Tag Archives: movies

May18

May 17, 2018 – The Ball Begins, An All-Male Dinner Party, a Thought, a Film & Feel It Still

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Lulu tells Peter that Anna is helping her find Henrik.

Emma promises it will be the best show ever.

Julian tells Kim she looks spectacular, and she does, in a black sleeveless gown with gold sequined flowers, and blue tassel earrings. I love a tassel. He tells her pretty much anything can happen at the Nurses’ Ball.

Lucy is introduced. She says, while the glitz and glamour has its place, the real star quality is the desire to help each other. The nurses sing Everyday People, with Epiphany starting the song. Nurse Deanna also makes her debut. The choreography is pretty good. Confetti falls at the end.

Lucy thanks their sponsor Olay, and says 100% of the donations will be going to HIV/AIDS research and support. She tells everyone to mingle and get out their checkbooks. Jordan greets Chase, and he says he’s taking one for the team, even if the team doesn’t want to rehearse together. Curtis sees Stella, and says he didn’t expect her to be there. She says she got an offer she couldn’t refuse; Mike invited her. Curtis asks if she’s sticking around all night. She tells him that she’s not giving any thought to him and Jordan, and to just go on and have a good time.

Mike tells Sonny it’s great to have a date. Too bad Carly couldn’t be there. He asks where she is again, but Bobbie comes by, and asks if she can borrow Sonny. Mike says he’ll mingle; he doesn’t want his date getting jealous. Bobbie tells Sonny she can’t believe Carly is spending a second night in jail. Nelle baited her all afternoon, and Carly pushed back, but no way did she push her down the stairs. Sonny says he didn’t want to be there tonight, but his dad wanted to come. Bobbie has one of the best looks of the evening; a body-hugging royal blue gown, with a mermaid hem, open-shoulders, and bell sleeves. Along with the required tassel earrings in silver.

Emma asks if she’s going to have to confiscate Anna’s phone. Anna claims she’s trying to contact Robert, but Robin doesn’t buy it. She says either Anna is waiting to hear from Finn, or looking for Henrik.

Maxie tells Sam that she’s surprised Jason isn’t there. He doesn’t like formal events, but always makes an exception for the Nurses’ Ball. Nina says it’s a great turnout. Maxie says Nina should kick back and relax, but Nina says she’s performing later. Afterwards, Valentin is whisking her and Charlotte away for a mini vacation. She wonders if anyone has a cigarette. Peter tells her nobody smokes anymore; thank God he never did. She thanks him for saving her from herself. Peter steps away to make a call. Sam needs a drink.

Valentin is talking on the phone in French, when Peter interrupts, telling him to hang up now. Valentin finishes his call, and tells Peter that he’s rude. He’s planning a trip, and making the final arrangements. Peter says that Anna set him up, and Valentin knew about it. Valentin tells him to get a grip. Peter says she’s going to expose him, and Valentin is leaving him high and dry. It’s his fault. Sam watches them.

Alexis startles Sam, who says she’s nervous for her. Alexis says she’s nervous enough for herself. If it’s any consolation, Finn is introducing her. Sam asks how that happened, and Alexis thinks it was his idea. Sam is glad things are going well between them. Alexis is too.

Finn looks at Anna, and thinks about the will again. He goes to her table, and Emma asks why he doesn’t text; she needs to know what her grandma is up to. Anna says she can text just fine. Finn asks if Anna is performing, and she says she performed at last one.

Chase sits with Lulu. He asks if Dante is nervous, or is he used to performing? She’s like, um… and Lucy grabs Chase, saying she’s trying to keep the show moving. Dante brings Lulu a drink, and she says Chase thinks Dante is performing with him. Dante wonders where he got that idea.

Valentin knows Peter is rattled, but tells him not to do anything rash. He has too much at stake. Peter says Anna is making a fool out of Valentin, and he’s too infatuated to notice. He’s going to deal with Anna himself.

In the dressing room, Chase asks Dante why he’s not dressed, and where the other guys are. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he had to do this on his own. Dante says he’s sorry, and Chase asks if Dante is saying he is on his own.

Lucy introduces Chase. Dante tells him that whatever happens, it’s for a worthy cause. He sings Feel It Still, with a Dick Tracy motif. At least he has back-up singers/dancers. It’s a great number, and Finn actually smiles.

Sam sneaks around, and goes to Peter’s office. She thinks about Curtis saying what’s missing from dude’s background is his background.

Alexis tells Finn his brother is a hit, and asks if he can sing like that. He says not if his life depended on it. (Not since he was vampire Caleb on Port Charles anyway.)

Jordan tells Chase that she’s sorry he got set up, but he clearly turned the tables; he did the department proud. She tells Dante that he needs to take a page out of his partner’s book. Dante says, next year, and Chase tells him, no hard feelings. They shake hands. Curtis blows past Jordan, and Nina says she has to take care of something. Valentin says he’ll miss her, but after the Ball, she’s all his. She says, always, and he tells her he doesn’t think he could live without her and Charlotte. Nina says good thing he’ll never have to find out. She leaves, and he glares at Peter, who is looking at Anna.

Maxie tells Peter that she wants to say hi to Kim, and he says he has email to check. She tells him not to be a workaholic. He looks at the last email from Anna.

Sam looks through Peter’s stuff. Faison’s lighter is on his desk.

Lucy says the next performer is going to dazzle and delight them. She introduces Obstacle Illusion, and his assistant, Mirage. Nina comes out. She creates a puff of smoke, and Curtis appears. He asks, who’s ready for some magic? He turns his black scarf into rainbow colors, and then makes a bouquet of flowers appear. He asks, what good is a magic act without a card trick, and asks an audience member to pick a card before revealing that the cards are all attached. He tells Nina Mirage the stage is messy, and picks up some scraps of paper, turning them into a newspaper. He says he needs a volunteer, and Nina picks Jordan. Curtis claims they’ve never met before, but his mental skills tell him that she’s the police commissioner. Stella is hoping maybe he’ll saw her in half. Curtis quietly tells Jordan to just go with him. He and Nina put her in a large box, and he says he’s going to change her life. They twirl the box around, and Jordan comes back out. She says she feels the same, but has a silver dollar in her hand. Curtis says he’s been looking for that. If he rubs it, he can make whatever he wants. He turns it into a ring, and says the magic is already happening. They came back into each other’s lives, and found something miraculous. He doesn’t want to take the miracle for granted. He gets down on one knee, and asks her to believe in their magic and marry him. Stella is obviously disgruntled. Jordan says yes, and there’s applause and confetti. They kiss. There’s no applause from Stella, who tells Mike this is full of complications. He asks if she’s one of them, but she says it’s too much to go into. He tells her the graveyard is full of people who hold grudges. Take it from him, none of it matters.

Kim asks Maxie if she’s okay. Maxie says she’s trying not to be a nervous mom-to-be; the baby has been more active than usual. Kim tells her that’s normal, and the baby probably just wants to party. If Maxie needs to talk, come see her. Maxie says she’ll be fine.

Anna is back to staring at her phone, and Robin is like, mom… Anna says Emma isn’t there, so she’s not setting a bad example. Robin tells her to knock herself out; she’s going to mingle. Anna reads a message from Henrik: Midnight – Pier 55 – Come alone.

Maxie tells Peter the baby is fine; her, not so much. The proposal was beautiful, and she’s happy for them. Nathan would be too, if he was there, but he’s not. He’s gone, and sometimes it hits her. She leaves and Peter follows.

Sam totally misses seeing the lighter. Someone starts to open the door. The cleaning guy comes in, asking if anyone is there. Sam says just her. He asks where Peter is at, and she says, at the Ball. He asks, why isn’t she?

Sonny hugs Robin, who says she always feels Stone’s presence on this night. Sonny does too. He’s glad she could make it; it wouldn’t be the same without her. he wants to thank her for recognizing that his father was off. She wishes she’d been mistaken. Sonny says it scared the hell out of him. He didn’t want to come tonight because of Carly, but she insisted he come for his dad’s sake and his memories. Really? When was that? It was Stella who told him to do go.

Mike tells Stella that even if she doesn’t approve, she should give points to Curtis for style. She says style has never been his problem. He’s all flash and dazzle, and can charm birds from the trees. She bets Mike knows about that, but he says, according to his son, he’s an amateur.

Lulu tells Sonny that his son has egg on his face. Dante says he played a joke on Chase, but the joke was on him. He’d told Chase it was a group act. Lulu says, it’s karmic justice; he’s super talented. Dante says maybe not super, and Sonny asks if he’s jealous.

Finn slips out.

Lucy says there’s a slight change in the lineup. The next act can’t perform. Mac & Mr. Marvel are stranded out of town, so they’re going to make the award presentation. She needs Finn.

Backstage, Anna looks at the text from Henrik. Finn startles her. He says they can’t keep doing this.

Alexis says Finn must have stepped out, but Lucy needs to keep the show rolling. Molly says she can step in.

Peter asks Maxie if she’d be more comfortable in his office, and gives her a hanky. She says she’s fine; she has to stop this. He tells her not to be hard on herself. It’s been a tough night. He asks if he said something wrong, and she tells him that Nathan gave her his hanky the first night they met. She almost gave it away, but is glad Sam intervened. I’m surprised she can’t guess Peter and Nathan are related. What men carry hankies anymore?

Sam tells the cleaning guy that when you’re a boss, you never have the night off. She needs to pick up a file, and asks if he can come back later. She sees the lighter, and thinks about Peter saying no one smokes anymore, and thank God he never did.

Molly introduces Alexis. She says she’s watched and admired Alexis her whole life. As a lawyer, activist, and mom, she’s overcome personal and professional adversity.

Finn tells Anna now he knows why she’s been pushing him away. She asks how he found out. He says, so she admits it, and she tells him that she was afraid of what he’d think. He says all the time they wasted. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says if she can’t say it, he will. He knows she’s dying. Alexis overhears.

Molly wants to introduce her hero, role model, and mom; and the first recipient of the Port Charles Pioneer award. There’s applause, but no Alexis.

Finn tells Anna that they need to stop playing games with one another. She wonders why he’s carrying on, and he tells her that he still cares; he never stopped. He wouldn’t want anything to happen without her knowing how much he cares.

Valentin tells Nina they have to leave. They need to pick up Charlotte. She asks why they can’t go tomorrow, but he says he doesn’t want to. There’s nothing worth delaying the vacation of a lifetime.

Maxie promises to wash Peter’s hanky. She thinks she wants to go back in. She has to move around. The baby is being active, but the doctor says it’s a good thing. They go back in.

Sam picks up the lighter, and sees the initials CF. She says, Cesar Faison.

Tomorrow, Maxie asks Peter to take her home, Finn is sorry it took so long, and Sonny tells Stella it’s not good to show the world how you feel.

Southern Charm

Cameran calls mom Bonnie. She’s getting stuff together to go to the hospital. She has her last OB appointment and they might induce labor. Bonnie thinks she might be having contractions. Cameran feels tunnel-visioned and focused. She doesn’t want Bonnie being anxious and crazy, and Bonnie promises to be calm. It’s the last time Cameran is going to be in her house without a kid, and it’s something she never thought would happen.

Kathryn meets Chelsea and her roommate/trainer at the gym. Kathryn says her body has changed since having kids. The do some kettle bell work, and I approve. I love kettle bells. After the workout, Kathryn tells Chelsea that she’s feeling lonely. She has to learn how to get herself out there again. She tells Chelsea about Thomas flirting with her in front of Ashley. She says he likes making two girls jealous of one another. In her interview, she says she has Thomas where she wants him; it’s almost like a formula. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Craig meets Austen at the park, and they go for a run. Austen says Victoria texted him after a party and said she wanted to come over. He’d been dating her and everything was fine until he realized he still had feelings for Chelsea. When they’re together, there’s flirtation that builds, but then plateaus. He thinks she’s not interested. Craig says they don’t have the same lifestyle; that’s why he and Naomie broke up. Austen says he wants to keep the friendship with Chelsea, but he and Victoria mesh. Craig thinks they both need to man up and move on.

Naomie’s roommate, Wilson, helps her fold sheets. She’s glad Craig wasn’t at the Nico opening, since she could concentrate on herself instead of them fighting. She went to business school, since she wanted to run her own company one day, and it’s time to prove herself.

Shep calls his dad, Rip. Shep and Rip. No words. Shep’s brother is having a child, and Shep says Rip must be relieved the Rose name will live on. He thinks it’s obvious he won’t have a traditional life, but thinks he might have anxiety about it as he gets older. His investment in bars was unhealthy, so now he’s renovating his house on the beach for rental. He calls it mailbox money – setting things up so you can do what you want and still get income.

Patricia meets with stylist Madison at Gwynn’s for Ashley’s make-over. Patricia doesn’t usually do personal styling, but is making an exception. Otherwise, Thomas will be on Medicare before he gets married. Ashley arrives. She sees Patricia’s ring, and asks her to go ring shopping with her when the time comes. Ashley models some outfits. The stylist puts her in Chanel with Jimmy Choo shoes. Ashley says she feels like a Barbie doll, and Patricia tells her to never refer to herself that way. Champagne is popped. With another outfit, Ashley feels like Pretty Woman, and that reference gets a no as well. Patricia asks if she and Thomas have talked about making it permanent. Ashley says she didn’t move across the country for no reason. Patricia says if and when it goes on too long, if you have to give an ultimatum, so be it. She asks if Ashley is going to start her career there, but Ashley makes some excuse about getting her license. Patricia tells her not to make the mistake of playing house and quitting her job; she thinks it’s burdensome to men. In her interview, Patricia says she knows how to close the deal, and dated her current fiancé four months before he asked her to marry him. She tells Ashley that it makes women more attractive to have a life. It tips the scale, and he’ll want her on a permanent basis. In her interview, Patricia says, she’s had successes, and the proof is in the pudding. The bill comes to over ten grand, and Patricia says, thank you, Thomas.

Chelsea calls brother Kyle who invites her to join him the tiki bar. She’s waiting for a call or text about Cameran’s baby. In her interview, she says when she lived with Cameran, Kyle was their third roommate. She’d been secretly hoping Cameran would date him. She’s going to Hilton Head in a couple of days with Shep and the gang, and wants to see their old house nearby. He asks if she’s going to introduce Shep to their family. She asks if a certain aunt still has all the cats. He says she has twenty raccoons now.

Shep meets Whitney and Thomas for drinks. Thomas says he’s happy with what he’s got. Whitney hasn’t seen any drawbacks. Thomas says they’re the same with all women – you can’t date. Shep says she can withstand the madness, and Thomas says she can handle Kathryn. They’ve been getting along better than they ever have, and he says when they were together, the pressure was on them from day one. He talks about them spontaneously hooking up on occasion. In his interview, Shep thinks Thomas is still drawn to Kathryn. She’s hot and witty, but there’s something vulnerable about her that makes you want to make sure she’s okay. He asks if Thomas was walking the razor’s edge flirting with her at the party.

Kathryn wasn’t expecting to get any sort of job at Gwynn’s, but was offered an internship. They start off with a styling exercise. Madison gives Kathryn a customer profile, and tells her what the customer wants. She’s a solid ten nervous. The only store she’s worked in is an ice cream shop. There was no pattern or reasoning to the jobs she’s had; she just picked a job and went with it. She loves clothes and fashion, and knows she has potential. She just has to find the right fit. She shows Madison what she’s picked out and why. Madison tells her to think outside the box, and suggests more color and accessories. She loves where Kathryn’s head is at, and it’s a good start.

Austen meets Victoria for dinner. They order ceviche. Victoria talks about her job and suggests coming over on her two-hour lunch break. She asks what Austen wants, and he says he wants to be with her. She asks when he realized this. He sees them giving it a shot, but she wants to make sure he won’t freak out again. She wants his loyalty and to be able to trust him. He says he doesn’t think Chelsea as feelings for him, and Victoria says they’re either together or not. He says they are, and apologizes for his indecision. She accepts, but says it won’t be accepted again. My mind wanders to how these people eat outside a lot of the time, and that leads me to the thought that I’d love to live there, but it’s too damn hot.

