Tag Archives: Melanie Lynskey

March 23, 2023 – The Ethics Committee Makes Its Decision, Casey Landing, Big Leap, Retiring, Why, Sailing, Jax Speaks, Reunion Buzz, Next Last, Festival News & Army

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I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Terry tells Elizabeth that her part is finished; they’re making their decision now. Elizabeth wonders how long it’s going to take, and asks if it’s good or bad. Terry says she wishes she knew. What she does know is, Elizabeth is an excellent nurse, and she made that clear to the Board. Terry’s phone dings, and she says she’ll be right back. She leaves, and Elizabeth tells Finn, part of her wants this over, but the other part wants it to drag on forever because, what if these are her last minutes on staff? Either way, she needs to face it and deal with it. He says, and she will. He knows how important her independence is to her, and if she wants to face this alone, he understands. She says, her life might be about to change forever. There’s no one else she’d rather be by her side. Terry comes back, and says she just got a notification that they’ve reached their decision. Elizabeth says, here we go, and some grey-haired guy I don’t know approaches her. He tells her, after careful consideration, the Committee has decided not to take any disciplinary action against her.

Gregory goes to Alexis’s office, and she says she has his car keys. He says, she called Finn, after he specifically told her not to discuss what’s happening in his life with Finn or Chase. She asks how she can explain what’s happening in his life if she doesn’t know because he won’t tell her? She’s worried about him. He says, about what? She just said she doesn’t know anything, so let’s just leave it that way. She says she can’t. He’s her friend. She cares about him whether he likes it or not.

Maxie, Sasha, and Gladys sit at Kelly’s, and Maxie says she’s getting a whole new education about the elements of the Nurses Ball. They wouldn’t believe how important it is to have the right lighting package. Fortunately, the lighting designer Lucy always used is available, but he’s not cheap. Thankfully, the Nurses Ball is fully funded, so all the proceeds can go to AIDS/HIV research. Sasha says she’s so glad Deception’s able to donate 300,000, and match the donations, and Gladys says, that’s a lot of money. Maxie says, Lucy will be so excited… God rest her soul, when Cody comes by, and asks Sasha if Kelly’s makes biscotti. She says, not that she knows of, but the cupcakes are spectacular. She asks if he knows Gladys, and he says, sure do. They met at The Savoy. Right, Gladys? Maxie asks what Gladys was doing at The Savoy, and Cody asks if Gladys is going to tell them, or should he?

In the hospital elevator, Portia flashes back to asking Curtis if there’s hope for them, and if their love for one another is strong enough to get them through this; and him saying, he doesn’t think their love can fix this. She comes out, and sees Marshall. She asks if everything is okay, and he says he’s just coming out from his follow-up with Dr. Samuels. She asks how it went, and he asks if Curtis didn’t tell her. She says, Curtis said he’d tell her if he could, but the information is private. She thinks that says it all, doesn’t it?

Curtis goes to the bar at Charlie’s, and orders scotch, neat. Jordan comes out and goes over to him, and he says she doesn’t have to worry. This is his first drink, but he promises it’s not his last. It might get ugly, so she might want to get while the gettin’s good. She says she’ll have what he’s having, and sits down. Yuck. I hate the smell of scotch.

Trina stops by Laura’s, and tells Spencer that she was in the neighborhood. She wanted to see if the baby is settled in okay. He says, things didn’t exactly go the way he hoped they would, when Esme comes out with Ace, followed by Laura. Trina says, Esme’s here? and he nods. Esme says, they live here now. Laura is Ace’s grandmother. Just one big happy family. Laura says, it’s nice to see Trina, who is not receptive to a hug, and Trina says she’s sorry to just show up. Laura says, she’s always welcome, and Trina says she didn’t want to disturb the baby. Laura says, this is a very recent development. Everybody thought it would be best if Esme and Ace stayed with them. Spencer says, the alternative would be to get Esme a place above Kelly’s, but that’s no place for a baby, and Esme tells Ace, mommy came up with a compromise. Laura says, it seemed like a good idea, and Trina asks if Spencer is going back to Sonny’s place, but he says, his grandmother has been generous in letting him stay here. That way, he can be here if his little brother needs him.

Jordan asks why Curtis is at Charlie’s instead of his own nightclub, and he says, too many things to bother him at his nightclub. Tonight, he doesn’t want to be bothered. He will have another scotch though. He tells her to go ahead and ask him what’s wrong, but she says she figures if he wants to tell her, he will. If not, it’s decent scotch. He always did love a fine highland malt. He says, she remembered, and she says, cop’s curse. He says he ran into Trina tonight, and she says she’s guessing by his bar tab, things went badly. He says, actually, it was the opposite, and she says, Trina’s a good kid. He says, Trina’s the best, but she still doesn’t want to take a DNA test. There was a moment there he thought they could really have a relationship. There’s just one big if. She says, if she turns out to be his daughter. It sounds like they made a nice start. He says, it was… until her mom walked in.

Marshall says he hates that there’s still so much distance between Portia and Curtis, and Portia says she knows it’s her fault. But Curtis has so little trust in her, he wouldn’t want to share Marshall’s latest medical evaluation? She just hopes the information Marshall got from Dr. Samuels was good. She starts to leave, but he says, wait. Don’t go. Is there somewhere they can talk? She says she doesn’t want him to feel obligated to keep her in the loop, but he says, this isn’t obligation; this is gratitude. She’s the one who suggested he might have been misdiagnosed 40 years ago, so she should know what the specialist said. She suggests they go to the breakroom.

Gladys says, it’s still a free country, isn’t it? Can’t she stop in a club without it becoming the town gossip? Sasha tells her not to be upset. It’s just not like her to go to The Savoy by herself. Cody says he thinks he knows why Gladys was there. The same reason he was there; it was ladies night. Gladys says, he’s got her.

