Tag Archives: Mupo Entertainment

September 2, 2021 – Obrecht Gets a Big Surprise, Villainous Comeback, Don’t Bother, New Normal in L.A. & Wake Me

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava comes into the hospital and asks if Epiphany can give her some information on a patient that was brought in last night, a certain attorney. Epiphany says she’s not Scotty’s family, but Ava says she is a very important client. Epiphany says she can only give the information to his family, and Ava stomps of. PC Pioneer Wyatt approaches the desk, and Epiphany asks if she can help him, but he says he thinks he can be of help to one of their patients.

Ava hears Anna talking to Britt about Scotty’s condition. Britt says, he’s still disoriented, but despite parachuting out of a plane unconscious, he has no broken bones or serious injuries. Jordan asks if she can see him, and Anna says, the sooner they talk to him, the sooner they can unravel this story about him literally crashing into Finn’s campsite. Britt says, at least he’s safe and sound, which is more than she can say about her mother.

Obrecht wakes up wearing silk pajamas in a beautiful bed. She says, where am I? and calls for Scotty.

Ava sneaks into Scotty’s room, and he wakes up saying, my schnitzel, my Liesl. Ava asks if it’s really true he dropped from the sky, but he says he doesn’t know. He’s in a hospital bed, isn’t he? He looks around and says he guesses so. She says she’s so glad he’s okay. She hopes he knows that. He takes her hand, and says he didn’t know she still cared about him. She says of course (🍷) she does; of course (🍷) she cares. It’s been six weeks since he filed for her divorce. She needs to know if it’s gone through.

A waitress brings a check to Spencer at the MetroCourt, and he tells her to put it on his account. She says her manager said he’s no longer on the account. He says, thanks, dad, and Esme says lunch is on her. He says he guesses it’s true what his grandmother said. His independence is dependent on his father’s money. Esme thinks it’s high time he and his dad got past their differences, but he says, not when his dad accused him of being Ava’s stalker. She wonders where he’d get such an outrageous idea, and Spencer says Nikolas stabbed him. She says, with a fake knife. He says he didn’t know it was fake when he saw it. How can he ever forgive Nikolas? She says she doesn’t know. Ask his dad. He turns around to see Nikolas behind him.

Trina walks into the gallery, answering her phone. It’s Jax, calling from the Spring Ridge visiting area. He says, it’s Josslyn’s dad. Does she have a minute? She asks if Josslyn is okay, and Jax says she’s fine. In fact, she cooked him a lovely dinner last night. She says she knows, she helped Josslyn get ready. He says the marinara sauce was the highlight, and she says, didn’t he love it? She told Josslyn it would be epic. He says he thought for sure Josslyn picked it up from a specialty gourmet store, but then she told him that Trina was given the jar when they came to Nixon Falls to pick him up. She says, pretty spectacular, right? He says, it was pretty memorable. In fact, he’s dying to meet the person who made it.

Epiphany is on the beginning credits! I don’t always see them, so she might have been there before, but I’m excited.

Trina says she never met the person who made the sauce. All she knows is, the lady who runs the roadhouse in Nixon Falls… She forgot the name. He says, the Tan-O? and she says, that’s it. She said the bartender made it. He says, she didn’t happen to mention his name, did she? She says, no, why? and he says he guesses Josslyn’s never told her about his work. He’s a venture capitalist, and he’s always looking for new investments. This sauce was so good, he’s thinking of pursuing it. She says, Nina Reeves is friends with the nice lady who owned the bar. She’s sure Nina will know the name of the bartender. He says she’s right. If anyone knows, it’s Nina. He flashes back to thinking he saw Sonny in a cowboy hat when he was on the stretcher, and thanks Trina, saying, she’s been a great help. Alexis comes out and says, clearly Jax didn’t come to cheer her up. What’s wrong?