Patricia gets ready for an Asian-themed dinner. Whitney puts the fortunes in the cookies. It’s an all-male dinner, and we flash back to others she’s had. She asks if her kimono makes her butt look big.

Thomas arrives first. He and Whitney discuss their suits, and Patricia calls them two vanity prone males. Austen is next, followed by JD (bleh). Thomas says he and Ashley had a quarrel. They were at a piano bar, and she wanted to leave, but he was having a good time. He told her he’s not putting up with this crap. He’s fifty-five, and doesn’t want her hovering over him. Patricia says she’s just looking out for him, but he says he doesn’t want to be controlled. Shep comes in, and Patricia asks where Craig is. Shep says he’s probably sewing her an excuse.

Craig walks in, and says it looks like the Oxford Club. When Shep asks what’s going on, he says he’s just living life. He wants a dog, but travels too much, and Naomie got the cat. Thomas asks if he has visitation rights. Austen says he has a date with Victoria, and Patricia asks what happened to Chelsea. He tells Patricia that he’s moved on.

Dinner is served. Whitney says it’s vegan, and most beneficial for healthfulness and mindfulness. The chef explains the dishes. Shep thought tempeh was a city in Arizona. Everyone declares the food delicious. Patricia hopes every year that the guys get over their Peter Pan Syndrome, but thinks it goes into perpetuity. She says woman ruined their possibilities of getting married because they act like wives with no commitment. In her era, you were a spinster after thirty, admitting they do get worried about the biological clock. Thomas why they can’t have as many wives as they can afford, because he’s an idiot. Patricia tells them about the shopping trip with Ashely. Thomas says it went to five figures, and Patricia says she didn’t ask the price of anything because it’s tacky. Rich people problems. JD’s fortune cookie says his prescription for Adderall is running low. Ha-ha! How about giving him something to knock him out? Thomas opens his, and it says, every exit is an entrance to new experiences. Craig says if that was the case, he’d have fewer kids. Thomas tells them that Ashley wants a child, and Craig asks if she’s using birth control. Thomas says, no, and I wonder why him using it isn’t an option. Patricia says Ashley loved her ring, and Thomas says they’d have to go to the Smithsonian to get one. While he’s talking, Thomas slips, and says Kathryn instead of Ashley.

Kathryn leaves a message for Thomas, asking if he wants to have dinner.

Cameran is back home. The doctor put her on a drip to have contractions, but her body wasn’t having it. Her cervix is like a steel trap. She did a walk of shame out of the hospital with no baby. The doctor told her to wait, and she’ll come when she’s ready. In her interview, Cameran says she’s been pregnant too long, and needs this baby out of her.

Kathryn meets Thomas at a restaurant for dinner. Outside. He points out that they both wore green. She fixes his hair. Sometimes, they really are like an old married couple. They decide to split the fish special. What did I just say? Kathryn wants to be honest, and says Thomas posted a photo of him, Ashley, and the kids on social media, and it hurt her feelings. She was brokenhearted, and just lying on the couch, numb. It looked like a family photo. Thomas sincerely gets it, and apologizes. He realizes it’s hard for her, and will be more respectful.

They discuss Saint’s birthday. It’s on a Thursday, and Kathryn asks if he’d be interested in helping her plan something for Sunday. She wants to show the kids they can be friends. He tells her about Kensie asking why they’re not together. Kathryn starts to say, she wishes, and Thomas interrupts, saying, they could get back together? She says, no. She means it when she says she wants them to be friends and get along. They shake on it. She fixes his hair again.

Next time, Naomie brings kitty Gizmo to Craig as a peace offering, Ashley doesn’t want to be excluded from Saint’s birthday, Victoria asks if Austen has talked to Chelsea about them, and the trip to Hilton Head happens.

🐎 Thought on Westworld. How come no one is like, hey, you don’t look like you belong here?

🎬 Bryan Cranston is a never-ending font of talent. I watched Trumbo last weekend, and he blew me away again. The film centers around Dalton Trumbo, Hollywood’s greatest screenwriter, until he was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities committee during the McCarthy era. An excellent depiction of a paranoia that cost people their livelihoods, but also of the man himself. I was riveted.

😎 Cooler Than Cool…

 

Apr23

April 22, 2018 – Madison Meets New People, Quite the Hat, Film Talk & More Than One Random Thought

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

Fear the Walking Dead

Before

Everyone is sleeping like things are normal; like it used to be. Luci makes coffee for Nick, and everybody gets dressed, and ready for the day. All kinds of activities are going on.

Madison asks a little girl about her family, but she doesn’t want to talk. She asks the girl about some of her favorite things instead. Madison says it takes getting used to, but this is home now. She’ll do what she can to make it happen, but needs help. The girl nods. Madison asks where the girl was coming from, and she points. Madison looks out to see zombies wandering around outside the baseball stadium they call home.

Over a loudspeaker, we hear it’s been 365 days. Victor says they’re celebrating, and pours maple syrup over everyone’s breakfast. Madison hammers away at something, and Alicia brings her some food. She tells Madison that they’re leaving in twenty minutes.

The girl talks to Nick about a story that sounds like Faust; a guy selling his soul to the devil. The turnip crop isn’t doing so great, and the girl, whose name is Charlie, asks about food running out. Nick says they’re almost growing enough not to need scavenging.

Madison tells the others where she thinks Charlie is from, but it’s outside the range. Madison says they have to look for her family anyway.

The group gets ready to leave. Nick asks Luci to find Charlie a new book. If she’s reading Faust, hopefully Luci understands to bring back something at a higher reading level than My Little Pony. Luci says Nick should come, but he has a turnip situation. He asks her to make sure Madison comes back this time. Luci tells Madison that Nick has to come out at some point. Madison says he needs to feel safe right now, but he will. Nick finds out it’s weevils causing the crops to fail, and radios the car. They get out of range before he can finish the conversation.

Madison parks, and tells them eyes open, stay close, keep talking. Victor and Luci go through a building that’s been picked clean; even the lightbulbs are gone. Alicia and Madison find a mess and a burned-out car. Madison says it’s lucky Charlie got out alive. Victor realizes the place isn’t just void of survivors, but also the dead. It’s a ghost town without ghosts. (I said that, not him.) Madison sees half-eaten food, and tells Victor that they’ll be there in a minute.

Luci says Madison won’t stop until she looks under every rock. Victor says she wouldn’t stop until she found him. He still hasn’t asked why she helped him after what he did. Luci suggests he does.

Charlie messes with the radio, and Nick tells her it’s okay, they haven’t been gone that long. Charlie knows it’s not a regular run. Nick says if her family is out there, they’ll find them. He asks if she’ll help with the turnips. What is it with turnips? They grow them on The Walking Dead too. Considering my gardening skills lean more toward enthusiasm than actual talent, maybe I should try growing them.

Madison and Alicia look around, but there’s nothing. A woman comes up behind Madison with a gun, and asks for her keys. Madison tells her that she doesn’t have to do this, but the woman keeps a bead on her. Madison signals Victor on the radio. He says, sh*t! and takes off. Madison tells the woman about the settlement. She says they have strong walls, plenty of food, and good people. She says they took in a little girl named Charlie, and asks if the woman knows her, but she says she doesn’t have a kid, and tells Madison to stop. She takes the keys from Madison’s pouch, but runs up against Alicia, with Victor and Luci now behind her. The woman dashes past them. Madison follows.

The woman runs up some steps leading to an oil tank. Alicia asks her to put the gun down, and puts her own down. Alicia tells her to trust them; they’ll give her the car. The woman backs up, and falls into the tank. Lots of falling through roofs going around. It’s dark, and full of oily water. Zombies pop up everywhere. Madison tells Victor to get the hatch open, and jumps down. Victor and Alicia struggle to get it open, but finally do, and oil, water, and zombies flow out. They kill the zombies, and Alicia gets Madison out.

Luci finds a copy of The Little Prince. Well, it’s no Dostoevsky, but better than My Little Pony. Victor wonders why they’re bothering, and Madison says, no one is gone until they’re gone. The woman introduces herself as Naomie. She says she’s sorry; she wasn’t going to hurt her. Madison asks if she has any idea who let the zombies into the tank, but she just got there. Madison asks where she’s from, and Naomie says it’s been a long time since she’s been from anywhere. We hear zombie noises, and Luci says they should leave – now.

Nick burns the turnip crop. A zombie sticks its dead fingers through the fence. Suddenly, music is playing, then fades. Nick wonders if it’s a signal, and he and the others wait to hear it again. There’s just silence, and Nick asks Charlie to open the gate. He gets in a car, takes a deep breath, and rolls out.

Nick remembers being behind a fence, and blowing up the reservoir. Zombies grapple at the car, and Nick runs into something, hitting his head on the dashboard. A sniper from the settlement shoots at the zombies, and radios him to get back. He gets out, and starts walking toward the gate. A zombie starts to come up on him from behind, and in perfect timing, Madison returns and creams it with her car. Luci asks what happened, and Nick says he was out for a stroll. She tells him get in.

Madison wants to talk to Charlie. Charlie says it’s okay; she knows Madison didn’t find them. Madison  tells Charlie that she has to ask another question; not an easy one. What happened at the camp? Who did that? Charlie says nothing, and Madison says they’ll talk later.

Nick gets his wounds dressed by Naomie, who was a nurse, at the ER, then the ICU. Madison doesn’t think it was a surprise to Charlie that they didn’t find her family. Nick leaves, and Naomie says Madison didn’t tell her it was a baseball stadium. Madison says Naomie didn’t believe she had a camp. Naomie asks how many, and Madison says forty-seven; forty-eight if she decides to stay. Naomie says she pulled a gun, but Madison says they’ve all done worse. She thought she’d lost her kids, but found them and found this place. They built it up together. They are who they are because of it. Naomie says they don’t know her. Madison says she doesn’t know them. They’re both taking a chance. She suggests Naomie take a shower, and Naomie is astounded they have one – with hot water.

Victor pushes the car Nick was driving, while another guy steers. Luci radios them to get inside now; ditch the car. They look behind them, where there’s a convoy of large vehicles driving in. They run in, and lock the gate. This doesn’t look good.

A dude rides around on a bicycle, music coming from the boombox on the handlebars. Another guy opens a boxcar, and takes out a ramp. Biking dude leads the zombies up the ramp, and goes out the other side, while the ramp guy locks the zombies in. He puts a flag up that says 12. (In last week’s episode, Al found a flag that said 51, and said she’d seen a lot of those.) A third guy gets out a lawn chair, sits in it, and cracks a beer. Everyone watches. Okay, they have me. I have no clue what’s going on, but obviously these numbers mean something.

Madison walks over to guy sitting down, and asks what he’s doing. He says, having a drink. She asks if there’s a problem, and he says, we’re good, and asks if she wants a drink. She says they have people inside with guns, and he says, that’s a helluva welcome. She tells him that she saw the camp, and the tanks. He asks if she thinks they did that, and she says she saw their flag. He tells her that they had to clean up the mess. The people never thought of what would happen if the bleeder valve got jammed. He warned them, but they didn’t listen. Madison asks what he wants. He wants them to listen. They have a mess of their own. He knows they had a bad batch of turnips, and says to tell Nick to check the other crops; weevils are a bitch to get rid of. Madison asks how he knows Nick’s name. He calls out for Chito, and Charlie walks over.

He tells Charlie, sorry he’s late, but he got her some new records. She smiles, and he tells her to get in the bus. He tells Madison that she’s a good kid. They found her a while back; she has a knack for finding good stuff, and they hit the jackpot here. Madison says they’re not taking anything. He tells her people often say that. They don’t take anything from anyone; not anyone alive anyway. He knows they’re good people, and how many guns they have. He says there’s a natural cycle to a place like this, and they’re due for something to go wrong. They can either give them their stuff and live, or join them. Become one of them, or they wait for them to die, trying to make things work. Either way, he ends up with what he wants. It’s not a threat; it’s the way it goes. He tells Madison that his name is Mel, and holds out his hand. She doesn’t reciprocate, and says they’re not going anywhere. Mel says he’s heard that too. She says they’ve been like them, moving from place to place, and they’re not going back to that life; they’ve found a better way. Mel says they just haven’t been tested yet, but they’re about to be. If she changes her mind, they’ll be waiting. I’m wondering where the women are in this merry band.

Nick toils in the fields. Mel and his friends play more music, country this time. The weevils still rule the turnips. Madison continues to hammer. The others put down their guns, and join her. Takeaway point: Country music makes people do carpentry.

Luci goes out to the bus. Charlie watches from the window as she leaves the book outside. Luci goes back, and joins in on the hammering. Nick remembers working on Jeremiah’s house.

Now

Morgan and John are on their knees, with Madison and her group around them. Morgan says, we’re not who you think we are. Nick rifles through Morgan’s knapsack, and Morgan tells him to help himself. Luci says they must be with them, and holds up the numbered flag. Al asks, who? Victor says, the Vultures. Al has no idea what he’s talking about, and says, if you a-holes would put your guns down, we can help each other. Madison asks who put the flag up, and Al asks what is it to them? Alicia tells Al that she’s going to answer their questions. Al says they found it, and Alicia says show them where.

They get into Al’s truck, and move out.

Next time, Morgan and Nick tussle, Alicia fights zombies, and Morgan says it’s not going to work out how they think. And in case you didn’t know, Naomie is being played by Jenna Elfman.

😸 Ha-Ha!

On Talking Dead, when they say goodbye to those we’ve lost this week, they included Nick’s crop, calling them tur-nopes.

🍸 I barely glanced at The Real Housewives of Potomac, but I did see Robyn trying to have some serious words with Ashley about respect. Ashley was wearing a hat – a fascinator no less – the size of Potomac, and I wondered how Robyn could even keep a straight face, much less discuss anything important. This was during a garden party Gizelle had for a book she was writing (via ghostwriter) about pastor’s wives in the Black church, who are called First Ladies. It’s fiction, but loosely based on her own experiences. I’d definitely read that.

🏯 I was watching a mini-marathon of Abandoned episodes on Viceland this morning (I love that show!), and it led to my leaving the TV on when the original 1980 film of The Shining followed. I’ve never thought it was as good as the book, and thought Jack Nicholson seemed crazy from the jump. I would never let him babysit my hotel over the winter. And Shelley Duvall… well, she was Shelley Duvall. The remake (1997) had more of a sporting chance, since it was a mini-series and had more hours to tell the story. Sadly, although I finally got the topiary animals I wanted to see (Stanley Kubrick couldn’t get them to look right on film in the original, so they were scrapped for the maze), it was somewhat tepid, and lacked the intensity of the original Danny (Danny Lloyd) and Dick Halloran (Scatman Crothers). Which brings me to my point. It was pretty much background noise until Scatman was on the screen. While I love looking at the hotel – sometimes the setting can be one of the stars of the film for me – my favorite scene is when Dick connects telepathically with Danny in the pantry, then explains the shining to him. They just seem so real. That it still captivates me after all these years is a testament to their acting skills. SPOILER – if you’re the one person who hasn’t seen this film. That’s what made it even worse that they killed him off, totally changing the end of the story, where he saves the day. I heard there was supposed to be a third time, again for the big screen. Whether that’s the charm or not, remains to be seen.

🎷🚬 The second episode of Southern Charm New Orleans was on tonight. While Charleston is your upscale country cousin, NOLA is your sultry, mysterious maiden aunt, who never ages, but has a portrait upstairs.

🔌 I saw a commercial for Amazon Echo, and it was a father telling Alexa to announce “ready or not” to his kids during a game of hide-and-seek. How lazy can you get????  Unplug now. Save yourself.

🔮 Danny Learns About His Gift…

🌎 Happy Earth Day! 🌍

Mar6

March 5, 2018 – Port Charles Feels the Earth Move, the Toms Do Business in Vegas, a Few Opinions & a Little Steampunk

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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Oscar and Josslyn go to the freezer so they can be alone. Everything starts to shake. The party is rocking, and not in a good way. The Quartermaine mansion is shaking, Jim’s office is shaking, the church is shaking, and Sonny’s place is shaking. Everyone ducks and runs for cover.

Sonny finds Michael knocked out. Things are flying and falling everywhere. What did Jim hit during his excavation?