Gregory says, if Alexis was really his friend, she’d stop prying into his personal and professional lives, but she says, if she didn’t pry, she wouldn’t know he’d been lying to her for months. If she didn’t speak to the dean, she wouldn’t know he didn’t work there anymore. He says, which wasn’t her place, and she has absolutely no business pressuring Finn to dig up information on him. If he hadn’t been with Finn when she called, she was going to tell his son everything, wasn’t she? She says, she doesn’t know anything. She doesn’t know what’s going on with him. She’s just trying to help. He says he doesn’t want any help. Is that clear enough for her?

Grey-haired guy says, the Committee has determined that Elizabeth cooperated with Nikolas Cassadine in the service of providing medical care to a pregnant woman. They believe she had reason to assume involving the authorities would cause Mr. Cassadine to run off with Miss Prince, or worse, cause her harm. Dr. Finn and Dr. Randolph convinced them that Elizabeth might have saved Esme and her baby’s life. As such, no further action will be taken against her. Elizabeth thanks him, and he says she has an outstanding record, and many supporters. It was clear to the Committee that she’s an asset to the hospital. He wishes her good luck, and leaves. Terry says she has to speak to the Committee on another matter, and follows. Elizabeth hugs Finn.

Alexis says, so Gregory thinks she overstepped, and he says, she did. He’s not the one with a drinking problem. So in the future, please, save her sympathies for the people in her meetings. She says she jumped to the conclusion that he had a drinking problem because he appeared drunk at 11 am; then he was belligerent. And then he lied to her about really important stuff for a long time. He lost his job and lied about it. What is she supposed to think? He says he was wrong about her. She’s not a journalist. She’s like a cop who pulled him over. What’s next? A breathalyzer? She says, you tell me. Would he pass or fail?

Elizabeth thanks Finn for standing by her side through this whole awful ordeal, and he says, anytime. Terry comes back, and says, the Committee was influenced by what Finn had to say, but Finn says, it wasn’t just him. There were a lot of people willing to vouch for Nurse Baldwin’s commitment to this hospital and nursing. Elizabeth says, and Epiphany, but Terry says, fortunately, the Committee didn’t need to hear directly from her supervisor since she’s out of town, and there are several testimonies from Epiphany already in her file. Her support for Elizabeth is well known around here. So no excuses. She expects to see Elizabeth here tomorrow in uniform for her first shift. Terry leaves, and Finn asks if Elizabeth wants to call the boys with the good news, but she says she wants to tell them face to face when she gets home. This is her home too, and she almost lost it. He says he hated the thought of doing his rounds without her here having his back, and she says he’s managed without her in the past. He says he didn’t know what he was missing.

Cody says, Gladys was there for the music and the dancing. He was there because when it’s ladies night, there’s bound to be a few unattached ladies. Maxie asks if he got lucky, and he says, she knows how it is. It comes and goes. Right, Gladys? Gladys coughs, and says, went down the wrong pipe. She sips some coffee, and Cody says, be careful. Maxie says she has an offer for Cody that will change his life, and drags him outside. Sasha says she knows Cody upset Gladys, and she knows why.

Curtis says, Jordan doesn’t have to worry. He tried drowning his sorrows in a bottle on his wedding night; didn’t work. Tonight he’s just blowing off some steam. She says she’s probably not the best person for him to be talking to about this. If she hadn’t opened up to Stella, Trina might never have confronted Portia. He says, she wasn’t trying to sabotage his wedding. She knows him, and knows the kind of lies that… She says, the kind that blew up their marriage. She didn’t want the same thing to happen to him and Portia. He says he believes her. He’s just afraid it’s too late to do anything about it now. She says, as long as he meant the vows he said when he married Portia, there is something he can do. He says, which is? and she says, do what he couldn’t do with her – forgive her.

Trina says she hopes Esme knows how lucky she is to have someone like Laura looking out for her and her baby, and Esme says she did have her doubts when Spencer suggested she move above Kelly’s while Ace stayed here. She won’t be separated from her son. Laura says she never wanted that, and Esme says she did have a hard time believing that part, and that Laura’s loyalty wasn’t to Nikolas and Spencer. When she suggested they both stay here, Laura was so kind and quick to say yes, it reassured her. Laura says, they all want what’s best for Ace. Don’t we, Spencer? He says, it’s the only thing that matters, and Trina says she hopes it all works out for them. She has to go. Spencer says he’ll walk her out. In the hallway, Trina says, there’s no need to walk her to her car, and Spencer says he’s sorry. He didn’t want to spring this on her. She says, he doesn’t owe her an explanation, and he says, he wants her to understand the only reason he’s going along with this… She says she gets it; she really understands. Spencer and Esme get to raise him together. He says, that’s the last thing he wants, but if Esme and the baby hadn’t moved in here, he would have lost his brother for good. It was a necessary evil. Esme has the law on her side, and the power to keep his brother away from him. She says, moving Esme into his grandmother’s house was the only way to keep him close; she understands.

Esme and Laura come back from putting Ace down for his nap, and Esme says, the way Laura sang to Ace was so pretty. Laura says, it was the same lullaby she used to sing to her children, and Esme says, somehow she can’t picture Heather, or Ryan, singing to her, even if they had the chance. Laura says, fortunately, her biological parents didn’t raise her. She’s sorry Esme doesn’t have more good childhood memories, but it’s not to late to make sure her son will.

Trina says, in other words, Spencer is counting on Esme being someone completely new; a totally different girl than the one who was trying to do her crazy father’s bidding, and harm as many people as possible. He says, she has no memory of that time, and Trina says, she doesn’t seem to. When she visited Esme in Spring Ridge, she didn’t get the feeling Esme was putting on an act. But just because she doesn’t remember doesn’t automatically make her a good person. What if the new Esme is even worse than the old one?

Curtis asks what that makes him, and Jordan says, a loving husband, but he says, no. It makes him a hypocrite. Their marriage ended because of lies Jordan had been telling him for barely a year. So how is she okay with Portia’s even bigger lie that she told for 20 years? She says, he’s forgetting it wasn’t her choice to end their marriage.