Spencer asks if this was Esme’s idea, and Nikolas says, don’t blame Esme. He appreciates her reaching out and asking him to join them. She says she always thought Spencer didn’t want anything to do with him, but now that she’s seen the two of them together in person, she can see they care about each other. Spencer says, some people just have a funny way of showing it. You know, with fake knives. Esme says, come on. She knows him, and he gives as good as he gets. Nikolas sits down, and says he doesn’t blame Spencer for wanting nothing to do with him, but he needs to hear this. Everything he’s done, even staying away all those years… Spencer says, Nikolas means letting him think he died, and Nikolas says, everything he’s done, he’s done out of love.

Jordan tells Britt, local law enforcement did a thorough search of the camp area where Scotty parachuted down. There’s no indication that her mom, or anyone else, parachuted with him. Britt asks why Anna is so interested in her mother’s whereabouts. She thought they hated each other. Anna says, they’ve come to a bit of a truce, but Obrecht being missing makes her think somebody else is involved… like Peter maybe. Britt says, then where is she? Where’s the plane? God knows, her mother is resourceful, but she’s not Houdini. She can’t just vanish into thin air.

Obrecht turns on the lamp, and gets out of bed. She says, what is this place? She looks around a gorgeous room, filled with antiques, and asks what she’s doing there. She remembers being on the plane with Scotty, and putting on the oxygen mask, and says, my God. She has to find Scotty. She runs to the door, but it’s locked. She yells, open this door! They can’t do this to her. She’s Liesl Obrecht, dammit! She pounds on the door, and yells for someone to open it.

Ava tells Scotty, she’s not trying to be insensitive; she knows he’s having a stressful time of it. But from what she hears, skydiving can be very exhilarating. He says, the bum’s rush out the door? He doesn’t think so. She says, the point is, he survived. Her stalker is still out there, waiting to strike at her or her loved ones. He told her that her divorce would take six weeks to go through. Isn’t there anybody he could call to nudge it along? Jordan and Anna walk in, and Jordan asks what Ava is doing there. Ava says she’s visiting her very good friend, and her attorney; their lives may depend on it. Anna says she’s not sure badgering Scotty is going to be conducive to his recovery, and Jordan steers Ava out. Ava says she’s counting on him; don’t let her down. He gives her a thumbs up, and Anna tells him, just relax.

Epiphany tells Britt there’s someone else asking about Scotty. This is Wyatt Hoover. Wyatt says, PC Pioneer, second class. He’s a volunteer ranger and was on duty last night when Scotty landed in the campground. He guesses he could say Scotty crashed. Britt says, crashed would be more accurate. What can she do for him? He says he was cleaning up the debris from the fall, and found this. He shows her the locket, and says he thought it might belong to Mr. Baldwin. She asks to look at it, and opens it, seeing the pictures of her and Nathan. Wyatt says, it’s her, and she says, the locket belongs to my mother.

Alexis asks Jax, what’s going on? and he says he made two pretty big decisions this year, and thought he was 100% correct, but they both kind of blew up in his face. She says, but that’s old news. It’s not like him to rehash the past. He says, it’s not about the past. He has another big decision to make, and he’s on the brink of doing something he thinks is right, but what if he’s wrong again?

Ava walks into the gallery and sees Trina working. She says, it never gets old, and Trina says, what never gets old? Ava says, the love of art, and Trina says she hopes not, considering she wants a career in it. Ava says she was just thinking about the young high school kid who showed up there, wanting to be an intern. She arrived with such a natural love of art, and the desire to learn all she could. Trina says she still can’t believe her internship turned into a job. Ava’s been such a mentor to her. Wait. That doesn’t even sound right. She hopes Ava knows that when Trina thinks about her, yes, she’s a boss and mentor, but she also considers Ava a friend. Ava says, oh, Trina, her eyes tearing up, and Trina asks if she said something wrong. Ava says she’s so honored to be Trina’s friend. Trina’s been more than that to her. She’s been another daughter to her. Not that she wants to step on Trina’s mother’s toes or would want Trina to take Kiki’s place. She doesn’t use the word often or lightly, but she cherishes Trina. That’s why she knows it’s going to be so difficult to say goodbye.  