Elizabeth asks if everyone is all right at the church. Ava calls for Kiki. She’s fine, but Ava is bleeding. Griff looks for a portable radio.

The lights go on at Jim’s site. He’s like, omg. Franco has been knocked out by a metal cabinet, and is trapped beneath it.

Funny, the station looks just fine, except for the lights being out. The phones are down, and an officer says Charles Street was the hardest hit. Curtis looks grim.

Sonny asks if Michael can hear him. Michael starts to come to, but fades.

Jason and Sam look around. She runs upstairs to check on the kids.

At the party, Drew asks if everyone is okay. Kim can’t find Josslyn and Oscar, and wonders where they can be. Check the freezer, which is where all of us go to make out.

Oscar and Josslyn come out from under the table. Josslyn thinks it was an earthquake. She was in one once, but it wasn’t this big. Oscar tries to open the door, but it’s jammed.

Sam says the kids slept through the whole thing. I identify, having slept through the worst of Hurricane Sandy right in the middle of it. Jason says there’s no cell phone service. Ned and Olivia come in. Ned says they’re lucky. Jason says the mansion was built on bedrock, rather than the sediment landfill closer to town.

Lulu calls for help. Transgender kid Dakota has been hurt. Trina says Dakota saved her by running interference. Kim says she’s a doctor, and they have to pop Dakota’s dislocated shoulder back. I cringe, and Dakota screams.

Josslyn and Oscar yell for help. Oscar doesn’t think anyone can hear. Josslyn says they can’t do nothing, but Oscar tells her his parents will notice they’re gone. Josslyn says, unless they’re hurt. Oscar is sure someone will find them.

Jordan gives everyone instructions. Curtis starts to leave, but she says he’s still in custody. Just because it’s an emergency, it doesn’t mean the charges were dropped. She tells him to sit down and let her deal with this.

Jim asks if Franco can hear him, but Franco is out cold. Don’t move the cabinet or anything, Jim. Jim runs out. Hopefully to get help, but who knows; he’s such a jerk.

On the radio, there’s an announcement of a massive earthquake. Residents are told to stay indoors. Griff looks at Ava’s wound, and says it should be fine. Ava asks if anyone was hurt, but he doesn’t think so. The radio says the epicenter is where the main damage is, and it’s minimal in the outside neighborhoods. Residents are advised to stay off the roads. Doc sees Scotty knocked out.

Ned says he needs to be downtown. Olivia-Q says she owns a hotel, and should be checking on the guests. Jason tells them the roads need to be kept clear for first responders to get through. Sam asks if Jason can take her to town on his bike.

Kim makes a sling for Dakota. Drew can’t find Oscar and Josslyn. He says it’s bad out there. Two buildings have collapsed, and the construction across the street is a sinkhole. He asks if the kids have any idea where Josslyn and Oscar might have been before the earthquake. Trina says she saw them headed to the back room, probably to be alone. Kim and Drew go to look for them.

Oscar says there’s still no phone service, like this would change in two minutes. It’s still freezing, and he says there must be a backup generator to keep it cool even if the power goes out. Josslyn says it’s working, and Oscar gives her his coat, saying her goosebumps have goosebumps. She says they wanted to be alone; they got their wish. He asks if she’s played Never Have I Ever, and explains if you’ve done something, you take a sip. They both have cans of… soda? I can’t imagine it would be anything else, since Oscar has the fear of Sonny and Carly in him. He says never have I ever broken curfew, and they both drink. Josslyn says, never have I ever cheated on a test, and neither drink. Oscar says never have I ever fallen in love, and they both drink again, making googly eyes at each other.

Jordan sends out units to evacuate the area. There’s a broken gas main, and a fire spreading. She wants a mandatory evacuation. Curtis says he’s going to check on TJ, Molly, and Stella, but Jordan calls Officer Tucker over. She tells him to go to the 300 block and look for them. She describes Stella, but Tucker remembers her from almost being arrested. Curtis says if he finds her, be polite. His auntie has no patience for bad manners. Jordan asks Curtis to show his gratitude by not trying to escape custody.

Michael comes to again. Sonny helps him sit up. He wants to check on Avery, but Sonny says Ava took her for a sleepover. The generator kicks in, and Max asks if everyone is okay. He checks Michael, and asks him questions about things like what month it is. Michael says the one after February, and Max thinks Michael has a concussion. He has to be kept awake until they get some help. Michael insists he’s fine. He asks about his mom, but Max says there’s no sign of Carly or Mike.

Scotty starts to get up, and Elizabeth sees that his leg has been impaled by something. She calls Griff over, and he tells Scotty not to mess with it. Scotty wonders if he’s going to have to live with something sticking out of his leg, but Griff tells him that he doesn’t want to bleed out; right now, it’s keeping that from happening. Scotty says, no, he doesn’t. He tells Elizabeth that Franco loves her, and mumbles something about a secret. Elizabeth asks, what secret? 

Franco opens his eyes, and tries to get the cabinet off of himself. It won’t budge, and he yells for help. Someone comes in. It’s Mike. Wth? Was he wandering around and is totally unhurt? Franco asks for a hand. Mike asks if he’s all right, and Franco says, does he look all right? Mike asks if this is Post Street, and wonders where the apartments went. Franco says they were demolished for construction, since they didn’t know an earthquake was going to get them out of the way. He says if Mike doesn’t mind, he has somewhere to be, and could he give him a hand? Mike tries to lift the cabinet.

Scotty passes out. Griff says the longer he’s there, the more opportunity there is for infection. Ava says the radio is out, but they’d said there was minimal damage west of Broadway. They decide to take Scotty to the hospital. Kiki says she’s coming too, but Ava thinks they should stay together. Kiki says she’s needed at the hospital, and Ava tells her to be careful. Griff asks for help with the tourniquet.

Jordan wonders how she’s supposed to manage the crisis and Curtis at the same time. She tells him if he leaves, he’s a fugitive, and if she lets him leave, it’s corruption. He tells her that he can do work she can’t. There hasn’t been an earthquake since 1991. Then Jim arrived. What if his excavation caused the condition for the quake? She says he can investigate when she’s legally able to release him. Curtis says if Jim is involved, his ass should be in a jail cell. Suddenly, his leg gives out from under him.

Sonny asks Max to check the grounds. Max tells Michael not to fall asleep. Michael tells them to find Mike and his mom. He’s not going anywhere until he knows they’re safe.

Sam needs to know Drew is okay, but Jason says he can take care of himself. Ned agrees, like he gets a vote (no pun intended). Sam begs, and Jason says he’ll take her.

Oscar starts to kiss Josslyn, but she seems really groggy, and loses her balance. Drew and Kim call out, asking if they’re back there. Oscar yells, telling them they’re in the freezer and need help. Josslyn says they’re not hurt, but really cold. Drew can’t get the door open, and looks around for something to pry it with. Kim tells the kids to hang on.

Elizabeth tells Doc she’s going to stay and wait for Franco. Doc asks if she’s sure. Elizabeth says unless Doc knows something she doesn’t, he’s coming. She doesn’t know why he’s not there, but her instinct says he loves her and will come for her. The cheese Elizabeth stands alone in the church.

Mike tells Franco the cabinet is too heavy. Franco tells him to find a board or something for a lever, or find someone else to help. Mike says, can do, and leaves. Great. He’ll forget two seconds out the door.

Jordan takes Curtis to the hospital, telling Amy that his leg went out from under him. Amy asks Dr. Park to check him. The doctor asks if he was hit by any debris. Curtis says nothing terrible, but Jordan adds that he was thrown to the ground and something fell on him, so there’s that. Jordan’s phone rings. It’s Ned. Jordan asks how everybody is, and says she’s waiting for a unit update. She finds out that Ned has talked to the governor, and she says they can use all the resources state can provide. She shows Amy a picture of TJ and Molly, but Amy hasn’t seen them.

Lulu finishes up Dakota’s sling. Trina thanks Dakota for saving her life. Dakota thinks that’s a slight exaggeration, but Trina says either way, Dakota was brave. She wishes bigoted Troy would stop being an idiot. Besides being the paintball dude, Troy must be the bully Oscar fought with. Dakota says Troy thinks freaks like him are sinful, and should be punished. Troy probably thinks the earthquake was the wrath of God. Lulu says Dakota is a hero, and as a mom, she’d be proud if her kids showed the same courage. Everyone smiles.

Josslyn starts to feel tired. She takes off Oscar’s coat, but he’s afraid she’ll get frostbite, and insists she wear his shirt. They sit, and get under the coat. Josslyn is glad she’s with him, and he says, him too.

Jason tells Sam the roads are blocked, and they’ll have to walk from where they are. Mike sees Jason. He’s confused. Wonderful.

Sonny asks if Michael is seeing double, and Michael says he’s better. Max tells them there’s no sign of Mike. Sonny wants all of his guys looking. He needs to get Michael to the hospital.

Jordan visits Curtis, who’s lying in a hospital bed. She tells him there’s still no word on TJ, Stella, or Molly, and he hopes no news is good news, Jordan asks if he’s going to live. He says he’s got a bandaged leg, a saline drip, and the hottest law enforcement official with him. Who could be luckier? She cuffs him to the bed, and says he’s still under arrest.

Elizabeth hears the sirens. She picks up a bouquet of flowers, and goes down Memory Lane about Franco. We flash back to them becoming friends, their first kiss, and their developing relationship. She remembers him telling her that he’d never intentionally hurt her, and her telling him that they’ll face things together or not at all. We flash back to them deciding to get married, and Franco’s proposal. She says Franco will be there. She knows it.

Kim tells Oscar and Josslyn to hang in there. Drew tries a crowbar, but has no luck. How about taking the hinges off the door?

Franco says he’s got to get to Elizabeth.

Mike asks who Sam is. When she reintroduces herself, he says she’s Jason’s wife. Sam asks if he hit his head, and Jason asks if he needs to rest. Mike thinks he’s okay, but tells them he was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Jason asks why he’s there, and he says he came for a reason. He just can’t remember it.

Drew gets the door partway open, but something is blocking it. He and Kim see Josslyn and Oscar, who look like they’re sleeping.

Tomorrow, Jason asks Mike who is trapped and where, Michael needs to find out about Nelle and the baby, Nelle feels a contraction, and Oscar and Josslyn aren’t okay.

Vanderpump Rules

The SUR staff is back at work. Scheana thinks it’s amazing how fast Lisa gets things done. She says all SUR needed was a little Botox, just like everyone else in West Hollywood. Lisa talks to Tom about the designs for TomTom. He asks how early the appointments are, and she says he’s going to learn what it’s like to have a day in the life of the Vanderpump regime. Jax tells Lisa that he’s coming to supervise the girls. She asks if they had fun in Big Bear, and Jax thinks James still likes Lala. Tom says it was awkward. Lisa says she’ll see Tom in Vegas, and will be avoiding Jax.

Lala brings Scheana to the recording studio. Scheana says she used to bring Shay there when she recorded, but thinks this will be a better experience. Lala wants to start taking music seriously, since it’s therapeutic for her. She wrote the song For You for her man. She put her own money in, because she doesn’t want her man coming to collect when she hits the Billboard number one spot. I advise her not to hold her breath.

Scheana tells Lala that Jax has been talking about Rob. She says maybe she is more in love than Rob, but Lala says even if he said that, why is it a big deal? He’s a man. She says this is called dating, and welcome to adult life. In her interview, Lala thinks Scheana needs to slow it down, and wait on the marriage and baby talk. Men get spooked. You need to ease them in.

Katie and Schwartz pack. Schwartz feels like he has a lot to prove. It’s his first real business trip.

Brittany tells Jax he’d better behave. He says they’ll probably party the whole time. The priorities are drinking, then business.

Tom says he and Schwartz are walking toward their future and can’t screw it up.

They check into Planet Hollywood. The Toms get VIP treatment. Jax claims not to be jealous, but…

Ariana says the suite is insanity, and if this is what it’s like working with Lisa, sign her up. The couch suspended from the ceiling is pretty cool. Schwartz says he’s been known to walk the line between business and pleasure. Sometimes it gets blurred, but they’re going to be on their best behavior. They toast to business, and move on to the pool where there’s an amazing water slide.

Back home, Lala, Scheana, and Billie order drinks. Billie says she’s an emotional mess. Her ex can’t commit. He can’t get over that she once had a penis, and she wishes he could look at her soul and spirit instead. Scheana says she used to feel lousy with Shay, and now that she’s with walking-on-water Rob, she knows he’s the right person. Lala tells them that she has a meeting with Stassi to help plan her showcase. In her interview, she says she wouldn’t have believed it a year ago, but Stassi’s events have been stellar. She’s nervous about working with James. Scheana thinks he should be as good of a friend to Lala as she is to him. Lala says he is, until he has one sip too many. She says she’d take a bullet for him, and gets emotional. Billie suggests he might have feelings for her or a crush on her. Isn’t that the same thing?

Ariana and Katie get ready to go out. In her interview, Ariana says Katie is different when she’s not with Stassi and Kristen, creating the three-headed monster.

The guys do some gambling and have shots. They toast again to business.

Brittany meets the girls, wearing almost nothing, and carrying a pregnancy test. She’s been throwing up, and doesn’t think there’s any way, but wants to know for sure. She’s not on birth control. Katie asks if they “pray and spray,” and Brittany says that’s best way to say it. In her interview, Katie doesn’t think they should be rolling the dice. I can barely understand a word, since my mind clouded over when she said they don’t use birth control. Are they insane??? And aren’t you supposed to do the test in the morning? Brittany goes to the bathroom. Ariana says she’s not ready for this. Neither am I. Brittany comes out, they wait for the results.

Tom declares the curfew to be one thirty-ish. The girls join them. Brittany tells Jax that she keeps getting sick, and he asks if she’s pregnant. In his interview, he says she can’t be. He’s very careful, and pulls out every time. Well, not every time, but a solid 75% of the time. I don’t even know what to say; I’m so stunned. Brittany takes out the test, and he says, are you really? She tells him to read it, and laughs. Schwartz is like, omg, and Brittany says Jax is lucky. If they lived in Kentucky, they’d have at least two kids by now. He’s living in Neverland. She’s not pregnant, and in his interview, Jax says he’s 10% disappointed. He thinks be a good father, and he’s almost forty. I’m sure he’d make a great father. Except for that leading by example part. I’m going to assume this was done for the show, since no one seemed to be having much of a reaction, except for laughing at the end, but I can only pray that they’re lying about not using birth control. Please. People can’t be this stupid and breed on top of it.

Stassi meets Lala at the bar. She hates sake, but Lala is a client, so she’s drinking it. I love sake, but it’s sneaky. It goes down smooth, and you think you’re good, then you get up to go home. Lala says even though they had issues, she’s always kind of liked Stassi. We flash back to earlier times when they were at each other’s throats. Stassi relates to Lala because she gets over-emotional and defensive, and reminds her of herself. Lala admires that Stassi is loyal, and stands up for what she believes in. Stassi thinks the venue should be somewhere that already has a bar. Lala says James is performing one song, but it’s her showcase. She’s been connected musically with him in the past, but this time, the showcase is all about Lala. In her interview, Lala says it’s time she spread her legs [sic], and be the person she’s meant to be musically. The producer points out that she said, “spread her legs.” She laughs, and says she meant, spread her wings. That was a good one, and seemed genuine.

Lala tells Stassi about James coming for her when they were at Big Bear. She wonders how they can make it so he has no alcohol until he’s done with his job. Stassi says she needs to decide if she’s okay with having him around in a professional manner.

The group goes to a robot bar. Jax says he would think it’s cool if he wasn’t a bartender. He thought it was a safe zone. They move on to gambling, which I know nothing about, so have no idea what game they’re playing. Schwartz says the rules are no shots after 6 a.m., water with each drink, and no going to the ATM. He also puts the vampire law into effect. Once the sun comes up, you run to your room.

The couples tumble into bed. Schwartz says he has a big day coming. Tom thinks they must be the only people up in Vegas, but Ariana says Jax is wide awake. A few hours later, Schwartz is impressed that he and Tom are ready on time. They’re not sitting at the kiddie table anymore.