In the breakroom, Portia says, Dr. Samuels is sure Marshall doesn’t have any of the markers for the disease? He says, not a single one. Of course (🍷) that doesn’t prove he doesn’t have schizophrenia, according to the doctor. She says, it makes it less likely because he doesn’t have any of the genetic markers, and he says, exactly. She says, it also explains why, after his original diagnosis, he never experienced another episode, and he says he can’t say he’s not pleased, after walking around for 40 years being afraid of a ticking time bomb in his head. He doesn’t know what he has, or if there was even ever anything wrong with him at all. She says, it seems like you’re stumbling around in the dark, and he says, it sounds like she knows the feeling.

Gladys says she hopes it hasn’t made Sasha doubt her. She couldn’t love Sasha more if Sasha were her own daughter. Sasha says she loves Gladys too, and knows Gladys is grieving Brando as much as she is. She just hates Gladys going out alone when they could be together. She suggests they make the Nurses Ball their coming out party. They’ll get all glammed up, and wow them on the red carpet. Gladys says, Sasha will have to wow them without her. She’s seen the fancy gowns they all wear, and she doesn’t have anything like that. Sasha thinks it’s a good excuse to buy her one, and Gladys says, with what? Sasha says, her money. What’s the fun in having it if she can’t share it with her? (Truth. I had money for a hot minute, and looking back, the things that made me happiest were doing things for other people.)

Cody keeps looking inside at Gladys and Sasha, and Maxie says, hello. Cody. Woman right here, giving him a great idea. Is he even listening to her? He asks if she wants him to ride in on a horse at the Nurses Ball. Do some rope tricks; what? She says, when she told him that she needed a cowboy, she meant to dance with the others, and he says, what others? She says, Magic Milo and the Magic Wands. Great music, they get to do this choreographed dance, all the women in the audience are screaming for him, and his costume is… simple. He gets a shirt that he gets to wear for about a minute, and he has these breakaway pants. He says, so this is a strip show. She wants him to take off all his clothes. She says, of course (🍷) not. He gets to keep his boots on.

Gregory tells Alexis that he’s going to say this one more time. He doesn’t have a drinking problem. Yes, he stumbled at the MetroCourt. Everyone stumbles now and then, even her. She claims he was slurring his words, but maybe it’s a case of confirmation bias on her part. She wanted to believe he was drunk, so she saw and heard what she expected. What she didn’t see was him pouring vodka into that orange juice. She says, just because no one saw, doesn’t mean… He asks if she’s ever seen him over his limit or out of control. In all the time they’ve been together, has he ever been drunk in her company? She says, no. Will he please explain to her why he got fired… He says, he wasn’t fired (told ya); he quit. She asks why he’d do that. That doesn’t make any sense. He loves to teach and loves journalism, yet he walked away from both. She can see something is really wrong here. Will he please let her help him? He says, he’s sick, and she says, is she allowed to ask what’s wrong? but he says, no. He already told her more than he intended. Next, she’ll want to see his medical chart. She says, no. He has someone to help him. Finn will get him the best hospital or whatever care he needs. He says, Finn doesn’t know, and it’s going to stay that way. She says, that doesn’t make any sense. Finn is one of the best doctors in the country. Why wouldn’t Gregory tell him? Gregory asks if she really wants to help him, and she says, she does. He says, there’s one thing she can do for him, and she says, name it. He says, give him back his car keys, and holds out his hand.

Elizabeth sends a text to Epiphany: I have some good news. Can we talk? Finn comes out of the elevator with Violet, and says, look who just got dropped off. Violet and Elizabeth hug, and Violet says, they’re going to Beradino’s for spaghetti and meat balls. Does Elizabeth want to come?

Maxie says she knows what Cody is thinking. This will be cheesy and embarrassing, and they’re exploiting men, but it’s not like that at all. It’s good, clean fun, and everybody loves it. He’ll be shaking his bootie for a fabulous cause. He says, for her, he’ll do it, and she says, that’s it? He says, no worries. He’s been a body double on location shoots before. He’s even shot a whole scene naked, on horseback. Just him; the horse still had his saddle on. She says, he’s still amazing, and they hug. Her phone dings, and he looks inside again.

Gladys says, Sasha is so sweet, but she wouldn’t feel right using Sasha’s money on herself. Sasha says she’s been doing some research. Traditionally, the conservator of a guardianship gets paid a salary. Gladys has been managing her finances this whole time for free. It’s only fair she get paid for all her hard work. Gladys says, that’s nice of her, and Sasha says she knows how hard Gladys has been trying to honor Brando’s memory. He would want her to do this. Maxie comes back with Cody, and says, who’s ready for some great news? but Sasha says, her first. They’ve got some shopping to do. Guess who’s going to be the belle of the Nurses Ball? She puts her arms around Gladys.

Portia says, she’s fine, but this is about Marshall right now. She’s sure Dr. Samuels explained that they’d be weaning Marshall off his medication, and monitoring him in case he had any unusual reactions. Marshall says, or that he doesn’t have any more episodes. Blah-blah-blah. What does that even mean? Were they that careless 40 years ago when they diagnosed him? Or did they just call it schizophrenia when he might have had something else? She says, Dr. Samuels is the expert in this field; she isn’t. He says, but she’s family, and he trusts what she tells him. She says she appreciates that. What she can say is the understanding of diseases like schizophrenia has evolved greatly over the last four decades. But she doesn’t want to second guess his original doctors, or hypothesize a theory, until they know more. He says, seems to him, she already knows more than she’s saying. Haven’t they learned keeping things to yourself does more harm than good?

Curtis says, if Jordan didn’t want their marriage to end, why didn’t she fight harder for it? and she says she fought as hard as she could. In the end, his happiness meant more to her than her own, because… She sips her drink, and he says, because he pushed her away. He was furious at the secrets she kept, but what if he wasn’t so quick to judge her? What if he’d handled things differently? Would they still be together? She says, they would.

Spencer tells Trina, that’s another good reason for Esme to stay here with the baby. If she starts to show her true colors, he’ll be the first to know. She says, Esme fooled him in the beginning, but he says, that was a long time ago, before he knew Trina. It’s like imitation vanilla; imitation anything really. Like that buttery stuff they put on your popcorn. Imitation crab, like a California roll. She asks if he just compared her to a California roll, and they laugh. He says, it’s easy to settle for an imitation of something, but everything Esme gave him, or pretended to give him in their relationship – support, understanding, connection – it was all fake, and he bought it and believed in it. Until he experienced the real thing. Trina showed him real support and real understanding, and a real connection. She gave him something that Esme could never give him – honesty. He may not always like what she has to say to him, but he never has to question whether it’s the truth.

