do you help someone by not hurting them, or hurt them by not helping them? She says that’s her dilemma. What do you do when you think you really know someone, and it turns out they’re not that person at all? I wonder if this is a foreshadowing that Dustin also isn’t the person Lulu thinks either.
Laura reads that Corona Vera is visible in the northern hemisphere from November through March. She shows him the coordinates, and he says, the latitude and longitude is Spoon Island. She says he’s kidding, and he shows her on his phone. She hugs him, and says, they did it, but he says, not yet. The house is massive, and there’s the grounds and the outbuildings, not to mention the island itself. He’s not sure they can narrow it down. She says he got his first clue is in the painting, so the painting might hold another. They hear Nina, Obrecht, and Sasha in the foyer, and try to act normal.
Hayden fixes Ava’s makeup. Ava says she’s not the type to engage in a public crying jag, and Hayden says she didn’t think Ava cried at all. Ava says she thought the same thing about Hayden. Hayden asks where she got that idea, and Ava says, Nikolas. Hayden says she couldn’t afford to be vulnerable, but Ava wonders, why not? Nikolas was wonderful; sensitive and generous. Hayden says, he wanted her dead, and Ava says, so he had contradictions. Hayden says, don’t we all. She tells Ava that it was better in the long run. A simpler relationship was better for her. Ava says Finn hardly strikes her as simple, and Hayden says they’re done. She wants to be clear that Finn is in the past. She gave up on him, like Ava seems to have given up on life. Ava squeezes her glass so hard, it breaks.
Jax tells Finn that Hayden never mentioned a dog to him, but to be fair, she never mention she’d been engaged to Finn. They don’t talk about their personal lives so much. It’s strictly business. Hayden runs out, and says Ava cut her hand in the ladies room. She needs Finn’s help. Finn isn’t thrilled, but says, all right, and goes into the ladies room. Hayden asks Jax why he called this meeting, and he says first, he’d like an explanation. Why hasn’t she told Finn about their child?
On the phone with Diane, Jason says he just wants Sam out. They’ll deal with the rest later. Michael comes in with flowers, and Jason tells him the operation is over. The surgeon is talking to his parents now. They see the doctor come out of Carly’s room, and they go in. No one is crying, so that’s a good sign. Michael asks what the surgeon said, and Sonny says, their little girl came thought with flying colors. Carly says, Donna is going to be okay. Michael is happy for them, and hugs Carly. Everyone smiles.
Sonny says the surgery was a complete success, and there are no complications. Michael says, it’s a miracle. The first uncomplicated Corinthos. Carly says Donna will have to stay at the hospital for a while. She’s on antibiotics, in case of infection, and she’ll be monitored to make sure she’s healing properly, but the surgeon doesn’t think there’s any reason to worry. Sonny asks if Jason and Michael want to see her, and Michael suggests they take shifts. Sonny takes Jason with him, and Michael asks how Carly stays so strong. Carly says he wouldn’t be saying that if he’d seen her during the surgery. She breathes a sigh of relief.
Dustin tells Lulu, it depends on what it relates to. She asks if he promises not to tell anyone, and he says he doesn’t know any of these people, except for her. She says she needs to hear him say it, and he says he promises. It’s her secret to keep or tell. She says, it turns out Nina’s daughter Sasha isn’t her daughter. It’s a scam. She knows Valentin has something to do with it. He probably cooked the whole thing up, and now Nina is going to marry him. Smug bastard. Here she is, armed with information that could blow him out of the water. Only.. Dustin says, only she’ll destroy the wedding. He says, look at it from Nina’s perspective. Would she want to know the truth?
Back at Windymere, Nina, Sasha, and Obrecht sit on the couch, drinking wine. Sasha thinks she’s had enough, but Nina says, no, and she can’t say no to the bride. Obrecht says, certainly not. She wishes her niece nothing but the best. They clink glasses, and Nina says she has gifts for them. Obrecht says, her first. Nina gives Obrecht a huge box. Obrecht unwraps it – real wrapping paper too – and says, her very own karaoke machine. She’ll be compelled to audition for American Idol in no time, although I think she’s probably missed the cut-off by a few years already. Nina says it’s Sasha’s turn, and gives her a small box. Sasha opens it, and says she can’t. Obrecht asks what it is, and Nina shows her the necklace. Obrecht says, it’s a significant gift, and Sasha says, and way too much. Nina says, nothing is too much when it comes to her. It’s not the original, but she had it made. She shows Sasha that she’s wearing the other half, and puts the necklace on her. Nina says, it’s perfect. Just like them.
Jax and Hayden sit at a table, and Laura and Doc walk in. Laura thinks they should keep their theory between the two of them for now. She feels that Hayden could still be a wild card. Hayden tells Jax that Finn could have heard. She doesn’t see how this involves Jax, but Jax says when he covers for her, it makes him an accomplice; a role he’s not comfortable with. She’s going to get caught, and he thinks she should cut her losses. Her lies are getting more desperate by the minute. A dog named Honeybun? She says she had to cover; it’s too late for anything else. If Finn had come to Rome, she would have told him, but now he’s with Anna. Jax says, that doesn’t change the fact that Finn has a daughter he doesn’t know about.
Finn washes Ava’s cut. He tells her to keep pressure on it, and when she gets home, put on a proper bandage and disinfectant. And lay off the booze, or it will keep bleeding. Ava says, as if the night couldn’t get worse. Finn asks how she cut herself, and Ava says his ex-girlfriend. Hayden offered unsolicited advice and an inaccurate assessment of her life. Who is she to judge? How did he end up with that hypocrite anyway? He says they never ended up together, and he’s engaged. Ava says, since when has that ever stopped anybody?
Nina tells Sasha that when she went to the jeweler to have the necklace made, she thought what her life would have been like if Valentin hadn’t found Sasha. She couldn’t imagine it. Sasha has made her a better person. They would have found each other regardless. They were destined to be together. Nina thanks her for being her daughter. She loves her. Sasha says she loves Nina too. They hug, and Sasha looks at Obrecht over Nina’s shoulder.
Lulu tells Dustin, of course (🍷) she’d want to know, but it might be better for Nina to live in ignorance, and sit on this truth. How can she make it through the wedding? How is she going to keep her mouth shut while Nina exchanges vows with that liar? Dustin says, maybe a distraction at the wedding would help. Lulu asks, what kind? and says, an escort at her side. He could be her back up. Does she have a date? She says, no, and he asks if she wants one.
Obrecht says, time for bed; it’s getting late. Sasha says she’s tired, and Nina says, okay. She can hardly wait for Sasha to be by her side tomorrow. Sasha says, it’s going to be beautiful, they hug, and Sasha goes to her room. Obrecht hugs Nina, grabs her karaoke machine, and also leaves. Nina sees the painting, and says, that’s enough out of you, covering it again. Valentin says, that woman is a real buzzkill. She says he’s not supposed to be there, but he says he needed to see her one last time. They kiss, and he says he has something important for her.
At the Rib, Doc tells Laura, there are other clues in the painting, but a photograph is a poor substitute for the real thing. Laura bets there are lots of clues. Helena intended for Nikolas to figure it out.
Valentin says, eyes closed, and puts a gorgeous necklace in front of Nina. He says, open them, and she says, it’s beautiful. He puts it on her, and says he loves her. They kiss.
Ava tries to think of the last time she saw Finn’s fiancé, but here’s Hayden. She’s still head over heels in love with him. Finn says Hayden made it clear she feels nothing, but Ava tells him not to kid himself, or let Hayden kid him. She’s lying when she says she’s over him.
Hayden says, telling Finn will just throw upheaval into their lives, and Jax says, it’s probably for the best. She asks if he’s saying Finn wouldn’t want her back. He asks if it’s never crossed her mind, and she says, obviously it’s crossed her mind. She’s thought of everything from a happily ever after to an ugly custody fight. But she always comes to the same conclusion. Finn can never know.
Carly tells Michael, Donna is so tiny and fragile. She kept worrying that something would go wrong, and that one moment is all she would get. Michael says she has a lifetime of moments. Donna is a lucky girl. She’s got the best mom in the world. They hug, and Carly says she loves him.
Jason and Sonny look at baby Donna. Sonny asks what Jason thinks. Jason says, she’s so tiny, and Sonny says, tiny, but fierce. They chose the right name. Their little girl is a fighter.
Tomorrow, Nina doesn’t want to hear it, Jax knows Sonny is covering up something about Dev, and Sam thinks Shiloh had an accomplice.
🗽 This week, on Million Dollar Listing: New York, Steve was gifted with the listing of the neo Bauhaus designed penthouse in The Noma. Steve had been focusing on buyers, since selling takes longer and it was a buyer’s market, but the penthouse – featuring 360* views, one of them being the Empire State Building – having never been listed, appealed to Steve. Developer Joel had hired Corporate Sunshine to sell the rest of the building, but felt the penthouse was unique, and needed a special marketing push. Steve didn’t want to step on any toes, but head broker Pam was thrilled it was Steve, instead of an outside broker. He threw a tremendous open house, including brokers Corporate Sunshine worked with, since they had the other listings in the building. I thought that was pretty smart, but Joel acted like a huge baby at the open house, trolling Steve, and saying the point of hiring him was to bring in new blood, and he was seeing faces he’d seen before. He wanted a Steve party, not a Corporate Sunshine party. Steve finally convinced Joel that he got plenty of people to come, influencers in particular, who would give the penthouse more exposure. Steve described it as very Instagrammable.
Since Ryan rebranded SoHY, he fell in love with it. One of his guests had said he has the magic, so he decided to run with that. However, he turned out to be a much better agent than a magician, so he hired one for the open house. Although he did dress like one, with a top hat, cape, and white gloves, which caused his wand to keep slipping. In his interview, he told us that when you create something, you have to keep saying the name over and over until others are saying it. He also dubbed himself The Great Serhantagasm, and couldn’t stop laughing at his own joke. With six hundred and eleven people there, he got his old enthusiasm back. He thought he and Emilia should buy something in the building to rent, and bought the penthouse himself. That left two other apartments, one of which he got a serious off for. The developer wanted to hold out on the price, but Ryan said there was a concern that the other units might not be sold, or that he’d end up renting them out. Ryan asked to list the rest of the building. The developer felt for a broker to buy his own listing meant something; he has faith in the property. He told Ryan if he could sell the penthouse at a slightly higher price, then he could list the rest of the building. On the personal front, Ryan and Emilia went to the eight-bedroom townhouse they’re renovating, and Emilia thought she might be going into labor.
Fredrik had a Greenwich Village single family townhouse that words can’t even describe. It had a floor-through master, a children’s suite, a beautiful and quiet backyard, and in the basement, a 1200-bottle wine cellar, gym, and stage. Fredrik was leaving for L.A. where he was meeting Derik, but before he left, was able to get the owners down a little in price ($20 million), which he felt was more marketable. In his interview, Fredrik said the conversation about Adam wanting to move to L.A. was completely unexpected. He said he does like driving his Bentley, and agreed L.A. had a different vibe. He was happy that Derik was happy there, but said he’d have to be bi-coastal, and he was already missing the kids when away from them. He told Derik that the hotel they were staying in was going to be a future townhouse development. He had a listing for a house there as well, but it was one that most brokers there had already seen, and relaunching a property is a problem.
Tyler had a huge fail last week, with only one broker showing up to his breakfast open house. Given a second chance, he called every broker he knew for a pied-à-terre party. He told them to also bring their buyers if they were in town. He had a horse carriage on stand-by, one of his main selling points being that the buyer’s front yard would be Central Park. He ended up with lots of people – and Ryan, who called Triplemint (Tyler’s company) Bubblemint, and was humorously antagonistic in general. Tyler told the potential buyers that he had a special surprise, and took them on a carriage ride through the park, telling them, the best amenity was New York City. He got an offer that looked good for a hot minute, redeeming himself, until the buyer found out they were relocating for work, and had to retract it. I wanted to cry. The developer was happy with Tyler though, and gave him another thirty days to sell the place.
Next time, Tyler gets his biggest listing, and Josh Altman (Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles) feels that Fredrik is stepping on his turf.
We know it’s Halloween season, but please do not arrive in costume. — from an invitation to some upcoming nighttime events at Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery. (Via Patch)
👻 It’s Getting Closer…
Rocktober, Shocktober, or whatever cutesie name it’s given, the beginning of October spells Halloween to me. Who doesn’t like showing their true self… I mean, dressing in costume?
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Alexis goes to Neil’s office. He says it’s unexpected, and she says she kissed him. He says he knows; he was there. She says she liked it, and he asks if that’s a problem. She wants to know how he feels about it. He remarks that the tables have turned, and she says she has two tickets for a concert in the park, but he says he has plans.
Julian leaves a message for Lucy to call. Ava comes in, worried that she didn’t get a chance to give her brother the send-off he deserves. He says she’s just in time to say, I told you so. He’s not going anywhere; at least not with Kim. They’re done.
Hayden meets Curtis outside Kelly’s. She congratulates him, saying he wasn’t even trying, and put an international fugitive behind bars. If it wasn’t for him, Cassandra wouldn’t have been caught. He says, right place, right time. She says he was searching the Haunted Star. Did he have any luck finding the codicil to Mikkos’s will?
Nina and Valentin walk into Charlie’s. Nina can’t believe they’re getting married in a few days. Valentin says he’s counting the hours. She says she has non-stop butterflies in her stomach. The best part, besides marrying him, is that her daughter made a full recovery. She can’t shake the feeling that there’s a connection between Sasha’s illness and their wedding announcement. She believes Cassandra targeted them because of their happiness.
At the hospital, Michael tells Willow, thank God Wiley is okay. Willow says, he’s safe and sound with Brad and Lucas. She even got to hold him for a minute. Michael ask how she’s doing, and she says, grateful. She was just in the chapel giving thanks, and praying Wiley is too young to remember this. Michael says, soon, Shiloh will just be a bad dream. He holds her, and Sasha sees.