Jax says Brittany freaked him out. Brittany thought he’d be mad, and at least he has the decency to ask why. In her interview, Brittany thinks Jax would be a good dad. He’d have fun playing with the kids, but it would be like the dog situation, and she’d have to take care of everything. I hear you, sister.

The Toms go to a showroom with Lisa and Ken to look at restaurant stuff. Lisa tells us that each restaurant has its own personality, And TomTom will be different than the others; she has a vision. It’s not going to be pretty, but industrial romantic. She wants wrought iron, chandeliers, Edison bulbs, and to be more architectural. Sounds kind of like Steampunk to me. She and Schwartz look at dishware. Lisa tells him that his opinion matters. She’ll never use it, but it matters. In her interview, she says she wants the restaurant to have a masculine edge – unlike Tom and Tom. The sales VP gives Lisa a BOGO deal. In his interview, Schwartz says shopping with Lisa is like playing one on one with LeBron James. Lisa says they were actually on time and looked pretty good. It’s nice to know they can listen and learn, and maybe it will work out after all. She tells them there’s a meeting at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Schwartz feels professional. He takes portable Jell-O shots out of his pocket at the store.

The group gathers around the suspended sofa. Jax gives Tom a guitar for his birthday, and everyone sings Happy Birthday. Tom says Jax does sh*tty things, but can also be a nice guy. There’s a kind heart buried underneath somewhere. Tom plays, and the girls get a birthday cake together. It has a penis drawn on it because Tom just turned fourteen.

Lisa has reserved a private dining room for the Toms and their ladies. They sip rosé, and Tom wonders if this is what it’s going to be like working with Lisa. Ariana says it feels like being a trophy wife. In her interview, Katie says it’s all she’s wanted for Schwartz. He’s finally excited about and committed to something. They agree that James would order a pizza.

James does a photo shoot with Lala and Raquel as an audience. His DJ gig is doing well, and he wants bigger and better things. Next, he’s throwing a party under a blimp. Lala tells them about going to the studio with Scheana. She says since Scheana had recorded before, she put her ass in a booth. We see a clip, and she stinks to high heaven. Lala says she loves Scheana with all her heart, but she’s tone deaf, and that part is getting cut. Lala’s boyfriend isn’t coming to the showcase because he has to work. James thinks if her man can’t take a night off to support his girl, it’s sad. Lala says it’s not James’s showcase, and he’s not allowed to drink until after the performance. He claims to be professional when comes to music, and they toast to no drinking.

Tom won’t stop making jokes involving the word quack, because they’re having duck. Schwartz asks what the curfew is, and Tom says 3 a.m. at the latest. In his interview, Tom says they’ve matured now, and are climbing the mountain to success. Nothing is getting in his way.

At eleven o’clock, they take a limo to Tao, and the others meet them there. In his interview, Tom says he only has so much restraint. A line of women come out with neon signs spelling out Tom’s name, and a giant cupcake with a candle in it. Many, many shots happen. Jax stops Schwartz from drinking directly out of the bottle. Schwartz says he’s letting Tom take the lead, and Tom says the same thing about Schwartz. Tom tells Schwartz another hour, but somehow, they get back in the limo shortly after three.

Lisa meets with the Caesar’s entertainment guy. Her rosé is going to be served there. Pandora is also at the meeting, and wonders where the Toms are. Lisa is getting concerned.

At 10:20, Ariana and Katie tell their significant others they’re late for the meeting. Schwartz says he’ll have to take an Adderall to focus. No judgement, but that makes two cast members openly using that not for its intended purpose. Lisa wonders where those two little twits are.

Lisa is getting worried, and only has so much patience. Schwartz says he’s sweating Fireball, and his hair smells like cigarettes. Lisa says it’s not looking so good. It’s the antithesis of what happened yesterday. She’s not impressed by their actions, or their odor; they smell like a brewery. Lisa doesn’t want them lagging behind. They go to the designer’s showroom.

Lisa calls him a genius, and says he’s more than a designer; he’s a craftsman. They look at some pieces, and I’m thinking definitely Steampunk. I love it. Lisa picks some things out. She says there’s a lot to think about in putting a restaurant together. It has an image. It’s not just about food, but a whole experience. She sketches some things for the designer, and he gives her some ideas. Lisa tells the Toms to settle down or do something else; they’re making her nervous. They tell her they’re just excited, but it’s that point in the hangover when you’re still a little drunk, and God knows what they took in the morning to wake up. In her interview, Lisa says that when someone knows more than you do, you have to understand when to zip it. This could be that time. Lisa talks to Ken in the other room, saying they’re driving her crazy. Tom interrupts, wanting to show them something, but Lisa tells him to wait. In his interview, Tom thinks he said too much because he drank too much. He hopes Lisa isn’t questioning their partnership. Schwartz tells Tom that his liver is pickled.

Next time, Jax wears a man romper, James’s dad comes to his gig, and Billie is going on a date with someone Stassi thinks is creepy.

🏊 The parents came for a visit on Summer House. The only thing sadder than people still being prepubescent in their thirties, are the parents encouraging that behavior. After they left, Kyle had a birthday party, with the theme being a protest to growing up. I can’t imagine someone like him being in my circle of friends when I was thirty-five. Or even twenty-five. The party was filled with guests in Colonial costume – an ode to the Boston Tea Party – and Stephen dressed like the queen. Stephen seems to be the voice of reason on this show. Probably because, being gay, he isn’t distracted and brain-addled by so many boobies living in the house.

🌌 I’d love to see A Wrinkle in Time. It was one of my favorite books as a kid. I must have read it at least ten times. However, I’ve vowed to avoid anything under an R rating after seeing Secret Window with Johnny Depp. He was in the movie; he wasn’t my date. I felt like I was in the middle of a field trip, surrounded by lit-up phone screens. Unfortunately, my peripheral vision is really good, and it was totally distracting.

😩 The latest in TV advertisement stupidity are the commercials for medicine, both prescription and OTC, warning us not to take it if we’re allergic to it. And while you’re at it, let me remind you, that plastic bag is not a toy.

🎩 A Little Steampunk…

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Steampunk5  Steampunk4

 

Nov3

November 2, 2017 – One Jason Too Many, You Need a Bit of Shock Treatment & Tidbits

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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Real Jason visits Sam’s room. She says, it’s you, and he says, yeah, it’s me.

On the docks, a very popular spot, Klein sees Valentin, who’s been ignoring his messages. He says Valentin owes him a debt, but Valentin says it’s been paid in full. Klein promises to do him a favor if Valentin gets him out of Port Charles.

Cassandra sees Finn at the MetroCourt. She tells him about being evacuated the night before, and he tells her he was at the hospital and missed the chaos at the party. She says it must be hard on him, tearing himself away from Anna.

Andre visits Anna. He’s come to say goodbye.

In Andre’s office, Franco takes the paper out of the printer. He says there are two Jasons out there with the same memories, and remembering how much they hate him. Elizabeth shows up, and asks what he’s doing there.

Real Jason asks how Sam is. She says she feels like she’s going crazy; she’s losing her mind. He tells her it’s okay, and sits by her bed, hesitantly taking her hand. He tells her again that it’s him. Sam says it doesn’t make any sense, and he says not for him either. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen, but wanted her to know she’s not crazy. He’s here, and he’s Jason. Danny comes bouncing in, and asks who he is.

Real Jason asks if he’s Danny, and tells him he’s his mom’s friend, and a friend of the uncle Danny was named after. Danny wonders why they’ve never met, and he says he’s been away since Danny was a baby. Danny asks why Sam is crying, and she tells him that she’s happy to see him. He shows her a card he made. Real Jason helps him up on the bed, and Other Jason is suddenly in the doorway. He tells Real Jason to let go of his son.

Valentin can’t believe how Klein screwed everything up, but Klein says it wasn’t his call. Valentin says his wife was at the party, and Klein says he had no idea what was going to happen. Valentin tells him their was a siege, and he couldn’t even get his wife home without running into one of Klein’s goons. He was shot and on the docks, throwing Klein’s name around, and Valentin wanted no part of it. Klein says he was fulfilling an obligation to a client, but never knew the price would be so steep. Hasn’t Valentin ever wished he could change the past? Valentin flashes back to Cassandra showing him the picture. I get a good look at it this time. It’s Claudette holding a newspaper toward the camera. Klein says Valentin is his only option. Valentin says he understands more than Klein knows.

Andre tells Anna that he’s leaving Port Charles today. She asks if there’s an explanation, and he says he came to town suddenly, so it makes sense to leave the same way. No, it doesn’t. She asks about his patients, and he says they’ll be in good hands. She says capable hands, but not his. He helped her when she thought she’d killed Carrrlos, and was having panic attacks. He tells her that he was happy to remind her of her inner strength. Anna tells him that he gave her back her life. She was lost in grief, and he showed her the way out. Andre says it’s nice to have a satisfied customer. He tells her no matter what she hears about him, he tried to help people. She asks what happened.

Franco tells Elizabeth to go back to her room, but she says she’s cleared. She wants to see the boys and sleep in her own bed. She tells Franco that she has a few days off, so while the boys are at school, they’ll have the house to themselves. He likes the sound of that, and asks how she knew he was there. She says she wasn’t looking for him, but thought she’d make an appointment for Jake while she was walking around. She saw him looking at the painting and knows why he’s there

Other Jason tells Real Jason to get out. Danny asks if he did something wrong, and Other Jason says Real Jason shouldn’t be there. Danny doesn’t understand, since he’s mommy’s friend. Other Jason asks if that’s what Real Jason told him. Carly shows up, and says they all had the same idea. She asks Sam how she is. Sam says she’s doing great, and shows her the card Danny made. Carly tells Danny there are some new, cool games in the playroom, and she’ll take him there. Other Jason acts like a cretin, saying he doesn’t know what’s going on and couldn’t care less, but he wants Real Jason out. He says Real Jason will be lucky if he doesn’t have him arrested. Real Jason says he doesn’t know what happened any more than Other Jason does, but he knows he’s Jason.

Cassandra tells Finn she’s more convinced than ever that he’ll put her on the road to health. She asks about the test findings, but Finn wants to discuss it in the proper setting at her appointment later. She says she’ll bow to his professional etiquette. Assuming the results aren’t dire, she’s inviting Finn and Anna to dinner tonight. Finn says there’s something she should know about his relationship.

Andre tells Anna that in both their professions, they see people at their best and worst. She says sometimes their work overlapped, and she’s grateful to have used his ability as a profiler. He says his ability to determine a person’s character. She says he turned his back on a WSB job to work at GH (apparently, I missed that conversation), and asks if he doesn’t want to settle anymore. He says he’s not going back to the spy game, but GH wasn’t settling. He loved his time there, helping all sorts of people, and will miss it. Anna says something is wrong, and asks him to tell her about it; she’s his friend and won’t judge. He thanks her. She proved he could trust her when they danced disco together. Anna says there’s no distrust on the dance floor. Andre gives her a mini disco ball to remember him at his best.

Franco tells Elizabeth he can explain. She says he never meant to sell the painting that Andre bought, and thinks he wants it back. He says it means a lot to him. She asks were Andre is, and Franco says he received life-changing news and split. He hasn’t just left the hospital, but left Port Charles altogether. He says he should be offended that Andre didn’t take the painting. Elizabeth is upset because Jake was having sessions with him, and they haven’t reconciled him seeing the man with Jason’s old face in the park. Franco puts his shirt tail over the paper sticking out of his back pocket. He’ll be happier when he gets her home, and says he’ll come back for the painting.

Other Jason tells Real Jason to let whoever set this up know it’s not going to work. Real Jason says he doesn’t know where he’s been for the last five years, but Other Jason doesn’t need to hear his lies, and says Sam doesn’t either. Real Jason says he needs to know one thing, but Other Jason says no, he doesn’t. Real Jason tells Sam that Danny looks like Jake. Sam says that Heather lied, and so did Franco. Danny is her son with Jason. Other Jason tells him to leave. He says Real Jason is a threat to his family, and he’s going to stop him. Carly returns, and says she got here just in time. Other Jason says this man refuses to leave, and to call security before things escalate. Carly says she can’t do that. She’s the one who told him that he needed to see Sam.

Anna asks Andre. please don’t leave; a good dance partner is hard to find. He wishes there was another way. A choice he made before coming there caught up with him. She asks if it’s about the WSB. He says it started out like all the devil’s work, with good intentions. He never told her, but he’d set out to conquer humanity’s great fear – the loss of one’s identify by loss of memory. He touches his briefcase, saying it’s his life’s work, so many pieces of paper. He’d hoped it would be his legacy, but it’s his curse. Anna says she’ll help, and he says he wants to tell her. She suggests making some tea, saying the ritual of pouring and drinking tea helps you focus. He says it sounds good, and I say, don’t leave him there alone! He looks at the disco ball.

Cassandra asks Finn if there’s anything wrong. She wouldn’t be surprised if there were problems. Her first impression was that Anna isn’t right for him. He’s so dedicated; practically married to his work. Anna is lovely, but she doesn’t get the sense Anna understands and appreciates his work. Finn says it was Anna who encouraged taking her on as a patient. She stands corrected. He tells her that Anna makes her own schedule, and it’s a bad idea for him to speak for her. He’ll see if she’s available, and let Cassandra know when he sees her at her appointment. When he’s gone, she asks herself what that was about.

Klein says there’s no need to involve Valentin’s family. He just needs safe passage out of Port Charles and a new identity. Valentin knows people who can make that happen, and he’ll help Valentin in the future like he has in the past. Valentin gets on the phone, saying he has a friend who needs the help they can provide. He’ll be waiting at Dock 55.

Carly says Real Jason and Sam need to talk, but Other Jason says Real Jason has nothing to say to his wife. Epiphany arrives, and when she sees Real Jason, says, I’ll be damned. He says hello, and she asks if he’s the cause of the disturbance. He tells her, pretty much, and she says he needs to go. The patient need to rest. Real Jason and Carly leave, and Epiphany tells Other Jason he has to go too. Sam was prescribed rest, and she’s going to rest. Other Jason tells Sam he’ll be right outside. Epiphany says it looks like Sam’s had a shock, and asks if she wants a sedative. Sam says she just needs time to think, and Epiphany says, I’ll bet.

Carly babbles at Real Jason about how it’s all her fault. She badgered him, and shouldn’t have told him to come, but it was important that he did. He tells her that he’s glad she made him do this. He got to see Sam and Danny, and found out Danny is his son. She says Danny looks just like him, and acts just like him. He’s a terror running around the Quartermaine mansion, driving everyone nuts. Real Jason sees Franco talking with Elizabeth. He strides over, and punches Franco out. Carly is like, uh-oh.

Epiphany calls security. Carly tells Real Jason it’s not worth it, and he asks why Franco is still alive.

Anna finds Andre gone, as I predicted. She grabs her phone and runs out.

Epiphany tells Real Jason he can’t be attacking anyone. She’s disappointed; he used to used to have better sense. Real Jason keeps going after Franco, even after security grabs him. Carly says it’s not his fault, but they take him away.

Klein tells Valentin that once he’s relocated, he’ll wire more than enough; name his price. Valentin says you can’t put a price on payback, and suddenly we see flashing lights. Klein says he heard Valentin on the phone, and Valentin says so did the PCPD. He asks if Klein thinks he would help after Klein almost got his wife killed. He tells the cops this is the man they’re looking for, and Klein calls him a treacherous bastard. He says what goes around, comes around, and someone will sell Valentin out the same way. Probably, but I don’t think this will be why.

Other Jason sees Carly and says, that’s it? She believes Real Jason? Carly knows it’s hard, and he says it’s impossible. He wouldn’t have known who he was if she hadn’t proved it. Now all that’s out the window? If that guy is Jason, what doesn’t that make him? She wishes she knew.

Elizabeth doesn’t understand. Carly called the guy Jason, and he looks like Jason used to look. She flashes back to everything Franco has told her about Jason having and not having a twin, ending with Monica saying the only way it’s possible, is if there are two Jasons. She says, omg, he’s alive, and Franco knew.