Esme tells Laura that she wants to do right by her son; give him all the things she never had. Heather… her mother warned her not to trust Spencer… or Laura. Laura says, Esme’s mom isn’t anyone she should be taking advice from. Ace cries, and Laura says she’ll get him.

Trina says, the baby’s crying; Spencer should go. He says he’s sure the baby has all the help he needs, and she says, so does he. He says, does he? and she says, he knows he does. They move toward each other for a kiss.

Esme has her hand on the doorknob, when Laura brings out Ace, and says, she thinks this sweet little boy just missed his mommy. She gives Ace to Esme, who says, he should be sleeping.  She doesn’t know what’s keeping his brother. Laura says she’ll go warm up a bottle, and Esme thanks her. Laura leaves, and Esme opens the door, seeing Spencer and Trina. She says she thought Trina left.

Jordan tells Curtis, there’s no point in reliving all this again. The past is the past. Curtis says, but they’re still here, and she says, and drinking, which always makes people sentimental. He says, she knows good and well, it ain’t the blues, and she says, it’s been a long time since they’ve talked like this. He says, too long.

Portia thanks Marshall for his concern, but she thinks she’s burned all her bridges. In fact, she’s torched them. He says, she and Curtis need to build new ones, but she says she thought they were talking about him. She thinks if he wants answers, he should contact the original medical team that diagnosed him way back then. He says, if any of them are still around, and she tells him, it’s like he said, if a bridge is burned, build another one. She leaves, and he takes out his phone.

Sasha says, this is so exciting. She and Gladys are walking the red carpet together. Gladys says, and Sasha insists on buying her a fancy dress. How lucky is she to have such a generous daughter-in-law? Cody says, she’s lucky all right, and Maxie says, actually, they’re all lucky here, because Cody has decided to join Magic Milo and the Magic Wands, and bare almost everything for charity. He says, it’s for a good cause, and Maxie says, exactly. Now that her work here is done – she takes Gladys’s hand – let’s figure out something for Gladys to wear. She leads Gladys to another table, and says, she wants to know what Gladys is thinking as far as designers.

Sasha and Cody sit down, and Sasha says, he really made Maxie’s day. He says, same as she did with Gladys. So things are okay between her and Gladys now? Sasha says, they’ve both been struggling with their grief. That doesn’t always make for the best communication, but they’re working through it. Their conversation was so good today, she decided to start paying Gladys a salary. He asks if she thinks that’s a good idea, and she says, why not?

Gregory says, he asked Alexis to leave his keys – which, by the way, she had no right to confiscate – with the concierge, but once again she decides she knows best. She says she took his car keys because she cares about him. Whatever this is, he doesn’t have to go through it alone. She promises he can trust her. She promises, whatever he says to her won’t leave this room. He takes his keys, says, he hopes she meant what she told him about it never leaving this room, and leaves.

Elizabeth tells Violet, spaghetti and meatballs are her favorite. How could she say no? Violet asks if Jake and Aiden can come too, and Finn says, of course (🍷). What about Cameron? Violet says, he’s still too sad about Josslyn, but Finn says, maybe a night out would cheer him up. Violet says, then he can come too, and Elizabeth says, all her favorite people. That’s what she calls a celebration. Finn and Elizabeth each take one of Violet’s hands, and they leave.

Cody says, if Sasha thinks she can trust Gladys, who is he to say otherwise? and Sasha says, there’s a but in there somewhere. And she doesn’t mean the one he’ll be showing off at the Nurses Ball. He tells her, all he’s saying is, if she’s going to put Gladys on the payroll, trust, but verify.

Maxie tells Gladys, the more she knows Cody, the better she likes him. Yes, she’s grateful he agreed to be a Magic Wand with minimum fuss, but she knows Cody has flaws; everyone does. Maybe it’s that he doesn’t pretend otherwise. He’s got that whole broke cowboy with a sweet side thing. They look over at Cody and Sasha laughing, and Maxie says she sees a lot to like in him. She thinks Sasha would understand what she means. Does Gladys think there’s something going on there? Gladys says she hopes not, and Maxie asks, why? Doesn’t she like Cody? Gladys’s phone dings, and she sees a text from Selina: Your favorite poker buddies are in town for tonight’s game. You in?

Portia asks Terry if the Committee has made a decision about Elizabeth yet, and Terry says, she’s been reinstated. Portia says, what a relief. Elizabeth must be so happy. Terry says, it’s about time we had some good news around here, right?

On the phone, Marshall tells Stella that he knows she’s been avoiding him… since the wedding. He needs a favor… Does she still have all of Irene’s papers?… Are his medical records among them?

Jordan and Curtis are about to kiss, when an officer tells Jordan that her car is outside. Curtis says he thinks he’s about reached his limit, and she says, her too. Scotch is a lot stronger than she remembered. Her driver is ready. He says, a very good thing, and Jordan tells the officer that she’ll be right out. Curtis says, the drinks are on him, and Jordan thanks him. She tells him to have a good night, and leaves.

Trina says, she and Spencer were just… Spencer says, Trina was telling him how PCU has daycare in case he wants to take classes during the summer. Spencer is starting to really irritate me, the way he acts like Esme doesn’t even exist in the equation. Esme says , that’s very kind of her, but he won’t need to take care of Ace. She’s perfectly capable of taking care of her son. She goes back inside, saying, isn’t that right, Ace? Mommy’s going to take care of you. Trina presses the elevator button, and Spencer thanks her for stopping by. They say goodnight, and she leaves.

Tomorrow, Anna says, none of them are free; Esme tells Laura that she gets a really bad feeling when Victor Cassadine is around; and Victor asks what Spencer wants to happen to Esme.