Peter tells Laura, it was just one of those lucky things. Right place, right time. She says he’s not a cop or a mobster, so what was he doing down at Pier 55 so late at night? Maxie runs in, and hugs Peter, saying she’s glad he’s okay. He asks how she knew he was there, and she says, Amy called. She told him how Peter saved Wiley’s life when that psycho Shiloh kidnapped him. Peter says he didn’t do it alone. Laura says he’s being modest. If he hadn’t been on the docks, it all could have gone very differently. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s the PCPD, excusing herself to take the call. Maxie says she’s glad Peter was there to save Wiley, but why was he on the docks by himself late at night?
Laura asks if Chase has an update, and he says, the Coast Guard is still looking for the Haunted Star. They believe the fugitive is onboard with the hostage – Sam McCall.
Jason leans on the railing of the boat. Shiloh comes up behind him with a baseball bat, since they’re always playing baseball on the Haunted Star. He misses Jason by a mile, and Jason grabs the bat. Shiloh won’t let go, and they struggle. Shiloh finally trips Jason, and Jason falls. Shiloh says he’s so sick of Jason. He’s waited a long time for this. He raises the bat, but Sam shoots him in the back, and he falls into the water. Sam and Jason look at each other.
Jason tries to take the gun, but Sam doesn’t want his fingerprints on it, so she sets it on the floor. He asks if she’s okay. She says she’s good. She asks where Shiloh is, and Jason says he’s gone. She’s heard that before, but he says she shot him in the back with the signal gun (I was wondering why it was red). He’s gone. She says, thank God, and Jason holds her.
Peter tells Maxie, he was looking for an apartment. He’s tired of living in a hotel room, and decided to check out the loft conversions in the Riverside area. It’s supposed to be the next up and coming neighborhood. Maxie guesses that’s why he took all the cash out of the bank.
Willow tells Michael that she was frantic. At one point, she even tried to convince Chase that she should go with Shiloh. Never mind they had no way to contact him, since he’s a fugitive. Michael knows how it feels to be desperate to help. She says for all the good she did, and he says she did him a lot of good. She pointed out the importance of forgiveness. Sasha joins them, and Willow says she should go. Sasha tells her that she’s glad Wiley is going to be okay. When Willow is gone, Michael admits he admits he talked to Willow when he was upset, but he didn’t give her any details about Sasha’s situation. She appreciates that, but she wouldn’t blame him. She has zero right to judge. He says neither does anyone else, including him. He’s made his share of mistakes. She says she hates being in limbo. She wants to get this over with and tell Nina the truth.
Nina tells Valentin that she wants their wedding day to be filled with happiness, but she doesn’t want to jinx it. When she put out the announcement, they were so happy. Maybe they were too open about their happiness, and Sasha paid the price. He says, they’re not to blame; Cassandra is. The authorities are dealing with Cassandra, and nothing, or no one, is getting in the way of them becoming husband and wife.
Ava asks Julian, what happened? He said things were going great between him and Kim. She says, let her guess. His past got in the way of his happily ever after. He says, not his past; Kim’s. He bets Ava wasn’t expecting that.
Alexis says she knew she made a mistake. Who goes out with their therapist, and takes them to drag bingo on a date? Who does that? She’s a boundary crossing, relationship challenged, disaster. She has the emotional IQ of a shovel. He asks how things are going with her new therapist. She says, not well. He says it takes time, but she says she’s only recapped up to age fifteen. She’ll be a hundred and ten by the time she gets to now. He wants to say something controversial in regard to their current situation. Let’s not over analyze. She says, one date, and two hours in an elevator, and she’s broken him. He doesn’t even know who he is now. He says he’s surprisingly open-minded and unexpectedly spontaneous. She says he should put that in his dating profile. He says maybe he shouldn’t have one.
Ava asks if Julian wants to talk about it, and he says, not particularly. He’s sorry she rushed over. She says that’s okay, but now that he’s staying put, there is an appointment she doesn’t want to miss. He tells her to go, and she says she’s there if he wants to talk. She’s glad he’s staying. He’s one of the few people in town who has her back, for whatever it’s worth. He says, it’s worth a lot. Ava starts to leave, and runs into Nina, who says, excuse me. Ava says, no. She doesn’t think she will. Nina is one reason her life is such a mess right now.
Curtis tells Hayden if he’d found anything, he would have told her. She says she’s just getting impatient. They’re no closer to finding the codicil, and his billing hours are growing. He says lucky for her, she’s not footing the bill. She asks why he decided to search the Haunted Star. The Cassadines haven’t owned it in decades. He says Laura thought it was worth taking a shot, and she says, he brought Laura into this?
Laura finds Chase at the pier, and asks if there are any updates. He says, the Coast Guard has the Haunted Star on their radar. A speed boat is missing, backing up Dev’s story that Jason is going after the ship. Laura says, he’s trying to save Sam. She doesn’t fault him for that, but hopes he can get it done without anyone getting killed.
Jason tells Sam, Shiloh was wearing a bullet proof vest. He should have checked Shiloh’s pulse; he should have made sure. He’s sorry. She says, it’s better this way. The cops are always looking excuse to charge him. This way it’s obvious it was self-defense. He says she’s bleeding, but she says, it’s not a big deal. He wants to get her to the ER. He says he’ll pilot the ship. He thanks her for the save, and she says, anytime. They kiss.
Alexis says Neil is still on the dating site. He says he thought his profile would be deleted when he deleted the app from his phone. He gets on his laptop, and says, let’s make this definitive. He reads, are you sure you want to delete your profile? He hits yes.
Sasha tells Michael now that she’s decided to tell Nina that she’s not her daughter, it seems cruel to be part of the wedding, like she’s part of the family. Michael says, it’s for the greater good. It’s only until after Cassandra’s trial. Sasha says she knows. If she admits she lied to Nina, it will cast doubt on her testimony. He says they can’t risk it, but she says that doesn’t make it any easier. How is she supposed to make it through discussing wedding details with Nina and Valentin? He says he can go with her.
Ava tells Nina that Crimson isn’t the freshest voice, but Nina needs to have a conversation with her social media director. The comments are still coming in, and they’re vile; do something about it. Nina asks if they’ve crossed line to hate speech. Ava says the it’s because of the hatchet job of an article, but Nina says it’s what Ava agreed to, and she was well paid for it. Ava says she agreed in order to get her side of the story out there, so people would understand the hell she’s been through. Nina says, what was printed was the truth. If Ava is so upset about what people on the internet think about her, she suggests trying not to be a horrible person. She should look in the mirror instead of at the comments. Valentin asks if everything is okay. Nina says, it’s fine. Ava says, that’s something, Nina of all people judging her, after what Nina did to her. And now she’s getting ready to marry the man who murdered Nickolas. Nina says it was in self-defense, but Ava says she was there. She saw it, and it wasn’t self-defense. Valentin says she signed an affidavit saying it was. Spencer’s lawsuit was thrown out for lack of evidence. She should read what she signed, and remind herself when she sobers up. Ava tells Nina to get the trolls off her back.
Curtis tells Hayden that he and Laura worked a case a few months ago, and they work pretty damn good together. Laura is pretty motivated, since she doesn’t like Valentin. Hayden wonders if it’s too close home, and Laura might be a bit too biased. Curtis says he doesn’t need objectivity. He needs someone who knows Helena better than anyone.
Maxie says she found a bank slip in Peter’s room for $35K in cash; like a bank robbery amount. He says, it’s a seller’s market, and helps if he puts a down payment in cash. She says he had no reason to withdraw it before she asked him to find his own place. What’s really going on?
Jason and Sam arrive at the pier, and Laura asks, what happened? Chase asks, where’s Shiloh? and Jason says, he’s gone. Sam says she killed him, and Jason says, she had no choice. Shiloh was trying to kill him. Chase asks where the body is, and Jason says, overboard. Chase asks if Shiloh fell or was pushed. Jason says he can ask all the questions he wants with their lawyers present, but he has to get Sam to the hospital. She’s bleeding. Laura tells, go, and Chase says someone will contact them. Laura tells Chase that she has to draft a press release. Is Chase going to search the boat? He says, CSU will cover it, and will confirm or disprove Jason and Sam’s story.
Neil’s plans are with Alexis, and they decide to meet at the southeast corner of the park. Alexis opens the door, and Ava is there. Ava says she didn’t realize anyone would be here; she can wait. Alexis says she was just leaving. Ava says if Alexis wouldn’t mind, stop by Charlie’s if she has time. Julian is bent out of shape. He would never ask, so she’s asking for him. Alexis says she’s sorry Julian is having a hard time, but he’s not her concern anymore, and she leaves.
Julian asks Nina if he wants to know what that was about, but she doesn’t think he does. Sasha and Michael come in, and Valentin says Michael is a surprise. Michael says Sasha asked him to tag along. Sasha says she got hung up at the hospital, and Nina asks if everything is okay. Michael says, for the most part, yes. There’s a lot they’re learning, but Shiloh kidnapped Wiley. Julian says, Wiley was kidnapped? but Michael says, he’s okay, and he’s with Brad and Lucas at the hospital now. Julian picks up his phone.
Laura sees Curtis outside of Kelly’s, and tells him that she can’t work on the case for a few days. Hayden comes out with some food, and says, next time Curtis wants to bring in a third party, it might be nice to notify the person that hired him in the first place. She sees Laura, and says, hi. Laura says she won’t keep them, and Hayden says she knows Curtis told Laura about the codicil to Mikkos’s will. Laura says Mikkos left a codicil?
Peter tells Maxie that she’s right. He hasn’t been completely honest. He’s been searching for an apartment for weeks. She doesn’t understand why he didn’t say something, and Peter says he wanted to find a place big enough. Not just for them, but with room for James, and Georgie when she visits. He wanted it to be perfect, and he was waiting for the right time. She kisses him.
The nurse tells Sam that it doesn’t appear serious. She’ll clean it up, bandage it, and Sam will be good as new. She leaves, and Jason says, it could have been worse. Sam is glad Wiley is okay, and Jason asks if she is. She says, yeah. She has a clean bill of health. He says he’s not talking about her arm. She says Shiloh was coming after him. She did what had to be done.
Julian leaves a message for Lucas, saying he heard Wiley was mixed up in something with Shiloh. He asks Lucas to call him; he’s worried. Alexis comes in, and he asks what she’s doing there. She says she’s not sure. His sister said he was in a bad way, and could use a friend. Julian says he has a lot going on; it’s personal. She ask if he wants to talk. He says, no, and she asks if he needs to talk.
Neil sits with Ava, and suggests they begin with what brought her there. She says she hasn’t had the best experience with therapy, and he says, yet she still feels the need to find help. Why not talk about her experience with her last therapist? She says, the story was everywhere. The pathetic woman who unknowingly slept with her daughter’s killer. He says he doesn’t make assumptions before he’s met a patient, and she asks if it was some kind of a test to see if she’s telling the truth. He says she seems angry. Is she angry with him? She asks him to forgive her. She had an encounter just before she came, with one of the few people in the world who can manage to get under her skin, Nina Reeves. He asks, why? and she says they have a complicated history. It goes back long before either one of them lived in Port Charles. They know each other’s darkest secrets. Ava resents the new life Nina is creating for herself. It’s the height of hypocrisy when she wags her finger at Ava, and calls her an awful person, considering what she’s done to Ava. And considering she shares a bed with the man who took Nikolas from her.
Sasha tells Nina that she’s going to make sure everything is perfect. Nina doesn’t want her do all that maid-of-honor stuff. She just wants Sasha to stand next to her. And one other little thing. She hears Maxie is planning a bachelorette party. Does Sasha have any idea what’s in store? Sasha says she’ll have to wait and see, and Nina says Sasha knows how much she hates surprises. D’oh! Sasha has a big one too.
Hayden says, Curtis didn’t tell Laura? Laura says he didn’t even tell her who he was working for, and Curtis says he honors his clients’ privacy. Laura asks if this is the document that could bring Valentin down, and Hayden says, yes. It seems Helena found out Mikkos named Valentin as an heir.Helena wasn’t having it; she wanted her progeny to inherit it. Valentin was a bastard, so she convinced Mikkos to name his children and descendants as his exclusive heirs. That means Valentin is out. Laura says, they know who stands to benefit the most.
Jason tells Sam, it’s never easy to pull the trigger, even on someone like Shiloh. Sam says she didn’t just do it to save Jason. She saw Shiloh standing over him, and kept thinking about all the horrible things Shiloh did to her sister, Willow, Wiley, and her. She wanted to make sure he never, ever hurt anyone again. The nurse comes in with a fresh bandage.
Chase looks around the deck of the Haunted Star. He gets a call on the radio from the Coast Guard, telling him that he’d better get over there. They found something.
Alexis says, Kim slept with Franco? and Julian says, Franco, Drew, whatever the hell he’s calling himself. Alexis says, the important question is, who Kim thinks Franco is. He has to admit, these are extenuating circumstances. She’s sure they can patch things up. Julian says, maybe if it was an isolated incident, but it’s impossible to have a relationship with someone knowing you’re always going to be in the shadow of the love of their life.
Neil says, Nikolas? and Ava says, Cassadine. He’s Alexis’s nephew; it’s a small world. She has no idea why she brought him up. Neil says maybe they should explore that. She says it’s hardly the most important thing on her mind. She’s suffered so much in the last few years. She buried her own daughter. Does he have any idea what that’s like? He says, why did she mention Nikolas? and she says, she told him that she didn’t know. He tells her make something up; the first thing on her mind. She says, he was the first… Neil says, first what? and she says, the first of the losses, each one more painful than the last. First, there was Nikolas, then Morgan and Kiki. Nikolas was murdered, and it feels like it was the beginning of this endless pain. Neil asks how long they were together, and she says she could hardly say they were together. They only became close in the last few weeks of his life. He says, yet the time they spent together had a profound impact on her. She says, when she compares him to the relationships she’s had with men since – Griff, who only saw the good in her; the light, and Ryan, who only saw darkness – they saw what they wanted to see. The caricature of a woman they could shape in their own design. Neil says, not a real person, who has wants, needs, and desires. Ava says, exactly. Nikolas saw all of her, and still wanted her. He asks if that’s rare in her experience, for a man to know all of her. She says she knows she’s not the first woman to feel the world sees her as an angel or a demon. That’s why she wanted to share her story; to show the world there’s more to her. She doesn’t deny she’s done wicked things, but beyond the headlines, labeling her as a victim or a monster; she’s a real person. Her daughter is gone, and her life has been destroyed. She’s in pain all the time, and they just want to pile it on. He asks, who does the piling on?