Valentin orders a drink at the bar. Cassandra says it’s early for happy hour, but then again, he doesn’t look very happy. He says he just severed a significant tie with his past, and would rather drink alone. She says not their past; they’re still bound together. He says she doesn’t need him, and she says she doesn’t need anyone, but wants him. No one else is able to meet her exacting standards. She tells him that he’s free to walk away, but there is the small issue of the woman who carried his baby, and it’s time to consider the next step. She has an appointment with Finn, and hopes he has an insight into her health issues. She bemoans that all the good ones are taken. Valentin says he isn’t positive, but he thinks Finn’s girlfriend dumped him.

Anna runs into GH, and tells Finn that Andre is leaving Port Charles. His office is empty, and she asks if Finn knows anything. Finn says Andre goes his own way, and asks if they’re friends. Anna says they were almost more than that, and Finn says he’ll be in good company with the rest of her exes. She says technically, Finn is one of them, but he says not yet. Cassandra invited them to dinner, and he hasn’t told her. Anna asks why not?

At the station, Carly babbles some more to Real Jason, who wonders why Franco isn’t in jail. Real Jason tells her to call Diane, and she says Diane can explain, since Franco is free because of her. He had a brain tumor, making him not accountable for his crimes, and the charges were dropped. Franco had thought Jason was his brother, but Heather lied; they’re not related. She asks Real Jason not to hate her, but she almost married Franco. He asks why, and she says that she thought he was Jason’s twin, and was desperate to hold on to him. She married Sonny instead. Real Jason is like, wtf? and she says she was a real mess. She needed him so much; she was a rolling disaster. He says he gets it, and he’s sorry she had to go through all that. Carly says everything is okay; he’s back. Klein is brought in.

Andre is at the docks. He takes his life’s work out of the briefcase, and puts it in a trash can. He sets it on fire. Nice going, Andre. Now you’ll never be able to reverse anything. You could have given that to Franco too. He watches it burn. Idiot.

Finn tells Anna that she has unfinished business with Cassandra, and he doesn’t want to screw it up. Anna thanks him, but says it wouldn’t be the end of the world, or the operation; couples break up all the time. He says unexpectedly too, and she’s like, oops, sorry. He tells her that he’s giving the test results to Cassandra, and she can finish the job. Finn tells Anna to be careful of Valentin. She says she can take care of herself, and he says he never doubted it.

Valentin tells Cassandra that he doesn’t know Finn, but he’s pretty sure his fiancé walked out on him. She says she didn’t know it had progressed that far with Anna. Valentin says, who? and Cassandra says, Anna Devane. She asks if he knows her.

Franco tells Elizabeth that he doesn’t know anything. She says Monica claimed to have seen Jason at the MetroCourt, and Jake saw him in the park. Franco knew there was more to the story, and knew Betsy was lying. There was a twin. Franco says yes.

Other Jason returns to Sam’s room, and Epiphany says she needs to rest. Anything else can wait. She leaves, and Other Jason tells Sam that he doesn’t know what’s going on, but everything is going to be okay. She knows who he is. She opens her eyes, but doesn’t look at him.

Real Jason tells Carly to tell Diane not to work too hard to get him out; not yet. He says Sam’s husband is right about one thing. This is a set up. Somebody did this to the both of them, and he has to find out who.

Tomorrow, Griff won’t take no for an answer, Franco tells Elizabeth everything, Curtis has Other Jason’s back, and Real Jason and Klein meet in jail.

💍 Still working on my 90 Day Fiancé diatribe thesis.

👯 Not a Sequel, an Equal

Once in a while, I recommend a film, and this is one of those times. Released in 1981, Richard O’Brien‘s Shock Treatment was billed as a sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, no doubt contributing to its downfall. Due to Tim Curry not wanting to reprise his Frank-N-Furter role, among other obstacles, the script was revised until the only remaining ties were the main characters of Brad (Cliff De Young) and Janet (Jessica Harper), who are now married and living in Denton. There’s where all links to its predecessor end.

In a nutshell, Denton is a place much like Stepford, where everyone gets along, there’s “tolerance for the ethnic races,” and just about everything is a reality show. Any comparison to our world today is merely a coincidence. Brad and Janet, who is disappointed with her marriage, become contestants on a show called “Marriage Maze.” Brad sucks at the game, and ends up in “Dentonvale,” which is a hospital, insane asylum, and yet another reality show, while a little black dress is whipped up for Janet, and she’s groomed to be the next big star.

The brains behind the entire operation is TV executive, Farley Flavors (also Cliff De Young), who turns out to be Brad’s twin. They were separated at birth, and Farley grew up poor. Now that he’s wealthy and powerful, he’s on a mission to ruin Brad’s life, and seduce Janet. On national TV of course. His plan is foiled when Janet snaps out of her ego trip, reveals that she never signed any contracts, and Brad gets sprung.

While the characters are different, some of the RHPS actors returned – Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, and Charles Gray. Two favorites of mine are also in the cast – Rik Mayall (BBC TV’s The Young Ones and Drop Dead Fred) and Barry Humphries (Dame Edna Everage). The music is an absolute treat, and Jessica Harper has a voice like honey. She also starred in Phantom of the Paradise (another film I highly recommend), and I could listen to her sing all day long. Funny story about Barry Humphries. Just after the earth cooled, and before Tickmaster was omnipotent, I worked for a place that took ticket orders for shows in NYC. We frequently got freebies, he was doing a Dame Edna show, and a bunch of us went. One of the girls was late, and naturally, her seat was right in front of the stage. Dame Edna stopped the show, had a spotlight follow her to her seat and stay there a while, and kept referring to her throughout the entire production, calling her “Lobes.” It had something to do with her earrings, maybe because they looked heavy. It was seriously a long time ago. I can still see her walking to her seat though. I’ll bet she remembers too.

The film also has an interesting development history, the script constantly evolving because of continuous wrenches being thrown in the works. Originally slated to be filmed in Denton, Texas, when an Screen Actor’s Guild strike happened, everything had to be rerouted to a studio in England. This also caused the story to now take place entirely in the DTV (Denton Television) studio. They were nothing if not resourceful.

Although not well-received at the time, I’ve always loved this film. Maybe even more than RHPS in some ways, and more so as time has gone on and I’ve watched as my world becomes more and more like Denton. Besides the suggestion that it was a sequel, there were also “floor show” screenings and audience participation, which I think worked against it. Having been one of the RHPS “pioneers” (a title bestowed on me in Sal Piro’s Creatures of the Night), take it from me, it can’t be forced. Go ahead and give it a look. A bit of Shock Treatment will get you jumpin’ like a real live wire.

👵 My mother used to say that there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet. She’s now in a maximum security twilight home in Australia. – Barry Humphries/Dame Edna

😄 Never be afraid to laugh at yourself. After all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century. – Barry Humphries/Dame Edna

🌞 The sun never sets on those who ride into it. – Narrator, Shock Treatment

😎 I Will Forever Be Brad…

 

 

 

Aug26

August 25, 2017 – Nina Says No, Finding Fantastic Beasts, Tossed Thoughts & Quotes

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

Holy! It’s been a long week.

General Hospital

Dante comes home to snacks on the table and Lulu dressed in a baseball outfit holding a bat. I wonder if Dante has ever seen The Warriors.

Kiki is trying to get to the bottom of organic chemistry, and Dillon tells her that he has something she can get to the bottom of – a margarita. She says if she’s going to get into the accelerated med school program, she can’t be sitting around drinking.

Ned closes the blinds, and looks like he has a headache. Michael comes in, and wants to talk about ELQ. He asks if there was a coup while he wasn’t looking.

Valentin has made dinner reservations. Nina says she’ll give him her answer then. She asks if he’s going to hang around her office all day, and that he’d told her he was a patient man. He says he is, and she tells him he’s being tested on that.

Scotty thinks it’s a good thing that the judge was quick, but I think just the opposite. Alexis tells Julian he was honest and compelling on the stand. He hopes his honesty was enough to save him. Ava and Griff show up at the courtroom. Ava asks if he’s there to see his father get justice, but he’s there to offer her support.

Court is back in session. The defendant rises. Conspiracy, guilty; hindering prosecution, guilty; criminal facilitation, guilty. Guess that honesty thing didn’t work. The judge has an opening in four weeks for a sentencing hearing. Scotty asks for Julian to remain free on bail in the meantime, but Julian wants immediate sentencing. He says every day is one more day that his family has to suffer. Prosecutor Will Smith is down with saving time and money.

Ned asks if he made a decision Michael isn’t happy with. Michael says that ELQ made a donation to Mayor Lomax, and Ned tells him that they need her to back their fracking whatever. Michael doesn’t want the company tied to Lomax or fracking. Ned says Michael should have briefed him. Michael says if Ned is setting the groundwork for a takeover, he’ll have a fight on his hands.

Nina tells Valentin that he’ll get her answer at dinner – take or leave it. Valentin takes it. Nina tells Nelle to come in as soon as she’s sure Valentin is gone. She wants Nelle to get ten of the best cocktail looks they have in her size – it’s a make or break for her marriage. Nelle thought they were divorced, but Nina says that’s just details. She needs to look better than she ever has tonight.

Lulu gives Dante beer and a pretzel. She says their quality time has taken a backset to their jobs and kids. He wonders where the kids are, and she’s locked them outside. Not really; they’re being looked after elsewhere. She tells him that he’d better be careful or he’ll strike out. He doesn’t though, and they start to get busy on the couch. I understand role-playing, but this is weird.

Nina tells Nelle, no, no, no, none of them are good. Nelle says that’s everything, and Nina says it can’t be. Nelle pulls one out, saying it’s beautiful. Nina says it has to be perfect. Nelle says she’s happy for Nina and Charlotte. Nina says she’s assuming they’re getting back together. Nelle doesn’t think she’d be going through all of this trouble if they weren’t. Me neither.

Lulu tells Dante that they have to make up for lost time, so of course the doorbell rings. It’s Valentin and Charlotte. He hopes they’re not interrupting. Figures.

Michael says that Ned wanted him to be CEO, and he was going to concentrate on his music. He asks if Ned’s focus has changed. He tells Ned that they’re investing in renewable energy, and fracking doesn’t go with the plan. Ned says he knows decisions have to be made quickly, he was in charge, and sorry. He tells Michael that he has no interest in taking over ELQ.

The judge asks if Julian wants to address the court. Scotty tells him to make it good; maybe he can shave time off the sentence. Julian says his crimes nearly cost the people he loves their lives, and destroyed their trust, which is worse than whatever the court can impose. He says they deserve a better life without him, and asks to be kept away from them. The judge says that his family suffered grievous harm, as did many of his fellow citizens, and he cast doubt on his character when he threatened a witness. Yeah, telling Winston he was going to kill him was probably a bad move. She agrees he’s a danger to his family, but no less to the community. She imposes a term in Pentonville for no more than twenty years and no less than fifteen. Court adjourned. I’m wondering how this is going to play out, since Julian just signed a new contract.

Dante asks Valentin to what do they owe this pleasure? Valentin tells Charlotte to put her PJs on, while they talk. Valentin tells them that something pressing came up. He says it’s a sacrifice not to spend time with Charlotte, but he’s hoping it pays off in the long run. His and Charlotte’s lives will be better if it pans out, and so will theirs.

Dillon tries to entice Kiki. She says he can parade around naked all he wants, but she won’t be distracted. He wishes she could find time for both her studies and their relationship. She suggests he quit Crimson. He says that’s his job, and she says studying is hers, and he needs to understand that. Nina calls, asking if Dillon’s passport is valid. He tells Kiki that he has to fly to Morocco tonight, and asks if she wants to come.

Michael tells Ned sorry for overreacting, but fracking doesn’t jive with ELQ’s long-term goals. He says that Ned has been supportive, but they should have communicated more. Michael tells Ned that he has valuable insights and experience, and asks if he’d be interested in working for him at ELQ.

Ava tells Julian that she’s sorry, and asks if she can do anything. He tells her to just take care of herself. Griff tells Ava how sorry he is. Ava says that Julian did it to himself, just like she did with her face. Julian tells Alexis that it could have been worse. He meant what he said, and his real sentence is knowing what he did to her and their family. He hopes she can move on and forget about him. She starts crying, and Julian is led away.

Michael thinks the more Quartermaines at ELQ, the better, and Ned says he doesn’t have a grasp of their history. Michael says the company will be stronger if they work together. Ned asks what he had in mind, but Michael says it just came to him, but he’s thinking VP of new business. He has to pick up Nelle, but asks Ned to think about it. He thinks it would be good for ELQ and the family.

Nina wants Dillon to fly to Morocco and do the shoot himself, since the photographer got too handsy with the models, and isn’t working out. He tells Kiki that he can have Nina make room for her. Kiki says if she misses the test, she’ll have to wait a year for the next one, and will miss the opportunity for the accelerated program.

Nina talks the model down on the phone, saying she’s on her way. She says that she’s shocked at the photographer’s behavior, and already has a replacement. Nelle purchases the tickets, and Nina tells her three tickets; Nelle is going too. Nelle gets all excited, but Nina says it’s not a vacation; they’re in full damage control mode. Nelle says they’re all set, and the flight leaves in two hours. Nina is like, oh no, remembering her dinner with Valentin.

Lulu wonders how anything coming from Valentin will benefit them. Valentin says they’ve probably wondered why he stays in Port Charles, when he has properties everywhere. Lulu says that she has custody of Charlotte, but he says only temporarily. Allegations can’t deny him custody. It’s just her opinion that he’s a horrible person. He’s been custodial parent since Charlotte was born, and Lulu could lose, but he has a third option where no one loses. If all goes well tonight, he’ll have every reason to stay. He and Lulu can present united front. He’s decided Charlotte’s life is better with both parents in it, and hopes they reach the same conclusion, for Charlotte’s sake. He leaves, smiling to himself.

Charlotte is asleep. Lulu talks to Dante about how much Charlotte loves ballet. She thinks Valentin can exploit Charlotte’s feelings to get what he wants, but Dante thinks he has a good point. (And really, if she likes ballet, why shouldn’t her father encourage that? I’m sure he was indulging her before Lulu came along.) Dante says that Valentin could end up with full custody. Lulu says obviously Charlotte loves him. She’s too young to know what he is, and he has two very different sides. He’d do anything for his little girl, but he’s also a monster. If she lets Charlotte have one, she has to accept the other.

Nina tells Valentin that she can’t do it.

Nelle forgot Michael was coming. He says he’ll try not to be offended, but knows how she can make it up. She explains that she has to go to Morocco. The shoot is falling apart. The photographer is hitting on the models, and they’re threatening to walk. He asks if he can come along, saying he can write it off as business. She asks what happens to ELQ while he’s gone. It’s going to totally fold. What does she think? Geez.

Ned tells Dillon about Michael’s proposition. Dillon thinks it’s great. Ned says it’s Michael’s ELQ. Dillon says that Ned told him Michael is a shark, and Ned says he’s a shark with a different vision. Dillon says if it’s about pride, he has to get over it. Michael admires and respects him. If he goes back to ELQ, he can carve out a new role, and draw the family closer together. Isn’t that why he took the name, to actually be a Quartermaine?

Griff asks if Ava is ready to go, but she tells him to go ahead. He has a life to get back to. The only person she had waiting for her is her brother, and he just got sent to prison. For all he’s done wrong and made her mad, he’s always been there for her. They’ve been there for each other, but there was nothing she could do to save him from himself. She thinks he wanted to impress Alexis, and got what he asked for – the next twenty years rotting in a cell, like she’ll rot in the penthouse. She knows what she did, but she says with him, it was just a gesture, and now he has to live with the reality.

A reporter comes busting into the empty courtroom with a camera, and sticks a mic in Ava’s face. Like this would happen. He asks if she’s glad he’s going to prison, and goes, oh wow, you are permanently disfigured. Griff goes after him, and smashes the camera. The reporter starts squawking that Griff assaulted them, but Griff says that they cornered and abused Ava. She threatens to sue them, and tells them what great lawyers she has, and they leave. She asks what Griff was thinking. He says he was defending her, but apparently he didn’t need to. He thinks he saw the real Ava Jerome, and tells her welcome back.