🛸 Craziest…

This was one of my all-time favorite storylines. It was also when Faison was introduced, although we didn’t know he was Faison. When he arrived in Port Charles, he was romance writer PK Sinclair.

📺 Whatta Tease…

As usual, not much info, but I watch so little on network TV, I didn’t even know they’d revived Quantum Leap.

👗 A Good Kind Of Goodbye…

I’m a big fan of the wardrobe on GH, and hope her retirement doesn’t mean things will go downhill. Hmm… Maybe they’re also fans of my wardrobe. I’ve seen sweaters I own on the show a few times.

🏖  Thought So…

Yeah, I didn’t think Melissa just told Gia no with no explanation. I don’t blame her for not wanting a bunch of kids there alone. If there’s excessive drinking and anyone gets in an accident, NJ law would hold the homeowner responsible.

⛵️ Next In the Deck…

Captain Glenn rocks, but if you want some truly awful people, set sail.

🤼  Awful Speaks On Awful…

Yep. It’s pretty bad when the most awful human being on earth calls you out for being awful.

Oh, I didn’t realize he was 40. It’s a midlife crisis thing. Menopause for men. Or Tomopause if you will.

🍸 Reunion Build Up…

LVP and Ariana get the coveted seats. Both deserving.

Let’s have a kiki.

The gladiators enter the arena.

I’d be willing to bet Raquel wrote them up herself.

🛣  About the Last…

What’s up with Season 2.

https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-season-2-everything-we-know/

Fun, but useless, trivia from Season 1.

https://ew.com/tv/jason-ritter-clicker-wife-melanie-lynskey-the-last-of-us/

🎸 Lolla This…

The latest on Lollapalooza. I always think I’d love to go to one of these festivals, but then I think porta-potty, and don’t.

https://www.billboard.com/music/concerts/2023-lollapalooza-festival-lineup-1235290621/

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/lollapalooza-2023-lineup-headliners-chicago-full-lineup-red-hot-chili-peppers-billie-eilish-kendrick-lamar/3100043/

☔️ Making It Rain…

Double back tomorrow for a dose of soap, a dash of tea, a liberal sprinkling of quotes, and a dollop of music. Until then, stay safe, stay never body shaming anyone, including yourself, and stay not being imitation anything. You don’t want to be that buttery stuff they put on your popcorn, or the crab in a California roll.

February 10, 2023 – Willow Wants Arrangements Made, Duke Dialog, Reaction, His Honor, For Shame, Halftime, Puppies (!), One More Than Ten Quotes & Groove

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis comes downstairs in his tux. Marshall and Drew are there, and tell him how great he looks, but Curtis says, all eyes are going to be on his lovely bride. Drew asks if he has the jitters, but Curtis says, not one, and Marshall asks, what’s his secret? Curtis says, today, he gets to marry the woman he loves, and he’s never been more sure of anything in his life.

Jordan sees TJ at the hospital, and asks if he shouldn’t be with Curtis, getting ready for the big day, but TJ says he’s still a resident, and has to put in the hours. He’s just wrapping up. He wants to see if he can get Aunt Stella to come to the wedding, but she keeps insisting she’s not feeling well, and doesn’t want anyone to catch what she has. But they both know there’s more going on here, don’t they.

Portia flashes back to Jordan telling her, it might do her some good to unburden herself, when Josslyn knocks at the dressing room door. Portia asks where Trina is, and Josslyn says, she’s making a phone call.

On the phone, Spencer tells Trina that he almost crashed the rehearsal dinner, but realized it wasn’t about him. He didn’t want to pull the focus on the bride and groom. She says, he might be halfway decent at this father thing after all, and Portia overhears the end of the conversation.

Austin arrives at Windymere, and asks Ava, what’s so urgent? She says, they have to move her ex-husband.

Finn says, Nik is just gone? and Elizabeth says, after their argument, he must have realized she could confess to the police. Finn says, that changes everything.

Nina tells Sonny that she was going to attend Curtis’s wedding, but that was before they got the bad news about Willow. He says he’s sure Curtis will understand, but it would give them a few hours to get out of the hospital. He doesn’t think Willow’s condition is going to change tonight. She asks how she can leave her daughter’s side, even if Willow doesn’t want her near her.

Willow says, it’s time they have the talk, but Michael says he’s not giving up. She says she’s not giving up either, but they have to start thinking about his life without her. She says she needs him to face the truth; she’s going to die. I kind of don’t get this, since it’s not like he’ll have to fend for himself.

Laura comes to the church early, and Taggert says, it’s been ages since they’ve seen each other. He came early to double-check security, and she says, better safe than sorry. They can’t get the cop out of him, can they? He says, not when it comes to his daughter or her mom. Why is Laura hear earlier than everyone else? She says she’s officiating this wedding. Apparently, Stella wasn’t well enough to come.

TJ says, Aunt Stella might be feeling guilty, since she meddled with Portia and Curtis when they first got back together, but Jordan says, Stella gave all of Curtis’s girlfriends a hard time, including her. She eventually comes around. He says, they know Aunt Stella is the best at punishing herself; she’s probably overblowing an upset stomach. Jordan suggests Stella might be concerned about her own recent health scare. She just wants Curtis to be happy; they all do. He asks how she’s handling today. It must bring up a lot of emotions. She says she and Curtis weren’t meant to be; there were too many secrets between them. He asks if she thinks they’d still be together if things had been different, but she says, they couldn’t have been. The secrets she was keeping were because of her job. The only thing she could have changed is letting the truth come from her, instead of someone else. She tells him that he should go, and to wish Curtis well for her.

Curtis says he knows Drew has a lot on his plate with Willow, but Drew says he’s where he needs to be. Not that he has a lot to do. Curtis isn’t nervous, and didn’t even let Drew throw him a bachelor party. Curtis thinks they might be a little too old for that, and Marshall says, you always think you’re old until you get older. Then you realize how young you really were. Drew says, at least they’re going to have a toast, and goes to get the drinks. Curtis asks Marshall if everything is okay, and Marshall says he’s just a wee bit overwhelmed. All those years of not being there for Curtis, he never knew they’d have this relationship. They still have miles to go, but standing by Curtis’s side means everything to him. Curtis says, it means everything to him too.