Spencer says, Nikolas loved him so much, he wanted Spencer to believe he was dead, even though he was the only parent Spencer had, since his mom passed away before he even knew her. Is that the kind of self-serving garbage Nikolas expects him to believe? Esme says his dad’s there; let him explain his point-of-view. Nikolas says, he knows sometimes his methods are wrong… okay, they’re often wrong, but Spencer has to remember, Valentin shot Nikolas with every intention of killing him. Knowing how the Cassadine family operates, he couldn’t take that chance of Spencer being targeted next. So he laid low while he planned his return and his revenge. Esme wonders why Spencer left out so many details. She finds this fascinating stuff. Spencer says, because Valentin hasn’t been a threat for years, and quite frankly, he’s not even a Cassadine. Or is Nikolas insinuating Ava’s stalker isn’t the only threat out there?

Obrecht digs through drawers, and says, there has to be a knife. Or a bobby pin. Anything to pick that lock. A man dressed like a butler, complete with white gloves, comes in with a cart carrying a meal service. She says, it’s about time. She demands to know what is going on. He says, good evening, fraulein doctor, and she asks, what’s this? He says, dinner, lifting the food cover. Compliments of her host. She says, how kind, and grabs the knife. She tells hm, open that door, or she’ll cut him like a mackerel. A man comes in behind her, and wrests the knife out of her hand. The butler says, that’s a very fine glass of wine. Her host has thought of everything.    

Britt brings Wyatt to Scotty’s room, and says he has a visitor. Scotty says, a PC Pioneer. He used to be one himself, and still buys Christmas trees from them. Wyatt thanks Scotty on behalf of the PC Pioneers. They’re grateful for his support. He says he understands from Finn, Wyatt was there and helped out when he hit the ground. Wyatt says he was able to help get Scotty out of the parachute; he has his honor badge in knots. Scotty thanks him for coming and checking on him, and Wyatt says he did want to check on Scotty, but also return something he found when he was cleaning the crash site. Britt shows him the locket, and says, it belonged to her mother. Does he recognize it? He says, when everything went haywire on the plane, Obrecht gave it to him, and he stuck it in his pocket. Britt says she was hoping her mother made it out after all, and dropped it during her own parachute jump. Wyatt says if he’d observed any other parachutes, he’d have notified the authorities, but it was only Mr. Baldwin. Britt thanks him, and says she’s sure her mother will be grateful to have it back.

Jordan tells Anna that she confirmed a plane left Port Charles yesterday. A charter carrying Obrecht and Scotty; the destination St. Lucia in the Caribbean. Anna says she knew Obrecht was going to a medical conference there, but a private plane and Scotty? She understands taking advantage of the off-season low rates, but why not fly commercial? Jordan says, another question that needs answering, although Britt touched on the biggest mystery; what happened to the plane? Anna asks what the FAA said, and Jordan says, only that the plane feel off the radar shortly after take-off. There’s no May Day call, no report of a transponder signal, no evidence of a crash. The plane could be anywhere between there and St. Lucia. Anna says, or it could mean something else altogether.