Scotty tells Alexis that he’s going to get a couple of martinis; he hates to lose. She says he was right; Julian shouldn’t have testified. He says it was Winston’s testimony and Julian threatening him that cooked his goose. He’s thinking appeal, but Alexis says the judge is good, and he shouldn’t give Julian false hope. Scotty thinks she should talk to Julian and give him some encouragement. She says that he doesn’t want her there, and told her to move on. Scotty says good luck with that.

Julian is shown to his cell. Fastest. Prisoner. Processing. Ever. Nina must be in Morocco by now.

Kiki tells Dillon that she wants to go, but she can’t. Dillon gets it, but thought it would be fun to get away together, and doesn’t like being without her. She says it’s only a few days. She’ll be there when he gets back, with no book in sight. They kiss.

Nelle says she’d love for Michael to come, but doesn’t want his job to suffer. Ned calls, and tells Michael that he thinks he gave the wrong impression about the offer. Michael says he did seem underwhelmed, and Ned says it’s a lot to process. Michael tells him that the more he thinks about it, the more he thinks it’s a good idea. Ned says that he’s intrigued, but Michael has to promise no scheming or back-stabbing. He’s had more than enough of the family’s machinations with ELQ. Michael says that he has to leave town to check on their South African holding (wink-wink), and he’d like Ned to sit in for him, and see how it feels. Ned swears he won’t steer the company off a cliff.

Lulu tells Dante it’s not exactly the romantic evening she’d planned. I don’t want to know. He says they managed to squeeze some romance in, until Valentin put the squeeze on them. Lulu wonders what the plan is, but Dante isn’t worried. He says Valentin isn’t going to change. He’s going to screw up one day, and they’ll be waiting.

Valentin asks Nina, so the answer is no? She says it’s not no, but no, she can’t give her answer right now. She has to leave for a fashion emergency, and will give her answer when she gets back. He’s like, why are you doing this? She tells him that he’s sexy when he’s frustrated, and she’ll see him soon.

On Monday, Griff tells Ava that he cares about her, Alexis talks to Sam about Julian, and Kristina brings Valerie to lesbian night at The Floating Rib. Sounds like fun!

🚑 I’m not into GH for the couples – I’m more interested in the spy stuff, the Quartermaines, and seeing what Roger Howarth will come up with – but I do like Valentin and Nina. I hope her answer is yes, and I wonder if he’s going to show up in Marrakesh. I also like Franco and anyone, for the reason I already mentioned. My pick wouldn’t be Elizabeth though. I don’t know who, but not her.

🦄 Occasionally, I recommend a movie, usually one that’s on cable, because the movie theater costs so much now, you have to take out a second mortgage on your house to pay for a ticket. God forbid you want to buy popcorn. Luckily, when I do get the chance to go, there’s a dollar store close by and I have a big purse. A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure to watch Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them on one of the movie channels (okay, I forgot which one – either HBO or SHO). In a nutshell, this guy has a bunch of fantastic beasts he keeps in a bag he carries, which also leads to another world, and he’s being chased by some people who want to steal them. A hapless stranger ends up along for the ride, so there’s also a fish-out-of-water element. It’s a spin-off of Harry Potter, but since I’m unfamiliar with those books/films, it obviously stands on its own. While the story was delightful, the beasts were truly fantastic, and it’s worth watching for that alone. CGI has come a long way from the days of Night of the Lepus. While the films I enjoy aren’t often the ones that leave you with a smile on your face, this left me with one, which is rare.

🦁 I did remember to watch Zoo this week. Patting my own back…

👀 I’m afraid to watch Game of Thrones on Sunday. It took me a good three days to recover from the last episode. I also want to cry, because it will be who-knows-when in 2018 until we get more. And even then, I think it’s only six episodes. Write faster, George R.R. Martin! I will need sustenance through this long hiatus.

Quotes of the Week

Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right. – Angie Thomas

When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too. – Paulo Coelho

Fear nothing. Do what you want to do, but be educated and intelligent and confident about it. – Idris Elba

🐻 Whenever I hear Idris Elba’s name, I think of this poem: Algy met a bear. The bear met Algy. The bear was bulgy. The bulge was Algy. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s the rhythm.

We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love. – Laverne Cox   Great. This means I’m dogs and brownies.

You’re in charge of your own book. – Kevin Hart

Weekend-Decisions

 

Jul4

July 3, 2017 – Not Much TV & Celebrating Independence

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital was a rerun from March today, and will also be tomorrow, which is really today for some of you. I remember the days (putting on my shawl) when they actually had new episodes on holidays. Although it did give me more of a chance to get sucked into the world of Game of Thrones. I didn’t stay up all night during the marathon, but the only episodes I fully missed were when I was sleeping. It was like, wait, let me just watch this one part; oh yeah, there’s this part; that’s right, in the next episode (insert your favorite villain here) bites the dust; and before I knew it, it was the end of season six.

🗽 Have a Happy and safe Independence Day, and please, please keep your pets inside well before fireworks time. 🐱More pets are lost on this day than any other.🐶

🙌 Also, don’t forget what we’re celebrating, besides a day off from work. My favorite way to commemorate the occasion, besides a trip to Oceanfest (i.e. glorified flea market with sandcastles) and hoisting a few, is to watch 1776. If you don’t like musicals, it might not be for you, but I probably learned more about the signing of the Declaration of Independence from this film than any history class. It also gives a glimpse into the personal lives of our forefathers and humanizes them. The cast is superb – William Daniels (John Adams), Ken Howard (Thomas Jefferson), Howard Da Silva (Benjamin Franklin), and a host of others, including several actors from the original Dark Shadows. Full of humor, wittiness, and spirit, it never gets old for me.

A Few Quotes from the Film…

I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace; that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a Congress!  – John Adams

Oh Mr. Dickinson, I’m surprised at you. You should know that rebellion is always legal in the first person, such as “our rebellion.” It is only in the third person – “their rebellion” – that it is illegal. – Benjamin Franklin

To place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent. – Thomas Jefferson, on the purpose of the Declaration

I’m concerned over the continued absence of 1/13th of this Congress. Where is New Jersey? – John Hancock, and in reply, Somewhere between New York and Pennsylvania. – John Dickinson

Revolutions, Mr. Dickinson, come into this world like bastard children – half improvised and half compromised. – Benjamin Franklin

This is a revolution, dammit! We’re going to have to offend somebody! – John Adams

At a stage in life when other men prosper, I’m reduced to living in Philadelphia. – John Adams

💻 You can see the whole film here… 

May13

May 12, 2017 – Anna Isn’t Herself, a Quote Triad & Watch This Movie, Sweetie Darling

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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Griff tells Hayden and Finn that the test results say Hayden is pregnant. Hayden says it doesn’t make sense. Why would a test for opiates also test for pregnancy? My question exactly.

Curtis tells Nina that the listening device is expensive and hard to find, just like the watch. Nina asks if Anna can hear them now, but Curtis says unlikely with it smashed to smithereens. He wonders what Anna’s game plan is. Is she a psycho stalker or does she just like to listen in on personal conversations? Nina says it’s so much more than that. She’s been targeting Valentin and knows where to aim.

Valentin answers the phone like I do – what? Ha-ha! Anna asks if he’s free to meet. She goes on about how nice it is outside, and how they can go to the park and have a picnic. He says he doesn’t think so. She says they were closer than they’ve been in decades the other day, and we flash back their conversation in the park. She says maybe they could build on that, and he tells her it’s over. He won’t be seeing her today or any other day.

On the docks, Nelle leaves a message for Nina. She says as much as she loves Charlotte, Nina will have to find a new nanny. She doesn’t want to spy on Valentin. Michael is standing behind her.

Carly says she came to the restaurant to order a cake, and finds her husband and divorce attorney holding hands. Martina says she can explain. That’s what Frank N. Furter said in Rocky Horror, and look where it got him. Martina apologizes, saying that she wanted to tell Carly first. She says she’s removing herself from the case, which is what they were discussing. Carly thinks Sonny has been intimidating her, but she says it’s for personal reasons. Carly asks for specifics, and Sonny says it’s because of him.

Michael tells Nelle that he couldn’t help overhearing. He assumes she’s spying because Nina asked her to. Nelle tells him that Carly told Nina about what happened with Sonny, and Nina threatened to fire her if she didn’t, but she refused to do it. She followed Valentin once, and hated it; she even lied to Nina. She told her everything was fine when it seemed sketchy. That’s why she just quit.

Curtis asks how Anna would have gotten such specialized equipment. Nina tells him that Anna and Valentin were both in the WSB. She tells Curtis about how Valentin was in love with Anna, and she used it to end his career. She told him she wanted to make amends, but obviously, that wasn’t the case.

Hayden wonders why there was a pregnancy test, if Finn was the one being tested. Griff goes to look into it. Hayden tells Finn it changes the projectory of her day. He asks if it’s a possibility. This is the second time I’ve heard the word “projectory” in a week, and no spellcheck recognizes it as a word.

On the phone, Anna says she hasn’t located the chimera yet. She’s had a setback. She lost transmission with Valentin, and now he’s resisting any further attempt at intimacy. She gets all that, and is going to try again. Jordan sits with her, and asks how long she thought she could hide.

Nina says that Anna preyed on Valentin’s vulnerabilities. Curtis says she’s good, and Nina says she’s disgusting. She’s probably already booked a room. Curtis says that Valentin is dangerous; he’s under surveillance by the WSB. She has to make a decision, and he says it should be soon. Valentin walks in, and they make a soap opera stare at each other.

Carly wonders when things changed. Martina says she was informed of a conflict of interest just today. She worked for a law firm that was involved in a lawsuit concerning Sonny’s coffee company. It could be construed as her being on his side. Carly wonders why she’d tell Sonny first. There’s no getting anything past Carly.

Hayden doesn’t want to waste time and emotion on something that’s obviously an error. Finn says he’s sure she’s aware of what’s normal for herself, but she says she hadn’t been paying attention. She insists she’s not pregnant. Griff comes back.

Jordan makes small talk with Anna. She asks if Anna has had to scale back on the work front. Anna says she’s had to settle down some, and Jordan says she wouldn’t mind settling down in her personal life. She tells Anna about Curtis.

Curtis tells Nina again to be careful, and jets. Valentin says he was looking for her. She says he wasted a trip. He tells her that he’s so sorry he put Anna between them, but she means nothing and Nina means everything. Her and Charlotte are his whole world. He was an idiot, looking for closure in a painful and demoralizing chapter in his life, but he didn’t need it, because he has a wife and child he adores. He says he wants her more than he’s wanted anyone, but she doesn’t believe him. She says that all this time, she’s been seeing it from his point of view and giving him the benefit of the doubt. He says that he wanted relief form a lingering ache, but it’s nothing compares to losing her. He knows they can fix it. Nina says he’s right. He’s been a fool. Anna has been using him.

Michael says he’d like to believe Nelle was doing the right thing.  She says his mom knows everyone in town, and she was desperate. She wanted to stay in Port Charles because she thought the end justified the means, but it didn’t. He says now what? She tells him that it’s time for her next adventure. He asks if she’s leaving, and she says starting over is kind of exciting. He says it’s weird to think of her not being around. She says despite everything that happened, Port Charles is her home, but there’s nothing here for her unless he can think of a reason that she should stay.

Martina tells Carly that she meant no disrespect by telling Sonny first. Carly thinks it’s odd that Martina isn’t calling him Mr. Corrinthos. She says Martina’s reasons for bailing sound professional, but what isn’t, is how she found them. It seems more like there was a prior connection on a personal level. Martina says if that was the case, Alexis wouldn’t have recommended her, but Carly says Alexis doesn’t know everything. She accuses Sonny of undermining her case, and asks where his honor is now.

Griff says that the test doesn’t identify the person; it’s only a number. Whoever rigged it put in a trace of opiates, and if drugs are found, they automatically test for anything that might be affected by them. Hayden says, so this is actually happening. Griff goes off to do whatever, and Finn and Hayden sit down. Thanks, Griff, for answering our question.

Hayden says Finn was always careful, but he says birth control is only 98% effective. She says they’re in the 2%, and he says sorry. They figure out when they last had sex. She says she’s the least maternal person she knows. He says she’s good with Roxie, who is very demanding. Hayden doesn’t know if she’s ready to be a parent, and asks if he is. I know all about this small percentage business. Thank God this has never happened to me, but my Golden Retriever was in the 1% that has a bad reaction to heartworm medication the first time he had a dose. It was traumatizing to us both.

Nina gives Valentin the watch. She says Curtis found something tucked away in the band. He asks if it’s what he thinks it is, and she says it’s a listening device. She asks why he’s so shocked. Anna tried to bug the house. First time shame on her, the next time, he knows the rest. She says it wasn’t a gift to him, but to Anna; she could hear every word.

Jordan tells Anna that Andre broke up with her, and Anna says Andre told her. Jordan thought he might pursue something with Anna, since there seemed to be something between them. Anna says she likes him, but it’s not the right time. She was just diagnosed with cancer, and doesn’t want to jump into a complicated relationship. Jordan says that Valerie accused her of warning Valerie off of Curtis so she could have him for herself. Anna asks if she was right.

Martina says it – it’s not what you think. Carly tells her to get lost. She leaves, and Carly is like, wow, and then Sonny says it – it’s not what you think. My prediction that someone would say that becomes doubly true. He says they weren’t teaming up against her. Carly says he’s crossed a lot of lines. Sonny says she slept with Jax while she was still married to him. He wanted it to be amicable, but she wanted to punish him. She says she did nothing; he said it was over. He changed his mind, and got offended. He had Jax deported, and now he still wants her to protect him – hell no. Carly says whatever he did, it didn’t work. She wants to know the real story, and says for once, to tell her the truth.

Finn tells Hayden that he hasn’t thought about fatherhood – at least not recently. He asks if she’s ever thought about it. Hayden says she and her first husband talked about it, but distantly. When he left, she focused on surviving. She talks about missing Spencer. Finn asks what she wants to do.

Valentin says he suspected that Anna had ulterior motives; he should have known. She’s been asking about a clandestine operation they were involved in. The watch is how she knew where to find him, and call when Nina was out of earshot. He tells Nina that he told Anna that he didn’t want to see her again, but Nina says too late. He says it’s twice he let Anna destroy his life. This time he hurt her and his daughter, and he’ll never forgive himself. He walks out.

Jordan tells Anna that she had to question herself. Maybe subconsciously she wanted Curtis available. I’d suggest talking to Andre, but that would be more than a little awkward. Anna says she’s overthinking it, and tells Jordan to go for it. Jordan wonders why no cautionary advice. Anna says she can’t waste a moment and neither should Jordan.

Michael asks if Nelle is serious. Nelle says what option does she have? She has no friends there. He says she doesn’t have as many enemies as she thinks, but Nelle says that’s not the same thing. She says there’s really no reason for her to stay. He’s like um, uh, I guess not, and tells her good luck. He leaves her on the docks. Alone. What a gentleman.

Sonny asks Carly about the cake. Carly is like, what? He says he’ll leave a message for the baker. She says she asks for the truth, and he dodges it again. He says that was the truth. She says she doesn’t know why she’s surprised. It’s how they ended up here in the first place. She asks when the lies are going to stop, and walks out.

Hayden tells Finn that she needs time to think. They’re just finding their way back, and she doesn’t know what he’ll be like when he’s clean. He says he loves her, and that was never the drugs talking. She says she loves him too. He says that’s everything, and they hug. He says whatever she decides, he’ll be with her every step of the way.

Nelle starts to leave, and a dude tries to take her purse. She struggles with him, and he pushes her into some crates, and runs off with it. She’s out cold.

Michael sees Carly, and says he has news that should brighten her day – Nelle is leaving town. She says it might not seem like it now, but it’s better for all concerned. She tells him that his father is mixing it up with her lawyer. She has a good idea how, and she’s going to prove it.

Martina comes back into the restaurant after waiting for Carly to leave. She tells Sonny that she tried to spin it into something Carly would believe, and asks if it worked. He says Carly knows him well; she can read between the lines, and even knows what he’s not saying. She’s not going to stop until she finds the truth.