Trina asks if Portia is ready to put on her dress, but Portia says, there’s plenty of time for that. Josslyn says she’s going to check in with Olivia, and make sure the MetroCourt ballroom is set up for the reception, and talk to Laura. She asks if Trina is sure she doesn’t want to talk to Laura, but Trina says, Josslyn is going to have to face Cam’s grandmother at some point. Josslyn leaves, and Portia says, with Stella under the weather, there’s going to be an extra seat at the main table if Trina wants to invite a friend.

Ava says, they have to move Nikolas to the Pine Barrens right away, and Austin asks, why? Nikolas’s body is safely tucked away in a tack room closet. Didn’t they agree to wait until the curiosity about his disappearance died down? She says, that was before she spoke to Elizabeth. Just as she feared, Elizabeth is feeling guilty about what she and Nikolas did to Esme. How long will it be after Elizabeth turns herself in, that the police will get here and discover her late husband’s body?

Finn asks if Elizabeth has reconsidered turning herself in, but she says she thought she made her position clear. He reminds her that she said she was going to sleep on it, and she says, she did. She woke up more convinced than ever of what’s right. She even had Scotty come over this morning. She didn’t get into particulars… He says, it’s good to get legal advice. He sort of spoke to a lawyer himself. He didn’t use any names and spoke in hypotheticals, but this lawyer said her best bet is to testify against Nik, and the prosecution will focus on the main culprit, but Nik took off. He’s probably long out of the range of the law. Doesn’t that change the calculus? She says, not for her.

Michael says, it’s a setback, a big one, but Willow can’t be certain she’s going to die. She says, they’re running out of time to make sure everything is in place, and he asks what she means. She says, what she wants for Wiley and Amelia, and for him. So she knows when she’s gone, arrangements will be made, and they’ll be okay. He doesn’t want to hear it, and gets up, but she says, if they don’t do this now, everything she’s done will have been for nothing. She risked her health and safety to make sure Amelia would have a fighting chance at life. She can live with those consequences, but if he doesn’t sit down and talk with her about arrangements for Amelia and Wiley, and what life she wants them to have, about who will help him take care of them, and what they’ll be told about her when she’s gone, she won’t be at peace. He sits back down, and she says she’s so scared about what’s going to happen to him. It would be easy for him to bury himself in work, but she doesn’t want he children raised by nannies. She needs to know he’ll keep going, and one day, the three of them will be happy again. She needs to know her family will be okay and someday move on. They’re both crying, and he says he doesn’t want to give up hope. She says she loves him so much for that, but right now she doesn’t need hope. She needs peace of mind. And he’s the only person who can give that to her. A nurse needs to check Willow’s vitals, Michael says, of course (🍷), and leaves.

Drew comes back with glasses and some scotch, and Curtis says, it’s a special occasion. He’s got the good stuff downstairs. He leaves, and Drew says he wants to apologize to Marshall for all the background check stuff that went down, but Marshall says, that’s all in the past. There is something Drew can do for him. His greatest fear is that he has some kind of episode today. He hasn’t had one in years, but given this big occasion, he’s afraid he might give in to the pressure. So if Drew gets any sense he’s going to cause a scene, promise he’ll get Marshall out of there without any disruption. Drew says, absolutely, and Marshall thanks him and says he doesn’t want to ruin Curtis and Portia’s big day.

Trina says, Josslyn is going to be there, so she’ll have a friend with her, and Portia asks if Trina is actually going to make her say it. Trina says, what? and Portia says, if Trina wants to invite Spencer, she’d be okay with that. She’s never going to say he’s her favorite person, but she’s noticed Trina getting closer to him. She wants her special day to be special for Trina too. Trina says she’ll think about it.

Austin says he’s confused. Last night and this morning, Ava was all out of sorts, and now she’s all business. She says she loved Nikolas. It was a dark and twisted kind of love, but it was love. He says he believes it, and she says she doesn’t know what his story is, or why he decided to help her, but they’re bound together now, and they’ve got to get going. Ava hears Spencer call her name, and he bursts into the sitting room. He says, sorry. He used his key and let himself in. She asks what she can do for him, and he says he wants to know what went down between her and his father last night. Spencer asks for some privacy, and Austin steps out of the room. Spencer asks what Austin is doing here, and Ava says, they became friendly after he treated her for her hook wound. Spencer says he played the blackmail video for his father, but he refused to sign over the rights to the baby. He got the definite impression Nikolas was going to come here to confront her. Since then, he hasn’t answered any of Spencer’s calls or texts. He just wants to know if Nikolas is going to fight him for custody. She says she doesn’t think Nikolas is going to be a problem for him anymore.

Elizabeth tells Finn that she can’t live with this hanging over her for the rest of her life, always wondering if Nikolas or Ava will change their mind, and throw her under the bus. Finn says, Nikolas can’t throw her under the bus without throwing himself too, and his answer was to skip town. She says she went along with the plan because she thought she was protecting her son and this entire town from Esme. Once they found out Esme wasn’t The Hook killer, she and Nikolas said nothing. They withheld the truth, and The Hook killed again, her colleague Britt Westbourne. Britt’s dead because of her.

TJ arrives at Curtis’s, and says he wanted to try and rally Aunt Stella into coming, but no luck. Curtis says, it would be nice to have his whole family there, and TJ says, how sick can she be? Curtis says, she’s probably just nervous about her recent health scare, and TJ says, that’s what his mom said; he ran into her at the hospital. Curtis says he hopes Jordan knows, despite everything that went down, he’d love to see her there tonight. TJ says, she knows that. Understandably, she’s a little in her head today, but wanted him to send her best, and tell him that she’s happy for him. All of them are.