Laura says, that would make Spencer the heir, and Curtis says, that’s the theory. No one has actually seen the codicil. Hayden says, it makes sense enough that they believe it exists. Spencer is a great kid. She’d like to see him recover what’s his. Laura says, Spencer doesn’t always know what’s best for him, because he is a kid, and she’s his guardian. The Cassadine estate never brought anything to anyone but misery. Maybe he’s better off without it. Hayden says, why let Valentin walk away with the estate? It’s not his. Laura says she sounds just like Spencer right now. Is he the one who told her about the codicil and put her up to this search?
Maxie sees Sam and Jason on their way to the elevator and runs over to them. She hugs Sam and asks if she’s okay. Willow joins them and says Chase told her what happened. She thanks them and Peter for saving Wiley. She says they’re all heroes. A body is wheeled past, and Jason says, it looks like they found Shiloh.
Julian tells Alexis, he should probably get back to work. He appreciates the talk, but doesn’t need it. Alexis says she wants him to be happy. He deserves it. He tells her, thanks.
Ava tells Neil, after the article was published, she made the mistake of reading the comments online. Now she can’t stop, it’s like… He says, a compulsion. She says, yeah. The things they’re writing about her, they’re vile. They hurt. At least the hurt is coming from the outside for a change. She’s been in so much pain for so long. The grief, the feelings of betrayal, rage, and hatred. She needs for them to stop. She feels like she’s losing her mind. Neil says, the first step in getting better is admitting there’s a problem, and then asking for help.
Hayden says her associate wishes to remain anonymous. Laura doesn’t like Spencer getting involved. She doesn’t want him getting his hopes up about something that might not exist. Curtis hears her, but given the family politics, it makes sense that Helena would squeeze Mikkos until she had the codicil. If it exists, the estate belongs to Spencer, not the man who killed his father. Laura agrees, but from now on, they deal with her. Spencer is completely off limits. Hayden says, sure. She doesn’t want Spencer to get hurt either. On that note, she has to go. She asks if Curtis wants a ride, and Curtis says he’ll touch base with Laura tomorrow. Laura says, you bet you will. When they leave, she makes a call, leaving a message for Spencer. She says she knows it’s late where he is, but when he wakes up, give her call. They need to talk.
Nina is sure whatever Maxie has in store will be wonderful, but she wants Sasha to promise not to overextend herself. Sasha says she’s not, and tells Nina not to worry. Nina says she expects Michael to keep an eye on Sasha. She suggests Michael go to Valentin’s bachelor party, and Valentin says he still doesn’t think it’s necessary. Nina says he was determined not have one, but Peter convinced him otherwise, and Michael is like part of the family. Valentin agrees, and Michael says he wouldn’t miss the chance to give Valentin the send-off he deserves.
Chase says Willow probably doesn’t want to be there. The body is going to go to the morgue. She asks if it’s Shiloh, and he says, the body was recovered from the water; it’s all he can say until it’s identified. Willow says, she can do it. He asks if she’s sure, and she nods. He says, ready? Sam takes Jason’s hand. Chase brings Willow over to the body. The bag is unzipped, and it’s Shiloh. I’m pretty surprised, having thought they would leave his exit open. She says, that’s him. David Henry Archer. Shiloh. Chase thanks her. He says, the official identification has been taken care of. The autopsy can begin. Shiloh’s body is zipped back up, and wheeled away. Maxie says she wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but she’s going to sleep better knowing Shiloh can’t hurt anyone anymore. Peter says he couldn’t agree more. Sam can’t believe it’s finally over.
Tomorrow, Julian tells Olivia there’s nothing she can do about it, and Olivia says, watch her; Franco tells Elizabeth that she’s already lost: Josslyn says the problem is her, not Dev; and Jason says Sam saved his life.
🗽 On this week’s Million Dollar Listing New York, Steve was more of a bit player this week, but still came in strong. The property he was showing – where they had the book launch that was shown in Gotham magazine – he was showing got more attention with him in a week, than it had in a year with other brokers. A Brazilian art collector showed keen interested, but his main concern was installing an elevator. He was in a wheelchair, and it was non-negotiable. Steve got an architect to draw up plans, had it greenlit by the board, and got the deal done. The seller did have to throw in a 400 square foot apartment they owned in the same building, but hey, that’s a closet to a billionaire.
Luis felt like he’d never left real estate. Since it was a buyer’s market, he decided to focus more on the buyer end. He told Steve about his new baby girl, Leela, and we saw a clip of mom Nikita giving birth. Leela was adorable, and I noted how gorgeous Nikita looked, in full makeup, immediately after giving birth. Luis couldn’t describe how he felt; humbled and grateful to be where he is, and to have Leela in his life. Steve had to keep quiet about his own pending fatherhood, since we know how superstitious his girlfriend is, and she doesn’t believe in announcing it until the 2nd trimester. Luis explained that he and Nikita weren’t together for now, but were co-parenting.
Fredrik wasn’t getting a bite on the disco pad, and only a few nibbles. A drag queen who looked, but couldn’t do loud, explaining a drag queen’s 9 to 5, is 9 pm to 5 am. With the construction in the area going on, it wasn’t going to work. And in the boy-did-I-have-it-backward department, Fredrik was also bummed by Derek saying that he wanted to move to L.A. From the previews, I’d gotten the impression it was the other way around. The recent snowstorm wasn’t helping any, and Derek complained that he hated New York in winter. He’d grown up in Africa, enjoying life outside, and wanted their kids to have the same thing. Fredrik had thought they’d move one day, but his idea was that it would be more in the future.
Tyler wasn’t having the best day either. Wanting to move on to higher priced listings, he managed to get a smaller unit in a building in the hope of getting a larger one when it sold. The coolest thing about this property was coving lighting. LED lights come out from the top molding near the ceiling. The whole place was done using it, and it looked beautiful. The developer had never heard of Triplemint, where Tyler works, but Tyler talked his way in by playing up how the have the best lead generation platforms, and algorithms like no one else. I’ll take his word for it. The developer did. Tyler told us it was undeniably challenging to be competing with someone who had over a billion dollars in sales, i.e. Ryan. Tyler had a 9 a.m. open house, where only one broker showed. That was a complete bust, since she was sure her client wanted more space for their kids, and it was only something like 4500 square feet. Tyler said he was the definition of an emotional eater.
Ryan told us that he thought it was adorbs how Fredrik was opening a chain of offices, just like Ryan had already done. The photographer friend he had in mind for Fredrik’s disco pad had definite interest. Ryan told driver Gary, when you dance, you put positive vibes out in the universe. In response, Gary applauded. It was the sound of two hands clapping. Ryan started his campaign for his new property near Hudson Yards. It didn’t dampen his enthusiasm when he found out they were giving several units each to various brokers, and Ryan got three when he thought he was getting the building. The area being in no man’s land, Ryan began by rebranding the whole neighborhood, SoHY – south of Hudson Yards. He pasted decals with the announcement on sidewalks and in the middle of the literal street. He said the only people looking up or out are tourists, and I had to laugh. He’s right. He told us New Yorkers were looking down as they walked, at their phones. I look down too, but it’s to make sure I’m not stepping in sidewalk gum. He thought he probably needed a permit, but time was money. He’d rather ask for forgiveness than lose the deal while asking for permission. He made an offer on Fredrik’s listing, but neither side was budging.
Next time, and insane penthouse, Ryan dons a magician’s cape and top hat to promote SoHy, Fredrik goes to LA, and Amelia goes into labor.
I haven’t watched this in a while – and really, how was anyone ever going to top Richard Hatch establishing the rules of the game? – but it’s interesting to see how they try to keep it fresh.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Fear the Walking Dead
A video plays, similar to the one Al made, but it’s Ginny’s group. Tom says they got lucky. Then they got unlucky. The worst was when went things went bad. They couldn’t grow food. Another guy says, they lost so much. A third says, they needed help. The story goes on, switching between various people. They were ready to split when she showed up. Everything changed. They built something bigger and better. We’re alive because of them – because of her. Ginny says it’s not about her, or any single person. It’s about how they get from today to tomorrow. She talks about going to settlement after settlement, places filled with good people, and good ideas. They needed help. A guy says they fixed water the supply and helped them grow food. Before, they were barely surviving. Now, they’re thriving. Ginny says they’re building a future every day. Each one holds a key; that’s why they wear these. Ginny shows a key pinned to her lapel. She says, it’s not about how her group helps them; it’s about how they help each other. They fix what’s broken. The world gives people every reason to doubt helping each other, but they can. So if they see someone wearing a hat like hers, or a pin, they’re here to help. They can be reached on channel five on the walkie. Each of them holds a key to more help, and more future. Al says, that’s not the truth, and smashes the TV. The opening titles are seen through a cracked screen.
June says they’ve been driving five days; it’s tough. Al says she’s making another video to show everything. She begins filming. Morgan says, it isn’t easy; it’s hard. It’s not supposed to be easy. Alicia says it imparts the way they’re doing things, and Dwight says, the right way. June says one tank of gas can get them through tomorrow. Wen says, Luci stayed, but they’re going to get her back. Sarah says Ginny told them what they’re trying to do is impossible. Tom says they’re going to make the impossible possible. Al says they don’t have to make a fake documentary to prove them wrong. This is how they did it. This is the truth.
Grace gets intravenous something, and thanks Morgan. He asks if he can get her anything else. She tells him, candy beansies, if he sees them. June says Grace is dehydrated, and it’s hard for her to keep food down. Al asks if June thinks it’s the radiation, and June says, it could be, or it could be something else. She needs to find some medical journals .
Morgan says he wasn’t there when she needed him. He wasn’t there when the rest of the world needed him in Tanktown. He’s here now. Al says he told her that he needed to let Grace know something; did he? He says, no. It doesn’t matter. Grace thinks she has an idea, but she’s not sure if it’s just what she wanted them to say. Morgan says, being away from everyone was hard, but good came out of it. Tom says he thought they’d kill him when they found him. Virginia was scared to trust people, but here he is. He guesses he’s lucky. He flashes back to seeing Janice coming up the road toward him. He says, they found his sister. Janice says, they found her brother. They found him. Tom says he wanted to help with the documentary. What they’re doing is working. What they’re doing has room for everyone – not just who Virginia deems useful. Everyone is useful. People need to see that.
Alicia paints a tree, and Al asks what she’s going to do when they find a home. She hopes she gets the chance keep doing this. When she first started, she’d hoped to find the artist, but it helped her. It’s how she wanted to be. Art makes sense to her. It’s the only thing that makes sense.
Daniel radios from the strip mall, and June asks how the school is. He says, it burned down. There’s nothing left. On the video, June says she wasn’t thinking of anything except making sure they landed, and she picked the right direction. It felt right. Jacob says she has what some people spend their whole lives looking for. Wes says, he thought it was bullsh*t. He’s now part of said bullsh*t, and it turns out, it’s not bullsh*t. Al asks if he’s going to paint again. He says, we’ll see, and looks at Alicia painting a tree.
Grace teaches Charlie the guitar. On the video, she says she wants to be around long enough to see it. The look on everyone’s faces when they get there. She wants to know everyone is going to be okay.
Morgan asks Grace if she has enough for one more push. John says they may have to leave some of the vehicles behind. Victor wonders if maybe they shouldn’t change direction. There’s nothing out there. Tom tells Al that she might want to turn the camera off. She might not want to document this. Al says she wants to show things as they are. Morgan says, breach, and Dwight kills a zombie that’s invaded their space. He takes something off of the body, and says, look at this.
On the video, Alicia says, sometimes the universe has a way of speaking to you. It’s a Sheriff’s badge, and John says, it’s from the Gulch. Maybe it’s closer than they thought. It was designed to operate without gas or electricity, and there’s a fence around the perimeter. Victor says John doesn’t know what it’s like; he hasn’t been there in years. Morgan says they’ve exhausted everything that’s in the area. If John is right, this will work. On the video, Dwight says, they saved his life before Maybe lightening can strike twice. June feels like it’s the right place, and Alicia says she thinks they found it. Daniel asks if it has a barbershop. Morgan says, if it’s what John says it is, it’s worth it.
Grace yells for June. Morgan runs toward the truck where Grace is resting. Tom is inside with her, and moves out of the way. June checks the pulse on her neck, and asks if Grace can hear her. She tells Morgan, Grace is severely dehydrated, her blood pressure is low, and she needs more fluids. Morgan says, or what? and June says they need to get moving.
Al films, and Daniel says he thought they should take everything they could at the mall. June says she thought she could help treat Grace, if she knew what was going on. She doesn’t even know what to do. She can treat the symptoms; it’s all she knows. Morgan asks how long Grace can go without fluids, and June says, not long. He tests the radio, and says they’ll circle back to the convoy, and get what they need. Sarah says it’s a detour, but there’s a shortcut further north. Morgan says Grace will want to see it. Tom says, this is the part you wouldn’t see on Virginia’s tape. It’s the part you never do.
John and Morgan look through stuff in a storage area. Morgan radios June and Alicia, and says, any luck? But Alicia and June are empty-handed on their end. Morgan thinks they shouldn’t have left, but John says it will be all right. Keep looking. Back with the others, John asks June if Morgan and Grace have something going on, but she’s not sure; maybe. He says, it’s a bittersweet thing, and she tells him, go ahead and ask. He says, okay. He doesn’t want wait anymore to get married at the Gulch, right away. June thinks it’s a great idea. John says he loves her, but keep it under her hat.
John radios Al, and asks how it’s looking, and Al says, got it. She tries to stab an errant zombie who gets the better of her, and they fall to the ground. Alicia nails it from behind. She picks up the fluids they’ve gotten for Grace, and smiles. On camera, Alicia says, it was the only thing she had, and it was taking over. Now it’s not the only thing she has. Morgan asks Grace how she feels, and she says, better. She thanks him, and they smile at each other. She asks, what is it? and he says he’s just glad she’s feeling better.