Curtis gives Jordan a flower. He says something happened; maybe Valerie, maybe Andre, maybe both, but it derailed their date. He wants a do-over. He asks if he can escort her to the Nurses Ball. He says couples fall apart because they get into the noise and forget what matters. He tells her not to be like them, and show everyone how fly they are. She says she’ll have to get an amazing dress, but she’s in.

Nina looks at her ring and cries. Don’t do this, Nina.

Anna calls Valentin, but he’s standing right behind her. She says from some of the things he said, she thought she would never see him again. He says, as if he could stay away. He thought he was over her, but can’t fight what they have anymore. She says she can’t either, and suggests they go to the park, but he was hoping something more intimate. Somewhere they can be alone.

At a hospital in London, a nurse goes into a patient’s room. She says everything is going to be all right. Holy! It’s Anna. Omg, I think I know who the Anna in Port Charles is.

On Monday, Franco talks to Jake, Julian is told he could be a free man if he plays his cards right, and the nurse asks Anna if she knows where she is.

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

This is still on rotation on a couple of the movie channels. If you were a fan of the BBC show, you will love it. And if you never watched the show, like Sex in the City, the Absolutely Fabulous movie is like a really long, slightly raunchier episode. Summed up simply, the starring protagonists, Edina and Patsy (Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley), are like Lucy and Ethel on crack. In the film, Edina has accidentally killed Kate Moss at a party, so she and Patsy decide to hide in the south of France. Hilarity ensues. Saffron’s daughter, Lola, is now thirteen, and probably smarter than all of them put together. All of the characters from the TV show are back, along with tons of celebrities playing themselves, like Joan Collins, Lulu, Emma Bunton (aka Baby Spice), Jon Hamm, Graham Norton, et al, and of course, Kate Moss. Rebel Wilson shows up as the DDNB – designated do-nothing bitch. One of the highlights for me was Saffy singing Janis Ian’s At Seventeen in a drag club. While all of us have aged since Edina and Patsy made their debut, their antics never get old. Give it a looksee, sweetie darling.

Quotes of the Week

Do you know what a pariah is?  *  It’s a fish. – Saffron and Edina (Julia Sawalha and Jennifer Saunders), respectively, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

The worst thing about living next to a hoarder is the varmints. – someone living next to a hoarder, Hoarding: Buried Alive

Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. – Harriet Beecher Stowe

👵 And since Sunday is Mother’s Day, here is the lovely Juliet, ten years ago last January 11th.  I’m pleased to say, all are still present and accounted for.

Juliet&HerBabies

Apr24

April 23, 2017 – N’once Upon a Time & the End of a Feud

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What I Watched Today

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

I didn’t see much TV today, and will have to go On Demand with Once Upon a Time, because I had the pleasure of going to a production of The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman on Broadway with an old friend. (Thanks, Michael!) Stars Laura Linney and Cynthia Nixon alternated the female lead roles, and we saw Laura as Regina, and Cynthia as Birdie. I had wanted to see this having seen Laura on stage before in Les Liasons Dangereuses years ago. While I know she’s done a million films, I honestly couldn’t name one of them, but she blew me away on stage. She did not disappoint in this drama either – she took hold of the stage on commanded it. The rest of the cast was excellent as well, Richard Thomas especially surprised me. While I don’t dislike him, I’ve never been what I’d call a fan, but thought his portrayal of Horace was superb. The sets were incredibly impressive as well. If you’re interested, there’s more info here: https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/2016-17-season/little-foxes/

LILLIAN HELLMAN’S THE LITTLE FOXES Directed by Daniel Sullivan With Laura Linney, Cynthia Nixon Darren Goldstein, Michael McKean, Richard Thomas David Alford, Michael Benz, Francesca Carpanini, Caroline Stefanie Clay, Charles Turner

This is also a good segue into the one thing I did watch. Bette Davis starred as Regina in the film version of The Little Foxes, and I got home just in time to catch the final chapter of Feud: Bette and Joan. The episode was titled, You mean all this time we could have been friends? referring to a line at the end of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? The careers and health of both stars are going downhill, BD wants nothing to do with Bette, and Joan has been left pretty much alone. One of the saddest moments of the previous episode was Mamacita finally leaving her, having had enough of her abuse. After the film disaster that was Trog (I actually remember seeing that in the movie theater), Joan retires totally, and Mamacita returns part-time. There was a heart-breaking fantasy sequence, where Joan (Susan Sarandon), Bette (Jessica Lange), Jack Warner (Stanley Tucci), and Hedda Hopper (Judy Davis) are playing cards. When Joan calls Mamacita to pour the champagne, we see that it’s all in her head. The takeaway I got, was that despite her animosity, Joan craved Bette’s friendship, and while Bette did respect her as an actress, she couldn’t be the friend that Joan wanted. The entire cast was fantastic, but special kudos to Dominic Burgess for doing a spot on Victor Buono.

Victor: Give us this day, our daily slice, but cut it thin and toast it twice. (The Fat Man’s Prayer)

Joan: Stars are like Christmas trees. After the lights go out, you sit there and watch the needles drop.

Bette: My mother told me to never say anything ill about the dead. Only good. Joan Crawford is dead? Good.

FuedBette&Joan

Apr17

April 16, 2017 – A Curse is Lifted, Suicide Squad is Okay by Me, Potomac Goes to the Races & Atlanta Reunites

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What I Watched Today

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

 

Once Upon a Time

In Neverland, the Lost Boys chase Hook. He slides down a hill and is surrounded. He says he has treasure and rum, but they want him to pay for what happened to Peter Pan. All of a sudden, the boys drop like flies. Tiger Lily is in the shadows with a blowgun, and reveals herself. She says she never expected to see Hook back again, and he says it wasn’t planned. He thanks her for the rescue, and she pokes him in the neck with a dart.

David tells Emma they never would have put her in the wardrobe if they’d known all this was going to happen. Henry tells her it’s going to be okay, and she says she knows. David tells Regina that the story can’t end like this; Emma can’t go into the final battle without her family. Regina says she’ll have to make do with just one of them. She’s working on breaking the curse, but it might be dangerous or life-threatening. David says whatever she has, it has to work. It’s not like it’s their first time. We flash back to a few other curses the Evil Queen has laid on them.

Snow/Mary strolls through parallel Storybrooke, but everyone is in bad moods. Archie claims Pongo is off gluten. She runs into Regina, and asks if there’s any news about a John Doe in the hospital. Regina says it looks like he may never wake up. Snow ditches the flowers she was bringing to the hospital, and sees a bloom through the cracks of the sidewalk.

Snow brings the flower to David. It makes purple sparkles in the air. The machine he’s attached to goes off, and he opens his eyes. He struggles to get out of bed, asking where the Evil Queen is. He says the guards stabbed him, and the curse brought them there. He tells “Mary” that Snow White is in there somewhere, and somewhere inside, she knows he loves her. She takes his hand, and calls him Charming.

In regular Storybrooke, Snow tells Regina that they have to do this now. Regina says it’s going to hurt. Zelena and Regina take the combined heart of Snow and sleeping David, and put the halves into a potion. When the hearts are done basting, the witches return them, but Snow keels over. Zelena says the magic weakened the hearts. A revived Snow says that Emma will have to fight the final battle without them.

At the parallel hospital, David asks for Grumpy’s help. Snow tells Grumpy (calling him Leroy) to pay no attention to this mental patient she found wandering around. Snow tells David that it’s called a curse for a reason, and everyone else doesn’t know about it. She gives him clothing to change into. He says he put Emma in the wardrobe, so she must be there too. She suggests they find Gold, and tells him to meet her at an abandoned farmhouse in an hour. Snow tells Regina that David was sleepwalking and headed into the woods.

In standard Storybrooke, David shows Emma a video Snow left. She says they have to work together. David tells Emma that her mother found a way to break the curse, but didn’t know it. He shows them a picture of some flower petals, and Zelena recognizes them as pixie petals. She tells them that the enemy is already there.

The Black Fairy shows up at Gold’s shop along with Gideon. Gold says Gideon concocted a ruse to bring the fairy there, and Gideon says that one day he might understand. Belle comes out from the back, and tells Gideon he can still come back to them. Gold tries to make magic, but the fairy stops him with the dagger. She says she practically invented dark magic, but she won’t force him to do anything. When he joins them, it will be because he wants to, and then they can be the family they were meant to be. She and Gideon disappear, poof! in a puff of silver smoke.

In strange Storybrooke, David goes to Gold’s shop. He doesn’t think Gold is under the curse, and wants to know where Emma is. Gold doesn’t know what he’s talking about. David says they’ll have to find Emma on their own, but Gold says maybe he can help. Hearing Emma’s name was the appropriate wake-up call, and now he gets what’s going on. David knows that Emma is destined to break the curse, but doesn’t know where she is. Gold tells him that the pixie dust can reunite anyone who shares true love.

Back in the sort of real world, David says they need Snow’s tracking skills to find the flower, so he has to go to sleep. He knows Hook is out there fighting for Emma too.

Tiger Lily smacks Hook awake. He’s tied up in a cave. He says someone’s life is depending on him getting out of there, but Tiger Lily needs him to deliver something to another realm. He says his love is in danger. She doesn’t believe he could possibly fall in love. She shows him a piece of driftwood and says it’s really a weapon, and the only chance of winning the coming war. He says it’s not their war, but she says there’s a great darkness on the horizon, and the Savior will die without it. He says that’s the woman he loves, and tells her to look in his pocket. She takes out the ring. Tiger Lily says the Black Fairy is in Storybrooke, and this is the Savior’s only hope to defeat her. Hook asks if she has any magic, and she says Pan might, but the Lost Boys outnumber them. He says they don’t stand a chance.

No one can find David in sleeping Storybrooke. Snow says they haven’t looked everywhere in the woods. Regina suggests Archie and Pongo check the mines. When they’re out of sight, Regina reveals an electrical box. She says the tunnel is rigged for demolition; one push it all comes down. She says Snow and John Doe are both awake, which means the curse isn’t working. Snow/Mary claims she was just doing her rounds at the hospital. Regina says Snow is a hero, who would never let the cricket die, but Mary has never stood up to her. She asks what it’s going to be. Snow clutches a pair scissors. The townspeople arrive, and Regina backs off of the box. Snow disappears.

Sliding sideways, Snow and Emma find a small field of pixie dust flowers. Snow says they grow in the presence of evil. The Black Fairy appears, and says she’s been waiting to meet Emma. They’ve been destined to clash since the beginning of time. Gideon joins them. Emma asks if this is it, and the Black Fairy says everyone will know when the final battle begins. Gideon makes the flowers disappear. Emma shoots an arrow at the Black Fairy and Gideon, but they both disappear, poof! in a puff of black smoke.

Tiger Lily explains to Hook that the weapon is what banished Black Fairy to the realm where she was trapped, and that she was once a fairy. Hook asks why she gave it up, like it was tennis or something. She says she failed in stopping the Black Fairy, so she hung up her wings, and took refuge in Neverland. She points out a tree that contains the sap Hook needs to find Emma. The Lost Boys are having a Burning Man Festival, and Tiger Lily shoots an arrow at them. They run after her. Hook hooks the tree and gets the sap. One of the boys sees him, and sounds an alarm. Hook gives his own shadow the driftwood to give to Emma. He drops down into a cluster of the Boys.

David and Snow meet at the farmhouse in parallel Storybrooke. She says Regina is on to them, and gives him the flower. Gold shows up. He says they’re awake, but everyone else asleep. Gold tells David that if they find Emma now, the curse won’t be broken, and everyone will stay asleep. He gives them a vial, and says it will put David and Snow back to sleep, and make everything right again. He says the potion is the only way forward.

In real Storybrooke, Emma knows she can’t change her destiny, and tells Snow it’s not their fault. Snow says there’s something she doesn’t know. They see a pixie dust flower peeking out from the snow.

In snoozing Storybrooke, Snow sprinkles the pixie dust into her hand. David tells her to think about Emma and let the magic do the rest. She throws the dust in the air, and a door appears. David opens it. They see young Emma in her bedroom, reading. Snow says if they go through the door, she won’t be the Savior. David tells her that Emma will have new destiny with them. Snow remembers that Regina said Snow is a hero who wouldn’t let anyone suffer to get what she wants, and she’s right. She can’t sacrifice everyone else’s happiness for her daughter. She says everyone is separated from those they love, and they can’t sentence them to that forever. They have to believe that Emma strong enough to grow up without them. David wishes she wasn’t right. Snow tells Emma that they’ll see her again, and closes the door.

She tells David there isn’t much time, and starts to cry. She didn’t think they’d be saying good-by so soon. He says he’ll always find her. She says one day, Emma will find them. They kiss. He drinks the potion, and falls asleep. Then Snow drinks it.

Regina messes with the pixie dust in original Storybrooke. She gives it to Snow, and Hook’s shadow flies in, and gives her the weapon. She asks where Hook is, and the shadow drops his hook at her feet. She says there’s something wrong, and asks where he is again. The show touches her cheek and disappears. Henry says they’ll find him. She says they don’t know where he is. Snow says the magic can open the door to Hook, and explains how they used it in the past. Emma says they had to do what was right for everyone else. Snow says today she’s putting Emma first. She says they can’t allow Hook to be taken, after they’ve already taken so much. Not before the final battle.

The Lost Boys sentence hook to death for his crimes against Peter Pan. The door appears, and Emma pops out. She and Tiger Lily kick ass. Emma and Hook go through the door and Tiger Lily jets.

Emma gets Hook back to Storybrooke, and says she got his message. He says he should never have run away, but she says tells him that she didn’t make it easy. He says there’s something he has to do before he gets pushed to another portal. He takes out the ring and proposes. He says he’ll always be by her side. She says no. Just kidding. She says yes, and they kiss. He puts the ring on her finger. He says it’s time he faced her father, but David is asleep. Emma explains that they went into a sleeping curse so she could save him.

Regina says there might be another way, but it’s risky.

Everyone gathers together. Regina says once Snow and Charming had a chance to find their own happiness, they chose the good of everyone there. She wants the people to do something for them now. She shows them a chalice, and says if they share the curse, they might dilute its power. Hook takes a sip; then Regina and Emma. The chalice is passed around. Grumpy says he could use a nap. These people are taking some pretty big sips. It must be an endless cup.

Snow and David’s eyes open. They hug and kiss. He says she did it, and she says she didn’t do anything. They find Hook and Emma asleep, but they slowly wake up, along with everyone else. Hook asks if Emma told David his secret. David says Hook is a changed man now, and they’ve all seen it, and everyone is all happy. Regina says it wouldn’t have worked if Snow hadn’t inspired them – she gave up her family. Snow says she did it for a better one, and they’ll defeat the Black Fairy. She tells Emma that she won’t be facing the fairy alone.

Gold meets the Black Fairy. He asks why she gave the dagger back to him. She tells him that he has to choose to be part of this family. He says she has Gideon’s heart, and tells her about Gideon keeping the flower alive as a way of resisting her. He has his mother in him. Gold says he’ll get Gideon’s heart back. The Black Fairy tells him that if he comes at her, there might be nothing left of the town when they’re done. He says he’s willing to pay that price.

Next time, Zelena isn’t afraid of the Black Fairy and vows to kills her, and an ultimate sacrifice will be made.

💣 Suicide Squad

Although I’d wanted to see Suicide Squad in the movies, it never happened. I really shouldn’t complain, since I have 500+ FIOS channels that I pay dearly for, and probably should watch something other than BRAVO. From what I’d read, this film was panned by the critics, but I enjoyed it a lot.

As a kid, I read both the Superman and Batman comics, as well as some other random ones. Doom Patrol was, and remains, my favorite. By the time these characters came along, my comic reading days were long gone. Out of the Squad members, Harley Quinn got high marks, as she brought to mind another favorite from back in the day, Batman’s Poison Ivy. When my friends and I used to act out our comic books – what do you expect from someone who started The Rocky Horror Picture Show cult? – I was always Poison Ivy. Since I’m not part of today’s comic scene, I had no expectations, which might have made a difference in my perception. I had no reference material to compare this with.