Terry says, sorry she’s late; she got held up at the hospital. Portia says, with a family full of doctors, if anyone understands, it’s her. Trina, Josslyn, and Terry wait, and Portia comes out in her wedding dress. I suck at describing clothes, but it’s got long sleeves, which I appreciate, and is super low cut. It’s got tasteful cut-outs and sparkly adornments, and a train that she can attach to her hand – I love those. Trina says, she’s the most beautiful bride ever. She’s beyond gorgeous, but Trina thinks they’re forgetting something. Something old, blue, borrowed, new. Josslyn says, the dress is new, and Portia says, her brother Zeke gave her this brooch that belongs to her mom. We see it pinned to the bouquet, and Trina says, they have new and borrowed, so she’ll handle the old and blue. She opens a jewelry box to show a charm that has a doctor’s symbol on it, and says, remember the suffrage project she did in high school? Portia says, of course (🍷) she does, and Trina says, she read about a doctor named Priscilla Johnson and she had a charm like this one. She found this a while back and wanted Portia to have it. Portia asks, why? and Trina says, she was ahead of her time and it inspired her, the way Portia inspires her every day. Portia says she absolutely loves it, just like she loves Trina.

TJ says he knows the toast is the best man’s job, but asks Drew to indulge him. To his uncle, the man who spends so much time looking out for everyone else. It means so much that they get to stand up for him on the happiest day of his life. Drew tells them, he couldn’t have said it better himself, they clink glasses, and drink. Drew says, now they have to get the groom to the church. It’s time for him to get married.

The nurse says she’ll see Willow in an hour, and leaves. Nina slips in, and Willow asks what she wants. Nina says she understands that the stem cell transplant isn’t happening. She wanted to tell Willow that she’s really sorry, and she’s sorry she wasn’t a bone marrow match, and couldn’t save Willow’s life. Willow says, not everything is about Nina, and Nina says, she’s right. That’s actually why she came by. She takes off her half-heart necklace, and says she found this necklace with Madeline’s belongings. Willow asks if the story has a point, and Nina says, for years she convinced herself this was Madeline’s way of connecting her to her daughter. That’s how self-absorbed she is sometimes. She thought the necklace had to do with her, but it had nothing to do with her; the necklace was linking the sisters together. Her twin daughters Madeline separated from each other. She knows Willow wants nothing to do with her or her sister, but this necklace is Willow’s. Willow turns her back to Nina, and Nina stands there for a moment, then puts it on the nightstand and leaves, closing the door. I can’t stand Willow. There, I said it.

Elizabeth says, Britt was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Britt is dead because of the choices she made. Finn says, Elizabeth has been beating herself up for a while, but he can’t help feeling she’s transferring residual guilt she feels about Reiko onto Britt. Please don’t do this because she thinks she needs to pay some kind of penance, or thinks he’s holding a grudge against her; he’s not. She doesn’t need to be absolved by him or anyone else. She says, maybe she needs to be absolved by herself, and he says, even if the police knew where Esme was, it wouldn’t have prevented anyone from getting hurt. The prosecution will be out for blood, and with Nik gone, she’ll be left to pay the price. Is that justice? The guy responsible for this is out walking free, while she risks being taken away from her boys? She says she woudn’t be someone they’d be proud of if she didn’t do this.

Ava tells Spencer that Nikolas came to Windymere last night. He was livid that she’d given Spencer material to use against him in his custody battle. He said he couldn’t trust that Ava wouldn’t turn him in after Spencer got custody. She’s so sorry. His father left town, probably the country. She doesn’t think he’s coming back to Port Charles, not after all the bridges he’s burned. The only two people in his corner are his mother and his Uncle Victor. Spencer says, he left without saying goodbye? and she says she’s so sorry. His phone dings, he looks at it, and says he has to go. All he can say is, good riddance. He leaves, and Austin says, she’s really good. She says, no time for compliments. They have a body to move. He says, that’s not going to happen.

Elizabeth asks Finn how she’s any better than her parents. How can she expect her boys to be better when she’s setting a bad example? How can she ever find peace? She’ll always care about him, and Violet will always be her niece, but if she’s honest, their underlying issues were exacerbated by his need to be her hero; protecting her instead of trusting her to handle things. She knows it’s from a good place, but needed to handle her trauma in her own way, and she did just that. Now she wants him to let her handle this in the way she sees fit. For the sake of the family they’ll always share, she’s asking him not to fight her.

Austin says he’s not helping Ava with the body right now, and she asks if he didn’t hear her. Elizabeth is having a crisis of conscience. If she goes to the cops, the first thing they’re going to do is search the property, and look for where Esme was being held captive. He says, people get caught when they’re impulsive, and they should be smarter than that, methodical. It’s the middle of the day. Her super handsome stepson just waltzed right in here. What would have happened if he’d seen them putting his tarp-wrapped papa in a rowboat to get him off the island? That would have been really uncomfortable. They would have been screwed. She says, that’s a fair point. Does he have a plan? He says, no, but he knows enough not to do it in broad daylight. They should wait for the cover of darkness. Isn’t she supposed to be at a wedding? They don’t want people asking why she was a no-show, or worse, stopping by to find out if she’s okay. She says, fine. After the wedding, they’ll meet back here, and take care of the body. She starts to leave, then says, she knows why she has experience in these extreme situations. Remind her to ask why it comes so naturally to him.

Terry says, the guests should be arriving soon; they should mingle. She and Josslyn leave, and Portia tells Trina that she loves the charm, because it reminds her of the amazing young woman Trina is. She’s going to carry it with her always. Trina says she’s grateful for Portia every day. Portia makes her so proud to be her daughter. Portia says, Trina makes her proud every single day, and Trina says she knows she didn’t always make it easy, but Portia says, she’s an angel. Stress is part of the job of being a parent. Trina says she meant she didn’t always make it easy for Portia and Curtis at first, but Portia says, that time has long past. Every choice she’s made in her life, it’s been with Trina in mind. Just because she’s walking down the aisle, doesn’t mean that will change. Trina is the love of her life.

Laura says, Curtis looks fantastic, and he says he’s just keeping up with his bride. He knows she’ll look amazing. Laura says she needs to prep, and jets, when Taggert walks in. He says he thinks it’s time he and Curtis had a talk.