Sarah says they’ll take the shortcut back in the truck. Ginny can suck it. They made a detour because one person was sick. What they’re building is the future. At least he future they want to be a part of. Wen says, it was a risk. So were Christmas lights on the runway. John says, they were as good as dead, but they didn’t give up. Wes says, they risked their lives. Sarah radios that the bridge it out.
At the bridge, Charlie films. Part of the bridge is breaking down. Alicia says, the semi is too heavy, and Victor says he’s not so sure they should even be standing there. Morgan says they can leave the tanker behind, but John says they’ll never get to the Gulch. Morgan says they’ve got to figure out how to patch the hole. A cable on the bridge snaps. John yells, get off the bridge, and Morgan says, don’t back the tanker up. The bridge starts to give a little. Morgan thinks they should try to cross with one person every twenty feet. Dwight says they have company. Ginny drives up, with her entourage, and says it looks like they could use a hand. Guns are drawn.
Ginny asks if they’re having trouble with the tanker, but Morgan says it’s nothing they can’t handle. He sees they’re making good use of the gas, and Ginny says, it beats saddle sores. She tells everyone to put their guns down. If she’d wanted them dead, they would be dead. She says hi to Tom, and Al says he’s helping them get the story. Ginny asks, which story? He says where she gets her ass handed to her by them. The people need to know the truth. Ginny says, there’s truth and there’s truth. She hopes he picks the one that leaves the most people alive. Morgan asks how she knew where they were, and she says she’s had her eye on the convoy. They could learn something from each other. Morgan and his group have stretched the petrol farther than she thought possible. Then they went out of their way to get medicine, when people are dying. She can’t help if they don’t ask. Victor asks what she means by help, and she says, it means something different to everyone. Victor says, like what? Lay her cards on the table. She says she’s sorted out who provides what, and they need good people; there aren’t many left. Tom asks why she tried to kill him, and she says he became a liability. She’s not going to apologize for her methods, not when she gets results. She tells Dwight that she checked on his wife. He cocks his gun, but then lowers it. She says an engineer she met said he broke bread with Shari. She seemed worried about him. Morgan says, stop, and Ginny says Dwight never said her name. How else would she know it? Morgan says they’re here because they do things different from her. They’re going to keep doing to keep people alive. Ginny says, not much longer. They both want the same thing, they just have different ways of getting there. If anyone wants to try the way it works, they’re welcome. Morgan says, she’s right. If anyone would rather be with her, they should go now. There are no takers, and Dwight says he thinks the choice is pretty clear. Ginny says he has a good hold on them. Victor laughs, and says her strategy of following them isn’t particularly efficient. Ginny says, it’s not? Boys… Her henchmen shoot in the air, and she says it’s like calling the kids to dinner. There’s a herd down the road, and they might be the soup de jour. When they need her help, give a holler. I’m thinking her recruitment tactics aren’t the greatest.
Morgan says, get ready to cross. Everyone, out of the cars now. Said zombie herd starts coming toward them, Morgan says they’ll buy as much time as they can. Everyone grabs stuff out of the cars, and runs. Victor slices and dices. Morgan whacks the zombies with his new and improved pokey stick, and Al stabs whatever she can. The zombies barrel right through the line of cars. Dwight encourages the group to run. Morgan yells for them to get over the bridge. He asks how they’re doing with the patch, but Tom says, it’s not ready yet. Morgan tells Tom, forget it, just go, and another cable snaps. Morgan asks if they can get the tanker over the patch, but that’s a no, so they leave the truck. Tom refuses to go, and gets knocked down when the hole opens up more. The zombies fall through the bridge. I laugh, but then there goes the tanker. Tom jets to join the others, but he stops, saying, he has this. Cables snap as he’s talking, and he’s last seen on camera, screaming as he falls.
Back at the convoy, Al is editing, but the battery dies. Morgan says, it’s okay, but she says she has to get this right, for them; for him. Morgan says, then that’s what they’ll do. It’s not the end of the road. He won’t let it be. They go outside, where everyone else is waiting, sitting in front of the C&L boxcar. Morgan asks if Grace can walk. She says Tom died for the detour; for her. Janice looks in the water. Jacob asks if she wants him to say a few words, but she says, not here.
They stand in the woods. Morgan says Tom believed their story wasn’t over, and wanted to be with people who do what they did for one of their own. And he wanted Ginny to know that. Right, Janice? Janice says, he told her that he wanted to finish it, and Morgan says, then that’s what they should do. Right, everyone? They all nod, and he says, let’s go. He tells Alicia, it’s not going to be easy. They start to walk.
And walk… and walk. Wes tells Alicia, he’s been thinking when they get there, he’ll paint with her. It doesn’t have to be trees. He might need a new medium. She smiles. They walk some more. John approaches Jacob, and asks if it’s a good time for a question. Jacob says, it depends on the question. John asks if he does weddings, and Jacob says, gentiles? He’s always wanted to try one. Morgan asks if he just heard what he thought he heard. John says, it’s going to be a quiet affair, and June says she doesn’t want to make a big deal. Morgan thinks it might be what everyone needs. It will remind them why they’re doing this thing. John says if Morgan’s not busy, he needs a best man. The continue to walk. The road looks endless.
Dwight asks if Al is still filming. She says, as long as there’s a story to tell. Daniel says he doesn’t know Morgan that well, but hear him out. We don’t know how long we have in the world. If we have things to say, we should say them. They stop a moment, and Janice asks if Al is getting this. Al says, you bet she is. They see the billboard for Humbug’s Gulch. Janice says she wants Ginny to see this. See why she lost. I’m worried that it’s not going to be there anymore. Morgan tells Grace, good. One last push. He wanted to say… She tells him, don’t say it. It will make things harder. They look at each other. He he nods, and says he’s glad she’s here to see this. She says, her too, and squeezes his arm.
They finally make it, but it’s as I feared. Sort of. Al takes out the camera. Zombies have invaded the Gulch. Janice says, it can’t be. Maybe it’s the wrong place. John looks through the binoculars, and says they’re up against every gate. They’d be hard pressed to even get inside. Morgan says, they’ll find another way. Victor says, how? They have no food, no water, and their supplies are on the other side of the bridge. June says, there’s nothing else out here, but Jacob tells her that her faith got her this far. She says she needs more faith, and Alicia says they can’t give up. Charlie says they can walk back to the cars, but Wes says they’ll never make it. Daniel says they barely made it here, and Wen says, even if they could, there’s no gas for the cars. Victor says there’s one thing they can do. Al turns the camera off, and Victor asks, why? She wants people to see things the way they are. He does, and now she sees them the way he does. They got to somewhere; here they are. He reminds her there are children with them. The truth is, if they do this, they can live for tomorrow. Morgan ask if anybody can think of something else. Say it now.
Al says she thought this wasn’t going to be the end of the story, but it is. She knows what it means. Dwight says if they call her, there’s no going back. Al says, people are going to die, and Victor says they tried a different way. They can look at themselves in the mirror tomorrow. Dwight says, if they throw in with her, there might not be a tomorrow. He starts to leave, and Morgan tells him, don’t go. They’re miles from anything. Dwight says he’s walked this far before. June says she’s sorry, but John says it’s not her fault. They all thought it was a good idea. Al says, if they’re going to do this, then they should do it. Morgan tells Janice that he really is sorry. I say, don’t do this, but he radios, saying if Virginia is listening, they need her help. The camera pans out, and we see them clustered together on top of the hill.
Next time, Al thinks they can clear the Gulch, John says they have something to fight for, and Daniel says Ginny isn’t walking away without a fight.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
In Puerto Rico. Michael says he has seen Cassandra before, in Port Charles at the MetroCourt restaurant. His mom is the owner, and he’s there all the time. She says he has a good memory for faces. It was a couple of years ago. She’d been there for a meeting, hoping to interest Michael’s father in a business proposal. Sasha says she must not be in the fashion industry, and Cassandra says she likes to keep up with the trends, but no. Michael asks what business she’s in, and she says, nothing nearly as exciting. Import/export.
Nina downs her drink, and on the side, Valentin tells her to pace herself. One of the drinks has the truth serum in it. She asks, which one? but he says, it’s hard tell now, since everyone has their glasses. She tells him to stay near her, and if she rambles, stop her. Jax tells Finn that he wants to be clear, he and Hayden are business associates; nothing more. Any indication that she’s given Finn that they’re together isn’t true.
In a hallway upstairs, Hayden says, if Valentin is following Nikolas’s footsteps, this should be the office. She starts to open a door, and is startled by someone behind her. A housekeeper asks what she thinks she’s doing.
Lulu drinks to true love; something Peter knows nothing about. Her doorbell rings, and she says, goaway. Laura says, let her in. Lulu opens the door, and Laura tells her, it’s nasty out there. Lulu is lucky she has no place to be. Lulu says, no place to be; no one to be with. She’s so lucky. She drinks some more.
Carly calls Enrique in Puerto Rico. She’s wondering how Michael is doing, and if he’s having a good time. She wants to send them some champagne. Sonny takes the phone from her hand, and talks to Enrique in Spanish, including Carly’s name. Carly asks if Sonny just told him not to accept her calls. He says, his island, his rules.
Alexis and Neil are in the elevator, when it stops. Neil says, it must be the storm. The power is out, Alexis says, excellent, and Neil says it looks like they’re stuck.
Cassandra says she almost feels guilty; it’s storming back home. Sasha hopes Nina’s dinner party wasn’t rained out. She tells Cassandra that Jasper Jax and Hayden Barnes are the dinner guests. Why she would tell a total stranger this, I have no idea. Cassandra says, the names sound familiar. Maybe their paths crossed in Italy. She excuses herself to make a phone call. Sasha says, she seems nice. Michael says he knows who’s nicer, and Sasha says it had better be her. He says, definitely her, and they kiss.
Carly tells the MetroCourt patrons that she’s sure they came out for a nice, relaxing dinner, but the storm had other plans. The MetroCourt is going to take care of them though; the night is on them. If they haven’t received an entrée yet, they can’t cook with no electricity, but there are cold items and a generous wine list. She tells them, enjoy their evening. Sonny says, that’s pricey, but she says everyone will talk about how fabulous they are. Besides, her hotel, her rules.
Neil pushes the elevator buttons. Alexis says he was right about Kristina going to group therapy. Kristina thinks it’s helpful to talk to other cult survivors. He continues pressing all the buttons, and she tells him, stop doing that. They’re going to be in there until the power comes back, or someone comes to get them. He says he has no phone service. He’s got to get out. She says she has places to be too, but they’re there for the foreseeable future. Why doesn’t he bill her? They can do a session, and make good use of the time. He says he’s serious; he has to get out. She asks, what’s wrong? Is he claustrophobic? He says, no, but she says he’s clearly upset. It can’t just be because he’s stuck with her, could it? It’s a little extreme for that. He repeats that he has someplace he needs to be.
Hayden says she must have gotten turned around. The housekeeper wonders who she is, and Hayden introduces herself. The housekeeper asks if Valentin knows she’s there, and Hayden says she’s an invited dinner guest. She was looking for the restroom. The housekeeper says, that’s not it, and Hayden says she used to live there. She thought she could find her way, and was over-confident. The housekeeper asks if Hayden would like her to show the way back, and Hayden says, please.
Jax tells Nina that he was thinking about the idea she pitched, in the light of the favorable response to the Ava issue. Valentin thinks he’s downplaying that, and Nina says, it was a home run. Jax says he’s concerned about a continuing series on dangerous women. Nina suggests calling them complex or mysterious. She can think up a fabulous title. Jax says he doesn’t want their magazine to be the one that glorifies murder. The Ava issue was a one-off. Nina says, creativity is a bad idea that leads to a good one. There are a lot of interesting women. Helena Cassadine. Valentin says, no, and Jax agrees. Nina says, what about Cassandra Pierce? Finn nearly chokes on his drink. The woman comes in with Hayden, saying, she lost her way – or so she says.
Alexis asks Neil if she’s allowed to ask where, or is it a violation of their boundaries? Neil says his daughter died five years ago tonight. Alexis says she’s sorry. She doesn’t know what to say. He says, it’s almost cliché. A therapist who can help everyone, but those closest to him. He doesn’t know where or how, but somewhere, his daughter became a lost soul. Every time he tried to reach out… He says she knows how it is.
Laura gives Lulu some coffee. Lulu asks if Laura is sure she doesn’t want to open another bottle of wine. Laura is sure, and Lulu says, party pooper. Laura asks if that’s what this is; a party? Talk to her. Lulu says she’s trying to understand why Dante left. She’s put herself in his shoes. What would she have done? On one hand, as an objective outsider, she can see his perspective. But as his wife and the mother of his children… Laura says she’s sorry. She hates that this is happening to Lulu. Lulu says, that’s it exactly. It’s happening to her. She has no say and no choice. Not when Dante left, and certainly not when the divorce papers were delivered. Now she has to decide whether to let her marriage end or fight. No discussion, just an enormous decision she has to make completely alone. Laura says she knows it’s very hard, frustrating, and scary, but Lulu’s not alone.
The housekeeper says she found Hayden trying get in Valentin’s office. Jax says she must be mistaken. Windymere is a bit of a maze. She says, Hayden lived there, but Jax says, it was years ago, and Hayden has a notoriously bad sense of direction. She probably couldn’t find the powder room. Hayden says, no. She was snooping, and this lady busted her.
Carly tells Sonny that she’s calling the company who makes the generator. They’re going to fix it, and give her restitution, or she’ll sic Diane on them.
Alexis says that explains why Neil dedicated his life to helping others get out. He says he’s sorry. This is supposed to be her session, not his. Alexis sits on the floor. She says she’s had her share of AA meetings. She’s become an expert listener. Neil sits, and says, there were all the tell-tale patterns. She cut off her family, turned from her friends, and sold all of her possessions. Alexis says, and gave them the money, like Kristina did. He says, partly. This cult was into drugs. Alexis says, it must have been terrifying. He says he tried the tactics he used on others, but none of them worked on his own daughter. She took her own life. She was found in a bathtub, an empty bottle of pills on the floor, and pronounced dead right about now, at 9:47.