Jax tells Alexis, his first mistake was helping Nina get visitation to Wiley. He says this like Nina asked him to do it. Alexis asks what he did, and he says he was on his way to the Quartermaine gatehouse to talk to Michael. Michael is his stepson, and they have a pretty good relationship – they had a pretty good relationship. He accidentally saw Michael and Willow together. She says, together together, and he says, yes. She says, isn’t Willow married to Chase? and he says, it’s a moot point anyway, since she’s annulling the marriage, but at the time, he used it as leverage to secure Nina’s visitation to Wiley. She says, he blackmailed Michael? and he says he didn’t see it that way. He used it as leverage, and doesn’t know whether they can get their friendship back. She asks what his other mistake was, and he says, when he found out Carly was taking over Sonny’s family business, of course (🍷) Josslyn was his first priority for safety. She says, an understandable goal. What did he do? He says he secretly recorded Carly in a conversation, and tried to get her to incriminate herself. She laughs, and he says, go ahead, please; let him have it. She says she’s in no position to judge. So he told her about how his first and second mistakes blew up in his face, and now he’s going to make another move that’s going to blow up in his face. What’s going on? He says he doesn’t have any details yet, and he’s still trying to connect the dots, but a friend he cares deeply about is making a huge mistake that could affect many other lives.

Trina says, Ava is leaving Port Charles? and Ava says, it breaks her heart, but she has no other choice. Trina says, her mother taught her there are always more than one choice, but Ava says, it’s the only good choice. Keeping Avery safe is her number one priority. Trina says she understands that, but didn’t she get a divorce? Isn’t that enough to satisfy whoever’s been stalking her? Ava says, no, it doesn’t seem to be. The only way to keep Avery safe is to stay away from Nikolas, and the only way is to leave Port Charles, which means she has to sell Charlie’s and give up everything that ties her here. Except the gallery. She’s not selling the gallery. She’s hired a manger, and made it clear that Trina has a job there for as long as she wants one. Trina says, she doesn’t think Ava is listening. It’s not about the job; it’s about their friendship. She starts to cry, and says she needs Ava. Ava hugs her.

Nikolas tells Spencer, he has no reason to believe another Cassadine is plotting something, but given their family’s history, it’s always wise to look both ways before crossing the street. Esme tells Spencer, he’s trying. Can’t Spencer give him that? Spencer says, what he sees is someone who wants it both ways. The freedom to do what he wants, and the ability to justify it afterwards. Nikolas asks if he’s the only one. Be honest. Hasn’t Spencer ever done the same thing; believed the ends justified the means? Spencer says he thought they were talking about Nikolas and his mistakes. Nikolas says they are. He’s not going to lose his son. He’s already lost Ava. Spencer says, there it is. See how it always comes back to Ava? Nikolas wants her so bad, he can have her. He just won’t have Spencer. Spencer gets up, and says he got along without Nikolas for years; he’ll do it again. He walks away, and Nikolas starts to get up, but Esme says, let her. She tells Spencer, wait, and Spencer says, don’t defend him. She says she doesn’t have to. He’s making Nikolas’s case for him.

Scotty tells Britt, nothing will make him feel better except seeing her mother, and Britt says he really cares about her; it’s not just a random hook-up. He says, not at all. When they were together, grieving over Franco, things changed. When they were up in the jet, and there was all this turbulence, they thought it was curtains. But they were together, and ready for the worst if it happened. She says, but it didn’t. Somehow, he survived, and they have to believe her mother did too. He says, he really needs Obrecht, and Britt takes his hand, saying, Obrecht needs him too. Even more incredible, Britt realizes she needs her mother too. 

Anna and Jordan come back, and Anna asks if Scotty thinks he can tell them the truth about what really happened on the plane. Britt asks why they’re assuming Scotty’s keeping something from them, and Jordan says, certain things aren’t adding up. Scotty says, don’t blame him. The last thing he remembers is putting the oxygen mask on, and when he came to, he’d dropped into Finn and Elizabeth’s campsite. Literally. Anna asks, why spend all that money on a private plane? and he says he was targeted by one of those low-budget jet companies. He thinks he was scammed. Anna says, too good to be true, and he nods. She asks why he was headed to St. Lucia, and he says, that’s where Obrecht’s medical conference was.