The plot was okay. It dragged in spots, and the whole Enchantress business isn’t exactly my thing, but while plot can be a plus, that’s not my reason for watching an action picture. I’m there for the action, colorful characters, and maybe a few good one-liners. On that, the movie delivered.

I also liked the subplot of Deadshot’s relationship with his daughter, and thought Will Smith’s performance was excellent. The costumes, the explosions, the effects – it was all good. And the soundtrack was fabulous. There was a lot of noise about the Joker not being in it all that much, compared to his presence in the previews, but I thought it was just enough. Jared Leto’s portrayal was so over-the-top, any more of it would have been overkill. I’d also heard that he took his Joker persona into his off-time on set, which gave it an extra eww! for me, since I find actors who do that rather creepy.

It’s on rotation on HBO now. If you’re paying for it, might as well watch it. It’s a lot of fun and you could do worse.

🏛 On tonight’s The Real Housewives of Potomac, the ladies went to the Preakness, and of course wore hats. I went to the Belmont Stakes once. I’d never been to the racetrack before, and was surprised that a race takes about two seconds. I didn’t wear a hat, and I didn’t win anything, except a drunk guy trying to pick me up outside of the ladies room. True story. Ashley is finding out that the restaurant business isn’t as easy as she thought, like every single restaurant owner on Kitchen Nightmares. Charisse is having some renovations done on her house, and I have to admit that I sometimes wonder what it’s like to be wealthy enough to be able to add a “fierce champagne room” to my home.

🍑 The excruciatingly long, four-part The Real Housewives of Atlanta Reunion has begun. The women all look gorgeous, although I’m not loving Porsha’s dress. It looks like she’s wearing a kimono ten sizes too big for her. A sparkly kimono. Sheree also keeps pulling up the top of her strapless number. Is she wearing She by Sheree? Although dumb as a post, Porsha got my vote for quote of the night: Andy…he’s messy. Out of the mouths of stupid. Things didn’t start escalating until almost the end, when Kandi and Porsha started to get into it. Most of the show was nonsense talk, but it looks like Porsha will be the one walking off this reunion. Probably not next week. I’m guessing that’s the carrot being dangled to get us to watch all four parts.

Apr1

March 31, 2017 – Valentin Agrees to Help Jason, the Weird World of V.C. Andrews & Quotes

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Elizabeth wonders why Franco is asking her to marry him right now. He says why not?

Jason asks Valentin for a favor, telling him that it’s about Jake. He explains that Jake spent the better part of four years with Helena, and he’s trying to find out what she did to him.

Lulu sees Nelle at Kelly’s and introduces herself. Nelle asks if Lulu is going to tell her off. Lulu says what happened is none of her business, and it’s not her place to judge, but she’d like to talk about her daughter, Charlotte.

Alexis enters a dark house. Her phone rings, but when she answers, she gets a dial tone. It rings again, and she asks if it’s Julian. It’s Sam, who is wearing an awesome white swing top with thumbhole sleeves. Sam wonders why Alexis called her Julian, and Alexis says old habits die hard. Sam wants to come by, but Alexis says she’ll come over to Sam’s house.

Sonny tells Michael about the break up with Carly. He says she’s mad as hell and called it quits. Michael says sorry, and Sonny says he doesn’t seem like it. Michael says he’s not exactly in shock. Now that things have settled down, there are no distractions. Losing Morgan could have brought them together or torn them apart, and they decided on the latter. Sonny says he didn’t want this, but Michael says it’s happening.

Lulu asks if Nelle has a minute. Since they’ll be seeing one another, they might as well get to know each other. Nelle was picking up scones for Charlotte’s birthday breakfast, since they’re her favorite. She thinks they remind Charlotte of her mom.

Laura tells Doc about the upcoming trip. He says that he’s not sure what surprises him more, the trip itself or that she’s going with Tracy. He asks if Luke is in jail again, and Laura says that would be amusing if his ex-wives showed up to break him out, but he isn’t involved.

Franco tells Elizabeth that it makes perfect sense. Any two people can shack up, but if they make it official, he’s her husband and can be stepfather to her children. She asks if it’s about the two of them, or him and Jason.

Valentin tells Jason that Helena was a horrible person. He was sent to boarding school, so they didn’t cross paths much. Jason asks about the island, and if there are any scarecrows on it. Valentin gives him a strange, amused look.

Alexis comes to Sam’s bearing diapers and cookies. She’s doing her grandma thing. Sam says she got the feeling that Alexis was drinking when they last talked. Alexis admits to having a bit of a relapse, but went to a meeting, and was coming back from one when Sam called. A new sponsor might be a good idea. A real one this time. Sam says it’s understandable with all she’s been through. Alexis says ironically Julian was again the one who convinced her to stop.

Michael tells Sonny that he’s not taking sides. Sonny asks if he talked to Carly, but he says he doesn’t have to; he already knows what they do. They’re both strong people, and sometimes turn that strength on each other, and they’re taking out the pain they feel about Morgan on each other. Sonny asks if Michael knows how much he hates hurting the people he loves, including him.

Nelle corrects herself, saying surrogate mother, and apologizes to Lulu. Lulu says it’s not her fault. She says there are so many things she doesn’t know about her own daughter, seemingly insignificant things. She said she would know them had she been there at the beginning, but Valentin kept Charlotte from her all of her life.

Doc is surprised that Laura is traipsing across the world because Tracy asked her to. He wonders how it came about. Laura says they seem like an unlikely pair, but they do have a relationship. She says it was Tracy’s fur coat that she wore to flash Doc, and Doc says he’ll be forever grateful. Laura tells him that Tracy has a situation that may or may not have to do with her father. She thinks she should help, because if Tracy goes it alone, she might miss the chance to reconnect with him. And she’s a sucker for Turkish coffee. She says the best part will be the homecoming, and they kiss.

Franco tells Elizabeth that he’s not asking her to marry him because of Jason or Jake. He’d love to be a permanent fixture in Jake’s life, but he’s asking because he loves her. She can show the world that she trusts him and chooses him over all others. She says she’s told everyone that she trusts him, and she does choose him over everything, including Jason; but Jason is Jake’s father, and she has to consider his feelings. Franco says that Jason doesn’t even believe that Jake has a problem.

Valentin tells Jason that’s a weird question about the scarecrows. Jason says thanks for the help, because he’s an impatient jackass. Valentin says that he never intended to be a father, but Helena took that decision away from him. Now, he loves Charlotte and she’s his life. He says he understands, and if Jason wants to search the island, he’ll set it up. He tells Jason that he might want to start with the olive grove.

Elizabeth says that it’s about Jake after all; Franco thinks that Jason isn’t handling it well, and that’s why he wants to marry her. Franco says yes and no. His feelings for her are real; he loves her, and he loves Jake too. He wants to make sure that Jake gets what he needs. Elizabeth says that Jason is still Jake’s father, and she has to regard his wishes. She thinks that Franco should keep his distance from Jake for now.

Sam tells Alexis that dreams can seem very real. Alexis says that sounds rational, but talks about the knocking at the door, and how no one was there. Then the second time, it was Valentin.

Valentin tells Jason that there’s an old olive grove that was planted before Cassadine’s got there, and it had a scarecrow in it. Legend had it that the scarecrow came alive one night, and it might have made an impression on Jake. Jason appreciates the help, and Valentine keeps the offer open. Jason wonders if Valentine has an agenda in helping him, but Valentin says that no child should be subject to Helena. Jason says he’ll do whatever it takes to help Jake.

Nelle tells Lulu that she knows a little about Charlotte’s childhood, but had no idea what was happening. Yeah, I guess she had other things to concentrate on, like the blow out with Carly and Sonny. Lulu says she’s glad that Nelle is taking care of Charlotte. She tells Nelle that when she found out she had daughter, she blew it. She was so excited, she ended up scaring her away. She didn’t think it through, and acted in the moment, making a huge mistake. Nelle can relate to not being able to take something back.

Sonny watches Michael work in some kind of weird proud dad way. He doesn’t want to leave it like this. Maybe Nelle wasn’t the main reason for breakup, but she helped it along. When truth came out, he knows Michael was hurt. Michael says he was sympathetic to a point, but can’t get past what she did. Sonny asks if he’s sure, and if Nelle staying in Port Charles changes anything.

Lulu apologizes for keeping Nelle, and thanks her for listening. Nelle asks how Michael is doing, but Lulu says she hardly sees him. She tells Nelle that Dante said he’s keeping to himself, and throwing himself into work. She hates that he’s grieving Morgan all alone, and Nelle says that she does too. Nelle leaves Kelly’s, and Lulu looks pleased with herself.

Michael tells Sonny that Nelle got a job as Charlotte’s nanny. Sonny says that Nelle probably still has an agenda (WOTD), and asks how Michael might feel running into her. Michael says they’re not like Sonny and Carly. He tells Sonny not to project, and says he can handle it. If he makes a mistake, he has to live with the fallout, and Sonny should know.

Elizabeth tells Franco that right now, his presence is causing an issue with Jake’s father, and she doesn’t want any more disruptions in Jake’s life. Franco says he wants the crappy cards on Father’s Day and to teach Jake how to drive. Elizabeth needs him to give Jake space until they find out what the drawings mean. Then they’ll have him to thank for getting the ball rolling. Franco says okay, they’ll do things her way, but no matter what, he doesn’t want to lose her. She says he won’t, and they kiss.

Jason interrupts, and says when Elizabeth gets a chance, they need to talk about Jake. I like Jason, but I don’t like when he acts irrational. And I like Franco more.

Sam doesn’t know what’s worse, a visit from Valentin, or Julian’s ghost. Alexis thinks about it and says Valentin. He wanted to do the family bonding thing, and gave her the keys to Windemere. She says she kicked him out of the house. Geez, most people would have just said thanks. Sam suggests it might have triggered a response.  Alexis says she doesn’t need anyone to do that, and says she had a weird feeling about the hang-up call. Sam asks for her phone, telling Alexis that she has an app for that. She messes around with the phones, and a map indicates that the call came from a payphone at the gas station near the footbridge. Alexis says that’s where Julian died.

Alexis thinks that Ava might be right, and that Julian is alive. Sam says not necessarily. Alexis says she know she shouldn’t feel this way, but she wishes he was alive. Scout starts to cry, and Alexis wants to jet, but Sam is worried. Alexis says she’s not delusional, just tired, and wants to go back to bed.

Franco starts to leave, and Elizabeth follows him. She says it’s not the best timing, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life with him. She didn’t say yes, but didn’t say no either. He thanks her, and they kiss good-by. Elizabeth tells Jason that Franco agreed to step back. Jason thinks he found a lead about the scarecrow. Elizabeth says she has lead of her own, and thinks she knows who can help.

Laura runs into Lulu leaving Kelly’s. Lulu she invites Laura for dinner tomorrow, but Laura says she’s galivanting around the globe with Tracy. Hey, that reminds me. Whatever happened to that show, Galavant?

Sonny tells Michael that distractions don’t work. Michael says don’t worry, but Sonny says Michael is his son. Even if he doesn’t need protection, that doesn’t stop Sonny from wanting to protect him.

Nelle tells Valentin about buying the scones, and says that she ran into Lulu. He asks who approached who, and she says she was leaving Kelly’s, and literally almost ran into her. He asks if she introduced herself, and Nelle thought she was just being polite. Valentin asks her to tell him everything that Lulu said. Ooh, Nelle could be a counter-spy.

Sonny says he shouldn’t be lecturing anybody (truth!), and starts to leave. Michael says if he didn’t make it clear, he loves Sonny, and doesn’t blame him for what happened. He only blames Olivia-J. He says Nelle is screwed up; that doesn’t absolve her, but puts it in context. Sonny says Michael is wiser than he was at Michael’s age, and maybe wiser than he is now. Sonny leaves, and the cheese Michael stands alone.

Lulu thinks Laura and Tracy’s trip is crazy, but it makes sense, and the two of them will keep each other out of trouble. Laura feels badly about leaving right now, but Lulu says it’s okay. She tells Laura about talking to Nelle, and that she’d asked about Michael. She hasn’t learned anything useful, but laid the groundwork. Laura tells her to take it easy; it’s just the first step. Valentin is smart, and they have to be smarter.

Nelle thinks that Lulu just wanted to be familiar with her, and make sure she’s all right to be watching Charlotte. Valentin says thanks for telling him. He tells Nelle that he tried offering joint custody to Lulu, but she didn’t want it, and is suing him for full custody. He says that she isn’t to be trusted. He gives Nelle a new set of keys, saying he’d had the locks changed, since you can’t be too careful. She puts the key on the keyring that Michael gave her.

Michael flashes back to giving the keyring to Nelle. What a coincidence!

Franco gets a text from Jake, who can’t wait to do more drawing with him.

Doc tells Jason and Elizabeth that he has to refer them to someone else, because of the personal history. They need fresh eyes and objectivity. He recommends Andre, and offers to make the appointment. Jason says at least it’s some progress, and Elizabeth is glad he was able to put aside their differences. They agree that Jake comes first.

Sam calls the gas station and asks if they have surveillance cameras.

Alexis gets on the couch with the AA big book. She looks at her phone on the table. She hears something and says it’s just the wind, but it doesn’t really sound like the wind.

On Monday, Josslyn asks Carly when she and Sonny are divorcing, Ned says he’s stopping Larry’s plans, and Jax arrives.

Flowers in My Attic

Let’s talk about V.C. Andrews. I don’t know how it happened, but I ended up spending a Saturday watching Lifetime’s version of Flowers in the Attic, and then every single subsequent film in the series. I’m not sure what came over me, but I fell under the Dollanganger family’s spell.

The books of V.C. Andrews were required reading for the young adults of my generation. I’m not sure why. They’re poorly written, and the stories revolve around – let’s just say it – incest. But for some reason, Andrews spoke to us. Apparently, even after death, as she died in 1986, yet her books continue to be churned out written. Highly doubtful that it’s difficult, but amazing that no one seems to care.

The cinema adaptation of Flowers in the Attic wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t entirely faithful to the book either, and I don’t think fans were entirely satisfied. Then, decades later, Lifetime made another stab at it. While their film was roundly criticized by reviewers, they did something right, because the franchise continued on, including My Sweet Audrina.

For those who live on another planet and aren’t familiar with the series, it revolves around siblings Cathy, Chris, Carrie, and Cory, forced to live in the attic of a Victorian mansion for years, so that their mother could get back into her own father’s good graces and inherit a bundle. She’d been shunned by the family for falling in love with her father’s half-brother, starting the chain of the wrong kind of familial love. When he suddenly dies in an accident, she’s forced to go back to the family mansion. After being trapped together through puberty, Chris and Cathy also fall in love, continuing the pattern. They also find out their mother has been lying to them.

Although I usually find Lifetime movies a let-down – their ideas are always promising, but the endings often fall flat – they got this one right. Despite being panned by critics, it was as though these God-awful books came to life. They nearly followed them word for word. The dialogue is not how anyone in their right mind would talk, unless they stepped out of 1900, and Chris and Cathy have absolutely no knowledge of how life works, even though they’ve gone to normal school up until they’re thirty teenagers. (Wouldn’t they even have thought they’re weird?) Ellen Burnstyn must have had a blast playing the grandmother, which she does with gusto, and Heather Graham is spot on as Corrine. Unfortunately, we lost Sally Draper Kiernan Shipka by the second film, but Rachael Carpani makes a lovely Cathy. I honestly think the reviewers thought the actors wrote this themselves; they did the best they could with the bizarre material. I mean, come on, the evil guy’s name is even Bart.

As with most binge watching, a sadness came over me as the final credits rolled. So bad, they’re good, it was a fun trip down Memory Lane. If you’ve never taken a dip into the strange pond of Andrews’s work, check them out next time around. Fans of the book series will not be disappointed.

Quotes of the Week

Acknowledge your gifts and be grateful to the source. Because if you know from whom you are receiving, you can always go back for more. – Rabbi Noah Weinberg

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein

I get all the tigers I can. At a reasonable price. A hoarder on Hoarding: Buried Alive.

🌻 To whatever attic flowers you enjoy…

PsychedelicFlower