Alexis says now she knows why this night means something to him. She’s truly sorry he’s not getting to have a memorial for his daughter. Hopefully, it was postponed because of the storm. He says, it’s notthat kind of memorial. Every year on the anniversary, he goes to a karaoke bar and sings a song from her childhood. She had trouble sleeping some nights, and the song put her out. He says, it’s a strange way to celebrate his daughter’s life, but Alexis says, not at all; it’s beautiful. She has trouble imagining him singing karaoke though. He says, it’s not pretty, but Joanna loved it.Until she joined the cult. She was fearless like that. Him, not so much. It’s a test every year to see if he can get through the song. Alexis says, but he does, and he says, yeah. A tribute to his daughter and an act of penance all in one. She asks, what song? and he says, Hush Little Baby (apparently, the only song ever sung to a child). Since they’re stuck in there, the guys will be spared this year. She says she’s not. She’s a captive audience; so sing.
Laura tells Lulu, Dante is a good man, who loves her and the kids more than anything. Lulu says, that’swhat makes it so insane. Laura says, if he considers himself so broken that he’s willing to give them up, Lulu might not agree, but she can respect where the decision came from. Sometimes things can’t be fixed, and more damage is done by hanging on, and not accepting the loss. Lulu says she doesn’t want this. Laura says, if Lulu wants to fight it, she’s behind her 100%. All she can say is that she believes Dante made the choice out of love, and she doesn’t think he took it lightly. If he considers himself this far gone, maybe he is.
Sasha asks Michael what it was like, growing up with his own island. He says he was a holy terror as a kid, and she says, no way. He says, there were some rocky times. Times when it was really dangerous, or his parents were fighting and at odds, and they’d send the kids there. it was a safe haven. They could put away the crap hanging over them in Port Charles. It was still there when they came back, but while they were at the island, they didn’t think about it. A lot of people had troubles with their childhoods, but never had a refuge like this. (How insightful. Really, Michael?) He says he relaxes when he’s there. Sasha says, that’s what different.
Jax tells Hayden that she’s funny. She says, no. She went looking for Valentin’s office, knowing what she was doing. She was looking for the diamonds. Nina says, what diamonds? and Jax says they were something she left behind, and was hoping to locate them. Fleur says she needs to get back to Charlotte. She’s in the taxidermy room naming all the animals. Jax says, not every little girl likes taxidermy, and Fleur says, Charlotte isn’t every little girl. Nina says, if Hayden wanted access, why didn’t she just ask? Jax says she didn’t want them to think she had an ulterior motive. She just wanted to reclaim what’s hers. Hayden walks over to Finn, and asks if he ever thinks about her. She can’t stop thinking about him. I guess we know who got the truth serum.
Michael says, so Sasha thinks he’s guarded and stiff. She says she didn’t say stiff. He’s warm and charming, and a million other wonderful things when they’re at home. People respect him, and the companies he runs. She starts listing his assets and the charities he’s involved with, and he says he gets it. There, he’s loosey goosey. Sasha finds a $25 chip on the floor, and gets all excited. Michael asks if she wants to skip sailing and go gambling. She says, that would be awesome, and he asks if she wants to gamble with real money or the house’s’ money. She asks what he means. He says the dealers are let known that the guest is going to win, and they have the best luck. Sasha says, that’s cheating, and he says, basically. She wants no part of that. She’s limiting herself to $100. If she wins, great; if she loses, so be it. He says she’ll only have to cough up $75. Cassandra returns, and asks if they’d like to join her for breakfast tomorrow at 8:30. They agree to be there, and she watches them leave.
Jax tells Hayden that she looks flushed. He’s getting her some water. He tries to drag her away from Finn, but she says she needs a moment alone with him. She brings Finn into another room. Valentin asks Jax if he thinks she’s all right. Jax says he’s not sure. He’s trying to figure out how she got so drunk on one drink. Nina says, Valentin makes strong martinis, and Jax says maybe she should stick to champagne next time. Nina says that’s his trademark. He brought it to her office to celebrate the magazine. He asks why she’s saying celebrate like it’s in quotes, and she says his own agenda was written all over it. He was trying to butter her up.
Lulu says it sounds like Laura is telling her to give up on her husband. Laura says she wants Lulu to trust her husband. Believe he has their best interests at heart. Laura believes he does. Lulu says she still doesn’t know what to do. Laura says she gets it, but this is life; things change. If she hadn’t been able to let go of Lulu’s father, she never would have found the happiness she has with Doc. It doesn’t happen for everyone, but sometimes life has a second act. She’s grateful she got hers.
Dev brings out a tray with caviar and champagne, and Carly asks what he’s doing. He says he thought she’d be okay with it, and she says, if it’s going to go bad, she is, but who gave him the keys to the champagne closet? He says he picked the lock. If she wants to keep it safe, she needs to up security. He goes back to work, and Carly tells Sonny, on one hand, she appreciates his initiative, but on the other, they won’t be able to afford it. Sonny says he’s got her covered.
Neil tells Alexis that she’s crazy, and she says that’s why she’s seeing a shrink. He says, the whole point is that he goes someplace where no one knows his name. She says, the anti-Cheers. He says, it’s between Joanna and himself. She says she’ll turn away and put her hands over her ears. Don’t let this stop him from doing something he needs to. He thanks her, but no. She says she’s apologizing in advance, but she has no choice. She starts to sing, hush, little baby, don’t say a word…
Hayden tells Finn that he’s stalling. Answer the question. Does he still think of her? He says, it doesn’tmatter. He’s moved on. Hayden asks if he loves Anna, and he says he does. Hayden broke him when she left. It took him a long time to pick up the pieces, but he did. She says she knows he hates her. He says she saved his life, and she says he saved hers first. He says he couldn’t hate her, but she says she doesn’t know that.
Nina says it’s impossible to trust Jax. Valentin says his offer to buy the magazine still stands. No questions asked. Jax says he loves Crimson too, and he loves working with Nina. There’s nothing nefarious. He looks forward to the day he can prove that. Finn comes in, and says Hayden needs water. Hayden says she gets it; he’s moved on. But that doesn’t change the fact… She trails off.
Sasha is just out of the shower, and Michael asks if she’s okay. She says the last thing she feels like doing is putting on makeup and getting dressed. He says, the casino will still be there, and she has a standing invite. She says, and she has a $25 chip. He says, it’s fate. She has to come back. One question though. Since she doesn’t want to go gambling, what does she want to do instead? She kisses him, and they get busy during a song part.
Dev serves champagne. Sonny calls him over. Dev asks if there’s something wrong, and Sonny says, theopposite. Carly says, he’s doing a great job, and Sonny says he wants to give Dev more responsibility – working for him. He has a job if Dev wants it. Dev says he does, and asks if he’s to report to Jason or Sonny. He wants to learn from the best. Sonny says that’s exactly what he’ll be doing. Learning about the coffee business.
Neil and Alexis sing together. When the song is done, they look at each other. The elevator starts to move.
On the phone, Cassandra says, don’t say anything; just listen. She’s been compromised, and needs to relocate again needs to get something. A little gift for a new friend.
During pillow talk, Sasha thanks Michael for bringing her there; it’s special. He says he’s loved the island all his life, but this is the best time he’s had. She asks, why is that? and he says, Manuel’s mojitos, and adds, because of her. She asks if he answers every question with a joke first. He tells her that she’ll get used to it, and she says she plans to. They get busy again.
Carly says, what a night, and tells Sonny, Sasha is a nice girl.It’s nice (WOTD) to see Michael with someone his speed, enjoying life again as an adult. Sonny says, don’t mess things up. She says she’s not getting involved. She just wants to know how things are going. Sonny says, when Michael tells her, she’ll know. She says they should go to the island. He says, yeah, yeah, and steers her out.
Laura says, it looks like the rain stopped. Lulu thanks Laura for riding it out with her. The storm outside and the one that’s her life. Laura says she’ll figure it out. She’s just a phone call or text away. They hug, and Laura says, no more wine. Lulu agrees, and Laura leaves. Lulu looks around at her empty place, and looks at the divorce papers.
Neil tells Alexis, it looks like the power is back on, and Alexis says, that’s good news. They look at each other.
Valentin tells Finn, good news. The storm has passed, and the launch is ready. Finn says, it’s great news. As he leaves, he says, sorry again for interrupting. Have a beautiful evening. Outside, he leans against the door for a moment.
Jax says they’re heading out too. Hayden says, they are? Jax says they don’t know if the weather will take another turn, but thanks Nina and Valentin, saying, it was a lovely evening. They’ll have to do it again. They leave, and Nina says, that was a bust. Valentin doesn’t think so. Jax revealed he has an agenda, and they know he and Hayden were looking for something. They just have to figure out what it was. Nina says, not right now, and they kiss.
Tomorrow, Cassandra makes plans for important guests, Kim wants something from Franco, and Shiloh says it’s what he needed to make his day.
🗽 The new season of Million Dollar Listing New York made its premiere tonight. Those crazy brokers – Fredrik, Ryan, and Steve – are still showing me drool-worthy real estate that makes me want to cry, because I will never, ever be able to afford such fabulousity. Nor have I ever. The best I can say about the apartment I had in Manhattan is, it was in Manhattan, and my apartment in Queens was kind of nice. We found out Ryan and Amelia are expecting a girl, and Ryan had to sell an apartment near the BQE – i.e. near a lot of noise. He tried to distract his potential buyers from that by bringing in his own marching band. Steve has a serious girlfriend – who, since filming, has also revealed a pregnancy – and his property cross to bear was in upstate New York, Hudson Valley. It was quite a property too. He got the listing from a billionaire friend, who bought an agricultural complex built in 1902. Now an historic landmark, the friend had intended on turning it into a hotel, but got too busy with other projects. As the current caretaker said, not in live-in condition. It was in total disrepair, a mess, but oh-so-amazing. Fredrik and Derek’s twins were turning one, and he had a dated apartment to unload. He spent a whole bunch of money into throwing an 80s party there, telling us that he loved the 80s because it was extra, like him. Me too. I love the clothes. It was a costume party, so of course he went all out. and created a totally tubular event. The really sad thing was, his client found a buyer of his own, and per the contract, Fredrik was out a commission. $800,000. I hope the deal falls flat, and the client comes crawling back. It hardly seems fair that Fredrik wouldn’t at least get his expenses back, which certainly had to go into the tens of thousands. I have no clue why he wouldn’t have added that in the contract, but maybe he thought it would never happen. God knows his ego is that big. At the end, Luis crashed a party for the twins. He’s back, and charming as ever. It also looks like there’s going to be a new broker in town next time.
🍊 The other program on Bravo’s menu tonight was a rehashed half-hour called The Real Housewives of Orange County: How They Got Here 2019. No new news there, but their new season begins on Tuesday, August 6th, at 9 pm.
💍 Stassi, We Salute You…
After suffering through the dregs of humanity – I’m talking to you, Jax and Patrick – Stassi has finally found her best beau.
On a television ad for a phone or something (I don’t really pay attention), and over the end credits of A Simple Favor, which was a direct rip-off of Quentin Tarentino‘s DeathProof end credits. That’s where I first heard it, and I loved it. Tarantino’s soundtracks are always impressive.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Um… That’s what I said when I was hoping for some Shiloh scenes, and instead saw Robert Mueller on my TV.
Here’s what their FB page said: Due to the ongoing hearings on Capitol Hill, today’s episode of #GH will instead air tomorrow. Believe us when we say that it’s worth the wait. Stay tuned.
It’s morning in Colorado. The group trickles downstairs (or up, in Shep’s case) for breakfast. Austen says Madison is already out skiing. Chelsea wears a hat inside because she’s a wimp cold. Craig is making breakfast, and Shep thinks Craig is in the early lead for the MVP of the trip. Craig tells Cameran it’s strange with Austen and Madison. Austen says they have lessons set up for those who don’t ski or snowboard. Eliza says she just knows how to ride a horse. Kathryn comes in wearing some kind of undereye mask things. Craig asks Austen if he and Madison hooked up. That’s a no, but Kathryn asks if he was thinking about it. In his interview, Austen says it’s clear he can’t help himself around Madison. If the opportunity presents itself, he’s jumping at the chance.
Cameron is concerned she’s not on the rest of the group’s level with skiing, and she’s accident prone. In her interview, she says the trip was planned for her to get her mojo back, but she’s a mother now. She drives at the speed limit and doesn’t partake in dangerous activities. God forbid she won’t be there for her child, and she doesn’t want Jason to remarry. She FaceTimes with Palmer. As much as a baby can FaceTime anyway. Shep has to sit things out because of his injury. Whitney says he broke an ankle skiing once. Just one wrong angle and… Cameran doesn’t want to do it now.
Shep wonders why he’s always the first one ready. Even though Madison is already out there, and Austen is sitting there waiting. Craig joins them, bringing along his own snowboard. Shep asks why Eliza takes so long, and she says this is high maintenance, indicating herself. Either accept her or don’t. Kathryn comes in wearing a red ski outfit, with giant furry red earmuffs. Shep asks what planet she’s from, and she says, not this one. I hear that. The bus arrives, and they head out. When they get to the ski resort, Craig says, Kathryn looks like a Teletubby. Austen say he’s getting excited, and Craig says this is his Hallmark dream.
Everyone gets equipped, and those taking lessons go with the instructor. Cameran says she knows how to ski, but she’s sticking with the students. Whitney and Shep decide to get something to eat. Whitney shows Shep how to get oxygen out of something that looks like an airhorn. He tells Shep it helps you get acclimated, but Shep thinks it might be the biggest scam in the world. Clearly, he knows little about scams. They watch Eliza, Danni, Cameran, and Kathryn take a lesson. Madison meets the others, wondering what they’ve been doing. She’s been out since eight. The instructor tells the girls, the number one rule is don’t fall off, as he puts them on a conveyer belt, where they try to balance themselves.
The others take a lift to the hilltop. Shep takes pictures of the lesson. Cameran says she’s too old for this. Chelsea does great, until she falls. Don starts going too fast, and falls, but says, it was amazing. Cameran says they’re all pros now. Don sees a sign that says Happy Hour, and says that’s his next stop. Cameran suggests getting food. Shep, Austen, Madison, and Craig snowboard. Austen asks Madison for a hug, and asks if she missed him. Craig tells them to stop making out, and Austen says he wishes they were.