Michael comes back to Willow’s room. He asks about the necklace, but she says, it’s nothing that matters. He says he’s sorry if he made her feel unheard, but she says he doesn’t need to apologize. They’re in this situation because of decisions she made without giving him a say. She doesn’t get to dictate how he deals with this. He says he’ll never give up hope on her, but if it gives her peace of mind to make preparations for a future she might not be part of, he can do that. She thanks him, and he asks where they start. She says, finally an easy question. He can start by marrying her.

Sonny asks how it went with Willow, and Nina says she didn’t expect it to be easy, but she thought if Willow knew there was a mom looking for her, it would give her the strength that she needs. She asks if they can get out of here, and he says, home or to the wedding? but she says they don’t have time to get ready for the wedding. He says he had Frank bring her dress just in case, so it’s ready if she is. He’ll follow her lead. She thanks him.

Finn tells Elizabeth that he doesn’t like it, and disagrees with it, but it’s not his decision to make, and he respects her choice. If she likes, he’ll be there with her every step of the way. She thanks him, and he says, for the record, he wasn’t trying to be a hero; he was just trying to do right by her. Do him one small favor. Don’t go to the station tonight. Call Scotty in the morning, and have him coordinate everything with the police. She says, okay. She’ll try not to let the family know anything is wrong. He says, she doesn’t have to wait alone. There’s a little shindig they’re both supposed to be at, and he thinks Portia would appreciate her being there. And if she needs anything, there’s a guy across the aisle who cares about her.

There’s a knock at Portia’s bedroom door, and Terry says, the church is starting to fill up. Her phone dings, and she says, Elizabeth’s on her way. Trina says she’ll see Portia out there, and Portia tells Trina that she loves her. Trina says she loves Portia too, and leaves.

Ava comes out all dressed up, and Austin says she looks really nice. She says, thanks, let’s go, but he says he thought he’d hang out here until she got back. She tells him that she said this binds them together, not that she trusts him. Come on. He follows her out.

Josslyn says, if she had to come to a wedding without a date, she’s glad she’s with Trina. Trina says she hates to break it to Josslyn, but she has a date. Josslyn says, what? Who? Spencer walks in.

Taggert says, he and Curtis never really talked about how Curtis and Portia got together back then, but Curtis says, this isn’t the time. Taggert says, just hear him out. Whatever happened back then doesn’t matter. Today is about the future, and he sees how great Curtis is for Portia, and the sacrifices he’s made for Trina. He sees they’re going to have a bright future. Curtis says he certainly didn’t expect that, and thanks Taggert. Taggert says he knows this doesn’t make them family, but he’s glad Curtis is part of his daughter’s. He’s a good man. They shake hands, and Curtis says, Taggert is a good man too.

Portia checks herself out in the mirror, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens the door and sees Jordan. She asks what Jordan is doing here, and Jordan says, stopping Portia from making the biggest mistake of her life.

On Monday, Jordan asks if Portia can really walk down the aisle with this hanging over her; Michael says he needs Willow to do something for him in return; and Nina asks if Carly will be joining Drew.

🕶 Live and In Person…

On YouTube anyway, February 17th.

👛 More Than Two Cents…

Why shouldn’t Bethenny comment? She’s done her time. Brandi really needs to go directly to the unemployment line, no passing go, no collecting Bravo dollars.

👨‍⚖️ You Should Be Watching…

It was so long between seasons, I’d actually forgotten about Your Honor, but it’s back, and worth the watch. Great story and an amazing cast. My advice though, start from the beginning.

https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2023/01/22/bryan-cranston-on-exploring-grief-and-depression-in-season-two-of-your-honor/

https://www.salon.com/2023/01/22/rosie-perez-your-honor/

🤬 Blood Officially Boiling…

What possessed this woman to make a comment like this? Not to mention, Melanie Lynskey is a superb actor, while she’s a model who married Christopher Knight, and did a bunch of reality shows.

🥁 Bowl, Wings and Chill…

Halftime. That’s what it’s really all about, isn’t it?

https://parade.com/entertainment/super-bowl-2023-halftime-show-rihanna

In related RiRi news…

https://parade.com/entertainment/super-bowl-2023-halftime-show-rihannahttps://pagesix.com/2023/02/10/rihanna-gets-met-gala-inspired-wax-figure-before-super-bowl-2023/ 

I admire the audacity to rank.

https://www.avclub.com/super-bowl-halftime-shows-ranked-1850091017

🐶 And Of Course…

What it’s really all about for me.

https://parade.com/tv/puppy-bowl-2023

You get a puppy! And you get a puppy!

https://ew.com/tv/puppy-bowl-2023-puppies-kittens-you-can-adopt/

👩🏽‍🏫 Quotes of the Week

The rule is to dress for the job you want. 🔸  I can’t come to work dressed like an astronaut. – Mandy (Molly McCook) and Kyle (Christoph Sanders) respectively, Last Man Standing

Life is problems. Living is solving problems. – Raymond E. Feist

Every piece of the universe, even the tiniest little snow crystal, matters somehow. I have a place in the pattern, and so do you. – T.A. Barron (Don’t step on any butterflies.)

A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. Theodore Roosevelt

As to wishing it had not happened, one can’t help momentary wishes: guilt begins only when one embraces them. You can’t help their knocking at the door, but one mustn’t ask them in to lunch.C.S. Lewis, from The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume III

Leaders who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they can deliver. – Mark A. Clement

No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has. – Henry Ward Beecher

Have no fear of perfection; you’ll never reach it. – Salvador Dalí

The opportunity of a lifetime is to pick yourself. Quit waiting to get picked; quit waiting for someone to give you permission; quit waiting for someone to say you are officially qualified… and pick yourself. – Seth Godin

That food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison. – Ann Wigmore

What did Columbus discover? People were already here. It’s like crashing your car into Starbucks & saying you discovered coffee. – Jimmy Kimmel

🥙 Bowl Me Over…

Make a return trip on Monday really Tuesday for soap, the latest Deck, and my derogatory comments about the godawful Summer House coming back. Until then, stay safe, stay taking it a minute at a time if you have to, and stay never moving a body in broad daylight. Wait for the cover of darkness.