Danni and Kathryn take the gondola to meet the others. Kathryn freaks a little because she’s going backward. Danni asks what the plans are for dinner, and Kathryn says there’s a chef preparing a marijuana infused dinner at the house. She’s the white elephant [sic] in the room. In her interview, Kathryn says at her lowest point in life, she smoked weed, and her life turned upside down. We see a clip of her saying it was her drug of choice. She says it was the reason she lost her children for a while. She tells Danni, it’s like a big slap in the face – and rude. She also feels awkward about Whitney, and tells Danni that she still has the message in her phone. He asked her to come over, and she said she was with her mom. We read the text of him telling her not to say where she’s going. She tells Danni he wanted to have a quiet night. Danni reads the whole exchange, and says she feels like she watched them have sex. She tells Kathryn that men confuse her sometimes. I don’t know if I believe it, but see below for something I saw on twitter as to a possible reason for Whitney being a jerk. Besides him just being a jerk in general.
Naomie is in the car when Ashley calls. Ashley wonders if she’d be up for grabbing a drink. In Naomie’s interview, she says she’s never gotten a colonoscopy, but sounds better. A bikini wax, a severed arm, her foot run over by a car. She tells Ashley that she’s heading back to her office in Mt. Pleasant. Ashley knows a bar there, and promises to make it quick. Naomie groans. In her interview, she says, everyone deserves a second chance, even if it’s her 27th chance.
The group meets for lunch. Shep says they have a weed dinner tonight, and have more grams than they effing know what to do with. Whitney says they’re like Cheech and Chong. Kathryn and Danni join them, saying the ride was beautiful. Austen says, it’s pretty, but too freakin’ cold. A bell rings in the bar, and they hear a chant, ring that bell. Austen rings it like a maniac, and Shep finds out, when someone rings it, they have to buy a round for the bar. Shep says, Austen is going bankrupt. The total is $250. Austen goofs around with Madison, and Madison tells him, Shep is getting mad. Austen says Shep wants him to be single. Shep says Austen thinks he’s king of the bar. Austen suggests putting it on Shep’s tab. I really get the feeling that Shep is jealous of those he puts down, but I can’t figure out why, or what exactly he’s jealous of. He’s insecure in some way.
Naomie goes to the bar, and orders an extra-large glass of rosé. She downs it before Ashely comes in. Ashley arrives, and Naomie asks for another. Ashley says, maybe make it a bottle. Naomie says, so..? Ashley says she appreciates Naomie meeting her. Naomie is straight shooter, like herself, and their convictions are strong. It’s obvious Naomie wishes she’d get to the point, and Ashley admits she made it uncomfortable for everyone when they last met. We flash back to her appearance at Eliza’s brunch. Ashley was hoping to get a second chance. She knows it’s wishful thinking, but she doesn’t want to hold a grudge. Naomie says Ashley’s behavior is erratic, and she doesn’t know what she’s going to get; is Ashley going to be nice or call her a bitch? Ashley says, it was just one time, and Naomie asks if it needs to be more. Ashley says she had a lapse in judgement, and besides, she said it in a nice way. Naomie is a bad bitch. In Naomie’s interview, she wonders why she does this to herself. She feels tired. Yep. There are some people who drain me just by hearing their voice. Ashley says she also wants Naomie’s advice on her relationship with Kathryn. Looking back, she’s had no chance to apologize, and wonders how she goes about that. If she runs into Kathryn, should she approach her? Naomie wisely says, no. She doesn’t think so. She doesn’t think Kathryn would be receptive. Ashley wonders, what if she just says, hello, and Naomie says, no. She called Kathryn an egg donor. Ashley says people put things in her head. She owns her actions, and wishes she could go back and fix it, but it’s too late. She’s actually on Kathryn’s side. Naomie asks for more wine. Ashley says she’s done, but doesn’t want to be enemies.
Shep and Austen split a gummy. Shep admits he’s been stoned all day. In Austen’s interview, he says, weed is legal there, and he thinks hiring a skilled chef is a fun thing to do. Get that man a thesaurus. Chef Roilty arrives. The chef explains there will be four courses. He uses a small amount, and it builds. Shep asks if it will make anyone wild, but Chef Roilty assures him, he knows how to do this.
Craig tells Madison, it’s nice she and Austen are getting along, and asks what’s going on with them. Madison asks what he means, and he says they were being cutesy. Be honest. She says Craig and Shep seem to have something to say about her and Austen’s relationship. They’re a couple of hypocrites, giving advice on a relationship they know nothing about. Craig doesn’t think they should be together, and Madison says, if Austen isn’t asking his opinion, don’t give it. That’s all she asks.
Chelsea says, it smells delicious. The chef explains that he has infused olive oil and infused butter for the meal. Chelsea asks why Austen’s eyes look jacked up. The chef brings out some CBD wine. Chelsea asks if Austen is stoned, and he says he just took a gummy. She can’t believe he did that just before the dinner. Cameran comes in and says, it smells like ganja. She doesn’t want any weed in her food, but takes a sip of the wine. She tells Austen that his eyes are barely open. Chelsea offers Whitney some of the CBD wine, and he asks what that means. I find it hard to believe he’s never heard of it. I’m sure he goes on the internet.
Next door, Kathryn teases her hair. Madison shows up next, dressed in black. Shep says she looks like a femme fatale, and looks extra special tonight. She asks why he’s being nice to her, and he says he’s nice all the time. She asks for a gummy, and they go into the other room. He tells her not to have a whole one, since she’s probably only half his weight, but she says. let her be the judge, and pops one in her mouth. He says he’s starting to think she’s cool, but she should admit she’s toying with Austen’s emotions. She says Shep called her white trash, and she’s not tolerating that kind of behavior from him. He’s making a comment without even knowing her. Shep says it kept coming up, and he’s going to take his friend’s side. She says she thinks he’s a bad influence, and he says, free will’s a MF-er. She asks why he’s getting involved, and he says Austen doesn’t behave like his normal, fun-loving self, and he thinks she brings out the downer in him. She says it’s probably because Shep is breathing down his neck. He says she doesn’t like them hanging out, but she says she’s not controlling; she doesn’t care. In the living room, Austen wonders what tale Shep is weaving. Madison tells Shep she’s not saying she and Austen are going to live happily ever after, or that they’ll even be together, but they do feel some kind of way. Shep says they’re both attracted, but that seems to be the only thing they have in common. He then admits, maybe he’s wrong. She says, 100%, and he says he was angry, and said things he shouldn’t have. It was rude, and he apologizes. Does she accept? She says she’ll think about it. Madison comes back past the kitchen. She says, it smells weird. She sees the chef, and says, sorry. She’s sure he’s doing a great job.
Madison tells Austen that Shep apologized, but she doesn’t care enough to really focus on it. He tells her not to concern herself with it. Chef Roilty says, dinner is ready. He’s decorated the table with leaves he brought from home. He tells them nothing is infused unless they want it to be. He puts the salad dressing and melted butter for the pasta on the table. Eliza thinks they should say a blessing. Cameran is like, not over weed, and Shep thanks God for this leaf. Eliza says they’ll go to church when they get back. Craig asks about the strength, and the chef says it’s five to ten milligrams per serving. Nothing crazy. Craig asks what it tastes like, and Shep says, it tastes like victory. Cameran sniffs the butter. Shep says, drink it, but she says she’d be toasted, and call 911. He tells her, just go to bed if that happens, and she says, ya’ll are peer pressure. Shep and Austen laugh over nothing. In Cameran’s interview, she says it’s entertaining to watching her friends get high on the wacky weed, but she’s realizing there’s no getting her mojo back. Her mojo is retired.
Kathryn wants to let Austen know that it’s okay for her to be around this. It’s not awkward. He doesn’t get what she’s saying, so she says, it would have been nice if he’d asked if she was cool. He says he just assumed, and she says she’s not worried about wanting to do it, but she went to rehab for it. She couldn’t see the kids because of it. He says he’s sorry, but she says, don’t be sorry. She’s just glad it’s not an awkward situation. In Austen’s interview, he says he should have thought about it. He definitely doesn’t want her to feel isolated. Don wonders who will take care of Austen and Shep later on when they can’t speak English. Kathryn says, not her. Shep swallows a spoonful of the butter, and pretends to be all weird. Kathryn shows Craig and Danni something on her phone, and says Whitney said she was a drug addict sociopath. We see a 2016 clip from Watch What Happens Live with Whitney, Landon, and Cameran as guests. Whitney says Kathryn seems like this poor single mother, but she’s a drug addict, violent sociopath. Kathryn say she was just recalling when she had trouble; reminding herself. She says she has to go to the bathroom. It gets quiet as she leaves. Outside, she says she can’t do this.
Madison says these are Austen’s friends. Austen says they have fun together, and Madison says she sees why he doesn’t go home. Craig goes looking for Kathryn. He finds her in the other house, and asks if she’s all right. She says she just needed a minute. She thought she’d be cooler about it, but it’s bringing up memories of a traumatic time in her life. She says she doesn’t want to make a big deal, but Austen never said anything. In her interview, Kathryn says he planned it ahead of time, but never thought it might bother her in any way. It just shows where their focus is – on themselves. Kathryn just wanted him to ask if she’d be cool with it. Back at the table, Chelsea wonders where Kathryn and Craig are. Kathryn says they talked so much sh*t about her. Whitney has given her a million eff yous. He looked her in the eye, and said they didn’t have sex, but he’s flattered. She gets that he doesn’t want his personal sh*t out there, but it’s already out there. She tells Craig that she’s just processing so she can get over it. I’m so with her on this. They’ve been flaunting legal weed in her face since they got there. Not on purpose, but they’re being thoughtless. It’s not like she just stop smoking either. That was a big deal.
Danni films Shep eating infused potatoes. He demands more weed butter. Craig comes back, and Austen asks if Kathryn is okay. Craig says, she’s not, because of him and Shep. She’s taking a breather because she got a blast from the past. Shep and Chelsea can’t stop laughing. Craig says Austen didn’t ask Kathryn about the weed dinner before throwing it in front of her. Cameran says, didn’t Austen ask her? and he says, no. Austen thanks Craig for saying something, and he says it’s not as much about him as Whitney. Cameran asks, what’s wrong? and Whitney is oblivious, and says goodnight. Craig asks if Whitney isn’t going to make sure Kathryn is okay. Whitney wonders what’s going on, and Craig says he denied hooking up with her, and made her feel like sh*t. He made her cry. They know he and Kathryn had sex. Shep asks how Craig knows. Did he smell Whitney’s junk? Craig says, the person he claims is his friend is upset, and he could care less. Shep says, couldn’t, and Craig corrects it to, couldn’t care less. He says, years ago, Whitney said she shouldn’t have her kids because of what she’s doing, and now they’re celebrating it. What would it cost him to make sure she’s okay? Whitney says Craig is a busybody, and should focus on himself. Craig says he should talk to her. In Craig’s interview, he says if someone denied having sex with him, it would hurt his feelings. He’d be like, he wasn’t that bad. Kathryn doesn’t fit on Whitney’s level of society, and it’s a dirty little secret for him.
Whitney goes to the other house, and looks for Kathryn. He doesn’t see her anywhere, but finds her outside on the porch swing in the dark. He asks if everything is all right. Someone said she was upset with him. She say she doesn’t want talk about it. Please let her be. He leaves.
Next time, the group goes swimming, Shep says he has nothing to hide, Austen doesn’t want to lsoe Madison, Danni wonders what’s wrong with Shep and Austen, and Shep wants ot know why Austen lets Madison walk on him.
🐦 Patricia Agreed...
Reality TV Bliss tweeted: @RealityTVBliss Replying to @ellenburnham and @Pataltschul Are you keeping up with the custody hearing? Thomas is trying to have cast members deposed and production. Some already have to go in. He’s alleging she’s a sex addict so YES he would be next on his hit list of witnesses #SouthernCharm
In other words, Whitney is pretending nothing happened so his ass doesn’t get dragged into court. Apparently, in a desperate move, Thomas is saying Kathryn shouldn’t have the kids because she’s a sex addict. I think at this point, the court will probably laugh at him. He’s done. Regardless, Whitney is still being a wuss.
🐮 The Real Housewives of Dallasreturns, Wednesday, September 4th, at 9 pm.
She still soldiers on though. Project Angel Food is the best. When we were more broke than we are now, some friends got together and had food sent to us through them. The name fits. It was heavenly.
Reality TV isn’t a job for the faint of heart. It’s too bad. I have to admit, although I wanted to like Billie, she was becoming more and more like just one more drama queen. We already have Scheana for that.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Lulu asks Maxie why Dante shot Peter. Maxie thinks it could have been anyone; he just fired. She tells Lulu, Dante is in trouble. It’s really bad.
Finn asks Peter how he’s feeling. Peter says, about the same. The pain is manageable, and he’s just glad he doesn’t need surgery. Finn says he should be glad he’s alive. He can’t be reckless like that. Peter says, it was an accident, and Finn tells him, try to avoid future accidents, especially ones involving bullets. He’ll tell Anna that Peter will make a full recovery. Peter says he’s not telling Anna anything.
On the phone, Robert says he got a call from the Bureau; something is going on with Peter. He asks if they can meet him at Charlie’s. Julian asks to what does he owe this headache? It’s been a minute. Robert says, not long enough. Kim watches through the window from outside. She takes Oscar’s teddy bear out of her bag, and flashes back to drugging Drew. She walks away.
Curtis asks if Drew has a minute. He has a couple of delicate issues to discuss. He knows the will reading was today, and says he’s sure that was tough. Drew says, it wasn’t fun, but he’d rather not get into it now. Curtis says, no problem, and Drew asks, what else? Curtis wonders who drugged him, and asks if he knew Hayden was on The Haunted Star?
Nina tells Jax that she has good news; excellent news. Ad sales are up in anticipation of their Ava issue. He says with luck readership will increase, and she says, luck has nothing to do with it. She gives the readers what they want. She tells him she’s wrapping it up for the day, and he asks if she’s got a hot date with Valentin. She wonders why he wants her to share information about Valentin, and he says he thought he knew the family. Then Valentin falls out of sky, and inherits everything. He’s curious how Valentin managed it. She says he already knows everything there is to know about her fiancé, doesn’t he?
Ava goes out on the hospital rooftop, and sees tables with candles set up. She calls out for Sibley, who comes up behind Ava, startling her. Sibley asks if she’s ready to contact her daughter. Ava asks why Sibley snuck up on her. Does she want to give Ava a heart attack? Sibley says she got distracted by the view. It’s beautiful, clear, and perfect for channeling. Ava asks if the candles are meant to draw Kiki, but Sibley says the candles will keep them from bumping into each other. She knows Ava paid the guard to let them up there, but if the lights went on, it might draw unwanted attention. Ava asks, what now? Do they just start? Sibley says, after she receives payment. Ava hands over the money, and Sibley says, so let’s contact Kiki.
Lulu tells Maxie that she knew Dante was in trouble, but she had no idea it was this bad. Maxie says she’s sorry, and Lulu asks what she was doing there. Maxie says she called in a favor from her dad, and Lulu asks, why? Maxie says she wanted to tell Dante how much his family needed him. Lulu says Dante is in there for treatment. What the hell was she thinking?
Finn tells Peter that he has to let Anna know. Peter says they both know she’ll drop whatever she’s doing, and race back. Finn says, probably, and Peter says they’re still trying to figure out who they are to each other. They don’t need a mother and son reunion based on a crisis that didn’t happen. Finn doubts Anna would see it that way, and Peter tells Finn, call it what he wants, but he’s not telling her, and as his physician, Finn isn’t either.
Robert asks if Julian is tending bar, but Julian says he owns the joint. Robert says he heard a rumor that Julian was going legit, and Julian says, it’s not a rumor; it’s the truth. Robert remembers putting Julian in the Witness Protection Program, and it wasn’t long before he went back to organized crime. Julian asks if there’s a point to this, and Robert says he knows what Julian is; a killer who could revert to form. Julian says he doesn’t think so. Now he has somebody to be on the straight and narrow for. He tells Robert the first round is on him. He steps away, and Robert orders a bottle of their most expensive scotch.
Kim comes in, and Julian asks how the reading was. She says, hard, and he asks if she wants to talk. She says, maybe later, but first, she needs to tell him that she’s so sorry.
Drew tells Curtis that he doesn’t want talk about it. Curtis says Drew was drugged. Why is he more pissed about it than Drew. Drew says nothing happened. The person responsible realized they were wrong. Let it go. Curtis tells him if he says so. Drew says as head of Aurora security, does Curtis have anything business related to tell him about? Curtis says he wants to warn him. Jax… Hayden walks in, saying they need to talk about firewall protection. Drew is like, what?! When did she get back? More important, why is she in his office? She says she was looking for Curtis. Drew says he runs security there, and asks what her concern is. She says she’s the new CFO of the Aurora print division. Jax hired her. He asks Curtis to give him a minute, and Curtis says he’ll be outside. Hayden tells Drew, let’s get it overwith. She works for Jax, and has nothing to do with him. He says ulterior motives are her forte, and asks what she wants now.
Curtis finds Jax, and tells him that his new CFO announced herself to Drew. He might want to do damage control. Jax tells Nina that they’ll talk later.
Finn says Peter was wounded in a WSB facility. Anna is going to find out. Peter says he’ll be recovered by that time. Finn says, that’s not the point. Keeping secrets is a mistake. Peter says, it’s his to make, and Finn is ethically bound to honor it. He can’t disclose any information, even to his fiancé. Finn starts to leave, and says, as fast as Peter and Anna knock down the wall between them, he keeps building it back up. He’s his own worst enemy.
Maxie tells Lulu that she should have thought the plan through, but Lulu says, there never should have been a plan. She shouldn’t have interfered in Dante’s progress. Now it’s obliterated, and he’s back to where he started. Finn comes out, and tells them Peter is up for visitors, and asks them to limit it to one at a time. Maxie tells Lulu to go. Finn asks if Maxie is okay, and she says she’s doing the best she can. He says it’s all any of them can do.
Ava asks Sibley how this works exactly. Sibley says Ava told her the building was important to Kiki. Ava says GH was like her second home. She was in medical school, and worked there part time. They see her memorial plaque from the ledge. Sibley asks if Ava brought something, and Ava gives her a necklace. She says she gave it to Kiki for her high school graduation. She wore it most of the time, even when she was furious with Ava. Sibley explains the difference between channeling and being a medium is. As a medium, she relays the messages around her. Like playing telephone, but the voices are louder. When she’s channeling, she has to open herself to another plane. When Ava speaks to her, she’ll be speaking directly to Kiki, and she might not like everything she hears. Ava says, Kiki wasn’t one to hold back. Sibley says she’ll be speaking directly to her daughter, providing Kiki avails herself of the opportunity. Shall they begin? She takes Ava’s hands, and says she needs total silence and the utmost concentration. She tells Ava to close her eyes, and open her mind. Think of the strongest memory of the relationship. Sibley asks if Kiki is there. She makes some weird movements, and Ava asks if it worked. Sibley breathes hard, and looks at Ava. Ava says, Sibley? and Sibley says, no, mother; it’s me. Ava says, Kiki?
Kim tells Julian that she had a session with Dr. Massey. He asks how it went, and she says it was difficult but she thinks she got some clarity. She told the doctor about what happened with Drew. She couldn’t believe what she was saying. It sounded crazy, like she was talking about someone else. Julian says, it’s her grief, that’s all. She says she was convinced having a child with Drew could fill the void left when Oscar died. She forgot the good things she still had in her life. Dr. Massey had her write them down, and the first thing she wrote was her relationship with him.
Hayden tells Drew that he has every reason not to trust her. He says at least they agree on that. She says her motives shouldn’t impact him or Aurora. They have the same logo on their stationery, but they never need to cross paths. He says he’d planned on building a legacy for his son, and now that Oscar is gone, he’s building it for his daughter. Hayden says, it sounds like Oscar was a great kid. She’s sorry for his loss. Jax comes to the door, and says he sees they’re getting reacquainted.
Nina tells Curtis that Drew must be surprised. Hayden exploited his amnesia, and planned on being his ex-wife. He’s sorry he didn’t tell her. Nina says that’s kind of his thing now. He says, what thing? and she says Jax hiring Hayden isn’t the only secret he’s keeping from his closest friends.
Finn meets Robert at Charlie’s. He tells Robert that Peter is expected to make a full recover. Robert says, Anna will be relieved, but Finn says, she doesn’t know. Peter insisted on keeping it to himself. Is Robert listening to him?
Lulu tells Peter that she’s relieved he’s okay. He says she can talk about Dante if she wants. She says she’s in shock. She still thought he was getting better, when he’s gotten worse. It’s disturbing. He’s sorry she had to learn this way, and she says he’s last person who needs to apologize. She knows it wasn’t his idea. He says, for what it’s worth, Maxie did believe she could bring Dante home to her. Maxie comes in, and Lulu says she needs time with Peter. Got it. She breezes past Maxie. Peter takes Maxie’s hand, and he says, it’s okay. Lulu is just upset. It’s not her fault. She says, yeah; it is.
Laura sees Lulu, and says, it’s okay. Lulu runs to her, and says, it’s not okay.
Ava asks if it’s Kiki, and Sibley/Kiki says, yes, mother; it’s her. Ava wants to believe her, but wonders how she can be sure it’s not some kind of scam. Indicating the necklace, Sibley/Kiki says she wore this a lot, but not the night she was killed. She took it off, and never wore it again after Ava drugged Sasha, and set up Sasha and Griff like they slept together. Ava says, everybody knew that, and Sibley/Kiki says, Ava came to Kelly’s, and she tried to slap Ava, but Ava caught her hand. She’d slapped Ava weeks before, and Ava had said she only gets one. Ava says she has so many questions. There’s so much she needs to say. Most important is, she’s sorry. Sibley/Kiki says she never wants contact again. She never wants to talk to Ava again. I’m wondering why Sibley claimed earlier that Kiki wished she had shown up at the dinner. Kind of contradictory.
Kim tells Julian that she was convinced a baby like Oscar could heal her, and lessen the pain. She didn’t stop to consider the pain she’d be putting him through. For him to walk in on her with Drew… Julian says she doesn’t need to rehash it, but she says she wants to face it, and figure out what’s left. Julian has been her rock, and she’s scared that, after what happened, things have changed forever. Julian says she has a right to feel that way. They have.
Finn tells Robert that he reluctantly has to honor Peter’s wishes. Under HIPPA laws, he can’t tell Anna the details about her son. Robert says he’s all for following the law, but when Anna finds out, she’ll go ballistic. Finn says his hands are tied, but Robert says, his aren’t.
Maxie says Peter could have died. He says, he didn’t. She says she should be thrilled; dancing for joy. He says he’d like to see that, and she tells him, don’t flirt. She’s too upset to appreciate it. She meddled when everyone told her not to. Now Dante is worse off, and the WSB will ship him God knows where. Even if they don’t, he’s not safe to be around Lulu and the kids. He says she cares, and Maxie says she wishes she could turn it off. He says it’s one reason he’s crazy about her, but she doesn’t think Lulu would agree.
Laura tells Lulu that she’s sorry. She had no idea it was that severe. Lulu says, the doctors knew. That’s why they were treating him. Maxie barged in, and ruined everything. Laura says she doesn’t really believe that, does she? and Lulu says, no. Laura says Maxie was misguided, but there’s a silver lining. Lulu finally has the answers to the questions that have been haunting her for months.
Ava says they have so much they need to say to each other, but Sibley/Kiki says, not really. Ava always found new and creative ways hurt her. She’s finally at peace, and does Ava know why? Because Kiki is no longer with her. Ava says she doesn’t mean that. Ryan said Kiki forgave her. Sibley/Kiki asks if Ava’s that desperate for absolution, that she’ll take the word of the man who murdered her. She can’t believe his lies, and take no responsibility for her actions. Ava says they can’t undo what’s done, but can they can move past the pain they caused each other. Kiki inflicted her share of pain too. Sibley/Kiki says Ava will never change. They’re done. Ava says, no, they’re not, but Sibley/Kiki says, yes, they are. Goodbye. Ava says, please wait, but Sibley says, sorry. Kiki is gone. She doesn’t want to talk to Ava anymore. Sibley warned her that she might not like what Kiki had to say. Ava asks if Sibley thinks she can scare her. All of a sudden, Kiki doesn’t want to talk, until she’s charged for a few more sessions. Sibley says, wait; she’s back. Ava laughs, but Sibley says, no. She has a message. Kiki wants to send a message to her sister. She wants Avery to know that she loves and misses her. No matter how she feels about Ava.
Ava asks if there’s anything else. The knife is already lodged in Ava’s heart; she might as well give twist. Sibley says she can’t control what the dead tell her. She and Kiki never met, but obviously she’s still hurting. Ava says it’s probably the most truthful thing Sibley has said all evening. Sibley says, maybe Kiki doesn’t want to talk now, but will eventually. If she rebuffs Ava again, Sibley won’t charge anything. Ava wants Kiki to know she’s changed. Maybe the article in Crimson will do the trick. Sibley says she’s going to clean up now. Ava says, while Sibley is there, there’s somebody else she’d like to contact. There’s someone else she needs to make amends with. She doesn’t have a personal item, but this place was important to him too. His name is Nikolas Cassadine.
Laura says Lulu has been in a holding pattern a long time, wondering if and when Dante would come back. Lulu says now the time is further off. Laura tells her that Dante did say not to wait for him. He must have realized it would be a long time, if ever, before he could come back to her and the kids. Lulu says she was holding out hope that he’d walk in the front door, and everything would go back to normal. Now she knows normal is never going to happen. Laura says at least now she knows she doesn’t have to be in limbo. She can make plans. Lulu says she sounds like Maxie. Laura says, Maxie wanted to help. She botched the landing, but meant well. How does Lulu think she knew to show up? Lulu says Maxie called her. Laura says Maxie knew Lulu needed her. She’s good like that. Maxie sees them.
Robert tells Finn there’s no law preventing him saying he received word on Peter’s condition. Finn says, if Anna shows up, it could backfire, and wreck any progress she and Peter have made in their relationship. God knows Robert doesn’t like Peter, but he doesn’t want to hurt Anna. Robert says he hates it when Finn is right, but it’s the perfect opportunity to bring her home. Isn’t it what Finn wants? Finn says he wants her home more than ever, and Robert says, of course (🍷). His ex is in town.
Drew says he’s not telling Jax how to run his half of the business, but he and Hayden have a complicated history. He thought it was in the past. Hayden says, far in the past. Drew asks if Jax is aware that Hayden was fired from GH for embezzlement. Jax says he is, and Drew asks why he hired her.
Nina says Valentin told her that he hire Curtis sot spy on Jax, and it was his idea Curtis take the position at Aurora. Curtis says he needs the extra money. The medical bills are piling up. Nina says he has options, and he appreciates her offering to pay, but he has to do it on his own. Besides, it’s a temporary gig. Jax is a shark, and he’s bound to find out eventually, but it would help a lot if Nina didn’t tell him herself. She says she has no intention of telling him what Curtis is up to. She has another job in mind for him.
Kim says she understands if Julian wants to break up. He says he doesn’t want to, but she says he told her things changed. He says they can’t go on pretending things are the same. She lost the most important person to her. His feelings haven’t changed. She says, even after Drew? and he says she messed up, but she owned up to it, and she’s trying to do better. He’s messed up plenty. A lot of people are eager to remind him, but he’s not the cut and run type. He stays and fights. She says she won’t run either.
Maxie asks if it’s safe to approach. Lulu says, yeah, and Laura says she’ll let them talk. Maxie sits next to Lulu, and says Lulu was right. She shouldn’t have gone. Lulu says she shouldn’t have snapped. Maxie is just looking out for her, like always. She was just upset that Maxie did what she wished she could have done. She found Dante, and got the answers Lulu needed, even if they’re not the ones she wanted. Maxie says she’s not mad? Lulu says, no, and Maxie says, thank God. She despises fighting with Lulu. Lulu says she’ll need Maxie more than ever to get through the next phase of her life. They hug, and say they love each other.
Finn asks how Robert knows about Hayden, and Robert asks if Finn doesn’t think he does his research. When Finn and Anna started playing house, he had a dossier put together. Finn says, of course (🍷). Robert says, Hayden’s name leapt off the page. He knew she’d resurfaced and was involved with Jax apparently. Finn says apparently Robert thinks she has another agenda. Robert asks, does he? Finn says, with Hayden, anything is possible.
Jax tells Drew that he’s a big believer in second chances. Hayden says she is too. Jax says they all should be. She won’t be doing any finances on Drew’s end; no data, nothing. Drew says, understood, but he’d appreciate it if Jax doesn’t drive Aurora into bankruptcy. Jax says, duly noted. As Jax leaves, Drew tells him to watch his back and his wallet. Hayden walks out with him.
Curtis tells Nina that he’s confused. Nina wants him to pass along the same information about Jax to her that he’s giving to Valentin? She says, but she wants it first. He’ll be triple-crossing Jax. It’s simple. Valentin is leaving her out of the loop, and she needs to be in it. Are they clear? Curtis says, what could go wrong?
Hayden thanks Jax for standing up for her. He wants to be clear. If he’d only hired her as CFO, she’d be out on the street. She says, but she’s not. Why is she there? He says they’re going to keep poking and prodding, and Valentin and his house of cards are going to come tumbling down. Then, they’ll both get what they want.
Ava asks Sibley if there’s anything, but Sibley says, sorry. There could be many explanations, but she can’t feel any presence from the other side. I’m guessing we’ll see a new Nikolas soon.
Tomorrow, Diane has good news, Carly ask if there’s a problem with Dev and Josslyn, and Sonny tells Ava do it again and see what happens.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – The Reunion – Part One
Andy FaceTimes with Anderson Cooper, saying, there’s trouble in Beverly Hills. He tells Anderson that LVP isn’t there, but Camille is. They’re breaking a lot of news today.
There’s the usual schmoozing before air time. Andy welcomes us. Denise is excited for her first reunion, and Kyle says, that’s such a newbie thing to say. He tells Teddi what a difference a year makes. She says her dad told her not to have her boobs hanging out, and Mellencamps don’t cry. Andy says, obviously someone is missing. LVP said she’s skipping the reunion and not returning to the show. He says it brings to mind season three, where Adrienne Maloof didn’t show. We flash back to LVP at the same reunion, saying she thinks that’s a mistake. She should have come and cleared up her mess. Andy says LVP’s final act as a cast member was telling a reporter she’s not showing up. Kyle thinks she gave the interview yesterday, knowing if she didn’t show up, she’d be fired. She asks if Andy thinks she wanted to show up when she and Kim were on the outs. He says LVP had said the objective of a reunion is to reunite, and she had no inclination to reunite with the women who have been harassing her for ten months. Kyle says LVP hasn’t seen them since Denise’s wedding. LisaR says LVP pinched her butt, and they were laughing. We flash back to that.
Andy says a source close to LVP said, she was burned at the stake, nailed to the cross, and stoned by her co-stars. Erika says, get of the cross; we need the wood. I’m not impressed, since she stole that line from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Andy tells them a source said LVP always wins. Kyle thinks it’s a mistake for her not to be there. They could have worked it out, even if it meant agreeing to disagree. Dorit says she doesn’t think LVP is capable of that. Andy says she drew a line in the sand, and said she wasn’t caving on the issue. Teddi feels like there’s a chance she’ll show up for dramatics. LisaR says she keeps looking at the door. Andy says he knows Kyle is holding out hope. She’s had LVP’s birthday present since September. Andy says, if she doesn’t come, he’s opening it. Denise asks Kyle why she thinks LVP didn’t show up. Kyle thinks she doesn’t want to face them because she’s been unmasked. She was called out on what happened at Vanderpump Dogs. Why do that to someone you care about? She’s been focusing on the Radar article, so she doesn’t have to talk about what actually happened. Erika says she’s expecting a stunt, and will be fully disappointed if it doesn’t happen. A limo pulls up, trying to make us think LVP decided to show, and Camille gets out, along with friend Kimber.
Andy tells us that LisaR and Harry got in a heated Twitter battle with Nicolette Sheridan about MichaelBolton. LisaR had said Nicolette went off with Michael after a concert. LisaR says Harry was in another city, felt strange, and had to go home. When he got back, he found a love note in the trash. Nicolette had slept with Michael Bolton that night, and without Michael, she wouldn’t be with Harry. Nicolette said it was fake news. LisaR reminds us that Denise’s husband was married to Nicolette. Andy says she’s making a compelling case for Nicolette to be on the show.
Andy says, Denise swears like a trooper, and drinks tequila like the world is not enough, thinking he’s being funny by referring to a couple of her movies. We see clips of her throughout he season. My favorite is when she talks about the women dressing up all the time in an interview, and says they’re lucky she put an effing bra on. Andy is amazed how chill she is, and asks what Charlie’s reaction to the show is. She says he was supportive when she told him that she was doing it, but he hasn’t been super happy about some of the things she’s said. Like the time she talked about having one of his ladies of the night to Thanksgiving. Denise says, she was lovely, and we flash back to that story, and Denise saying, even a hooker deserves have Thanksgiving dinner. She told Charlie she didn’t think his past was a secret, and he’d said he was in a different place now. She told him people love him because he’s honest, and his ladies were a big part of his past.
Andy asks Erika about Denise’s laid back sense of style, and Erika says, everyone should be themselves. Denise says she dresses up, but day-to-day, she’s a jeans, tank top, and T-shirt person. She considered the shorts she wore in the Bahamas fancy. A viewer says she’s been through a lot, but never seems like a victim. How is she so good at hanging with crazy? Denise says Charlie is her daughters dad, and they’ve been divorced for fourteen years. She didn’t want her daughters privy to the negative in his life. When he was diagnosed with HIV, they didn’t know. She moved into his neighborhood, and he knew he could call her any time, and she’d be there. A lot of people judged her for that, but she wanted him to be the best dad he could be because she has an amazing relationship with her father. She’s no saint, and she’s made mistakes, but she thinks it’s best not to talk negatively about her children’s father. Ultimately, they’re the ones who suffer. Andy asks LisaR about Denise, since they’ve been friends since the earth cooled. LisaR says Denise is a saint, and she has a lot of respect for her, dealing with a difficult time being so public. Denise says, it was just a snippet of what was really going on. Andy says it struck him that Denise could have taken Charlie to the cleaners. She says they had no prenup, and he got Two and a Half Men while they were married. Andy says she could have asked for a piece, since he had ownership. Denise adds, he made a lot of money. Andy asks how Aaron gets along with Charlie, and Denise says, they do get along. Out of respect, Aaron called Charlie to let him know when they were getting married.
Andy asks about Eloise, and Denise says she has a chromosome disorder that caused delays in speech and development. Erika asks how old Eloise was when they found out, and Denise says it was about two years ago; she’s eight now. She says it’s difficult to diagnose, and it was hard to see it in black and white when she saw the medical report. She tears up, saying, a two-year-old can talk, but Eloise can’t, even though she wants to. She’s a free spirit and happy. She doesn’t know. Andy asks what Eloise has taught her, and Denise says, you can communicate without verbally speaking. Eloise is a bright light. When she hears music, she dances, and doesn’t care who’s watching. Denise has to keep an eye on her 24/7 though. She’s taken swim lessons since she was a toddler, but wouldn’t be able to save herself. Dorit says, it’s hard to hear, since Jagger was a delayed speaker. He’s five now, and did reach milestones. She understands. As a mother, your biggest job is to protect and take care of your kids. Denise says, kids are mean, and it starts young. Dorit says Denise is a great mom.
Andy says, chaos and anxiety follow Kyle wherever she goes. We see clips of her life, and her saying she always feels her life is like whack-a-mole, which I totally understand. She has an anxiety disorder, and automatically imagines the worst. Sarah from Colorado asks if LisaR regrets taking Kyle along on her mammogram, since she suffered so much anxiety, but LisaR says, no. She thinks everyone should have one. She says she got positive feedback, but then people were saying Kyle’s appointment was possibly set up for the show. Kyle says she gets one every October, and was scheduled for the following week. Since both of them were expected, the doctor put time aside for Kyle, so she figured she might as well do it, since they give the results on the spot. A viewer asks if Dorit’s gigantic breast implants affect her mammograms. Dorit asks if they’ve seen gigantic. I agree. They’re always falling out, but I wouldn’t say they’re gigantic. Andy says LisaR said it was like a check-up for her implants. LisaR says she also gets an ultrasound. We see a clip of the doctor saying there’s no sign of a leak or rupture. LisaR says she wondered if it was okay to show it, but it’s the absolute truth. You need to be more careful when you have implants.
Andy asks Teddi how she helped Kyle when she was spiraling. Teddi says they actually went to her therapist together, and we see a clip of them. It’s not like talk therapy though. More like some kind of relaxation therapy. Kyle says her anxiety got so bad, Mauricio almost had to call 911.
Andy reminds us that Erika had toasted, all hail the true queen, Kyle. Erika says look at them today. Kyle is the queen. She says look who showed up. Dorit says Kyle is one of the originals, and the leader of the group. Erika says Kyle binds them, and Kyle thanks them. I watch her head get bigger.
In the hallway, Camille tells Kimber, it’s like walking into the lion’s den with these women. Everyone greets her all fake happy. Andy says an original Housewife is back. Camille doesn’t know if she should be happy or terrified. Andy congratulates her on the wedding, and we flash back to that. Andy says he wants what Mauricio had at dinner in Hawaii. So does everyone else, me included. We flash back to Mauricio wanting to tell a joke, and then forgetting it. Andy says the crew was laughing so hard, they had a problem with the audio. A viewer asks what the best part of Camille’s honeymoon in Switzerland was. She says, everything. She loves skiing, and they did a lot of that. We see photos of Camille’s temporary home, and Andy points out that the house is 1200 square feet. Camille says they’re still in it. It’s got great views, and it’s comfortable. Andy reminds Camille about how she griped about 3500 square feet in NYC. Camille says she thought it would be uncomfortable with two small kids. How timeshave changed. She went from a grand estate to 3500 square feet. We see clips of that. Andy says he was talking to Denise about raising kids with an ex. Camille says her mother watched Denise’s interviews, and said, that’s the classy way to do it; make it about the kids. Andy asks why she kept the name Grammer, and Camille says, for her kids. Denise says she couldn’t wait to get rid of her married name. Camille says she took the name off of her social media, but it’s still on her passport. Andy asks how David feels about that, and she says, he has no problem; he understands. Andy brings up her reaction to Denise not having a prenup. Camille says she was married for thirteen years. Denise says she was married just under five. I’ll bet it felt like a lot longer though. People think she should have asked for half. He was almost bankrupt before they married. Camille says she felt like she worked hard. She wasn’t sitting around eating bonbons. Dorit asks if Denise likes bonbons, but she says she’s never had one.
10 minutes later. While getting her makeup retouched, Camille says she didn’t expect that. In another room, Denise says wait until they get into Camille’s stuff. She’s already being mean. Camille can’t figure out why Denise is bothered by the money thing. The makeup artist tells Denise, maybe Camille isn’t happy, and Denise is getting laid. Teddi says she has hers scheduled for after this.
Andy tells us just because the women are proper in the streets, doesn’t mean they’re prudes in the sheets. He loves that rhyming stuff. We flash back to all the sex talk this season. Andy tells Denise that viewer Zoe has a question. Denise bets she does. He asks why it was okay for Aaron to get the happy ending, when Denise could do it herself. Denise says she does do that, but he’d never had one, and it was a wild night. Andy said he inferred that she was an old lady. Denise says he was mortified and embarrassed. Andy asks Erika how Tom felt when she said he probably paid for sex as a young man. She says he used to go to Vegas, win money, and the hotel would send upback scratchers. A viewer asks Denise how big is it? and Denise says she only said something once. We go back and count, and it’s like, four. Kyle says compare it to her shoe, and Denise says it’s bigger than that. Andy wants clarification. Denise says he was embarrassed at first, but now he’s glad. Denise asks where Andy falls, and he says nowhere near Aaron. Erika says Denise is the MVP of the group. They discuss her posting a pic online of him at full-mast under the sheets. She says she took it down because the kids saw something. Andy asks how LisaR and Harry keep it spicy after 22 years. She says they like to do some kinky sh*t. #WhatDidHarryDo She says she took a strip class, but all you have to do is bend over. Good to know. Sounds like a lot less work.
We revisit the battle between Teddi and LVP. Like we haven’t seen enough of that. Andy says, from Teddi’s point of view, what happened off camera before the season started? She wants to apologize again first. She should have never gotten involved. Dorit asks why she did. She says she was told that since she wasn’t getting along with Dorit, and LVP was friends with her, it was less weird for her to bring it up, and to figure out a way to make it happen. She was told the dog was in a kill shelter from John Blizzard. She says there was so much going into it; three and four way calls. Denise asks, why get involved? and Teddi says she made a mistake. She was angry at Dorit last year for what happened when they were leaving the reunion. Dorit refused to go to lunch if Teddi was there, and Teddi acted out. Andy doesn’t understand why Teddi didn’t talk to LVP directly. Why was she speaking to the employees? Teddi says she was going there because her kids go to a class nearby. She didn’t hang out with John. Andy says that makes it all the more weird. Teddi says she didn’t think twice, because John said he was talking to LVP. Dorit says it looks bad that she went along; she’s not dismissing Teddi’s bad behavior. Andy reminds them that Erika said Teddi wasn’t to be trusted last season, and we flash back to the previous reunion. Erika says she didn’t realize how much Teddi disliked Dorit.
Andy says for someone who’s the queen of accountability, it’s amzing that Teddi had such a lapse. This is definite shade, and I’m wondering if Andy isn’t just a little pissed that he lost LVP from the Housewives franchise. Dorit says she wondered why, if Teddi didn’t want to go through with it, she didn’t stop it when she was at Vanderpump Dogs. Instead she made Dorit the scapegoat. She thinks it wasn’t that Teddi didn’t want to do it to Dorit, but she didn’t want to be the only one to do it. That hurt.
Next time – Part Two – Andy stirs the pot by asking why the women think Erika doesn’t want to be around them, Camille says they want her to jump on the hate bandwagon. Denise suggests Camille think before she speaks, and Camille walks off.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 