As the butler leaves, Obrecht says, do they think she doesn’t know who’s behind this? She looks forward to giving him the justice he deserves. She tries to get out the door, but the other guy blocks her, and slides out himself, slamming it shut. She says, Peter August. She’s not swallowing his food, which has obviously been poisoned. If he’s going to kill her, he’s going to have to find the courage to do it with his own two hands. She turns around, and sees a man there. She says, it can’t be… Victor Cassadine (see below). He says, hello Liesl. As Mark Twain once said, the reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

Alexis asks Jax what he’s going to do, and who is he going to do it to? He tells her again, he doesn’t have all the details yet, and he’s not willing to name names. She says, not to worry. She already knows why he came there to talk to her. He says, really? Because he doesn’t even know yet. He gets up, and she follows him. She says, he’s gun-shy. In the past year, he’s followed his gut two times, and it’s blown up in his face. He just wants to hear his theory out loud. He wants to voice the question, should he cross the line again? He says, if his gut feeling is right, someone else has crossed the line, and he’d be pulling them back. But if he takes that step, he’ll set things in motion, and they might not stop until… She says, someone gets hurt? Are they talking physically or emotionally? He tells her, considering who the people who are involved, he’d say both. She says, he came to her for advice. Let her think for a second… No. Walk away. That’s it. He says, and leave the person he cares about all alone? She says, how does he know they’re all alone? Maybe they’ve put their trust somebody else. He says, that is a distinct possibility, and she says, let someone else do the heavy lifting. From one fixer to another, butt out. You don’t have to save everybody. From the looks of things, if he tries, he’s going to get really burned.

Ava asks Trina, this is about Spencer, isn’t it? What’s going on? She thought the two of them were clicking. Trina says she thought so too. Until the night of the party, when Esme showed up. Ava says, who’s Esme? and Trina says, Spencer’s girlfriend from boarding school. Ava says, she’s so sorry, and Trina says, they’re a lot alike; worldly and sophisticated. Ava says, so is Trina. She works at an art gallery. Trina says, it doesn’t matter. Spencer was a wreck the night of his party, then Esme shows up, and he pulls it together. Or maybe he was covering. What his dad did was so messed up. Ava says, she tried to warn Nikolas. She hopes they can mend fences when she’s gone. Trina says, what about Avery? and Ava says, she’s doing this for Avery. She can’t let anything happen to Avery, and she’s frightened, especially now that the stalker threw Kiki in her face. Don’t give up on Spencer. Trina says she thought he liked her, and Ava says she’s sure he does. How could he not? Yeah, it was poor form to flirt with her, and not tell her that he had a girlfriend. Trina asks how he could do this to her, and Ava says, he’s a teenage boy. Teenage boys are not known for their maturity or discretion. Ava thanks Spencer needs a friend like Trina. She thinks he needs Trina more than he knows.

Esme says Spencer is guilty of the same double standard he accuses his father of. He’s declaring his freedom, but still expecting him to pay for everything. He says, the  price of being Nikolas Cassadine’s son is too high, and she says she wasn’t aware he was fielding other offers. Ava’s out of the house, and maybe out of his father’s life for good. Wasn’t that the goal? Her advice? Figure it out with his dad, or get used to the guest room at his grandmother’s, knowing Doc will be keeping his expert eyes on him. He asks if those are really his only options, and she says, go get a job and rent a room somewhere, and where does she fit in? Their original plan had her living in an estate on a private island. Not that she doesn’t care about him regardless, but be honest. They’re both high maintenance, and Windymere is their best option.  

Obrecht tells Victor, this makes no sense. He’s supposed to be dead. He burned to a crisp in the fire at Creighton-Clark. He says, not to mention, she shot him. She says she was thinking about her son. He says he still can’t believe she thought killing him, and letting Faison live was the lesser of the two evils. She says, it was at the time, and he asks how that worked out for her. He’s truly sorry for her loss. The good, like Nathan, always die young, while the rest of them survive, whatever it takes. She says she doesn’t care how he escaped. She cares that Scotty is still breathing. What has Victor done with him? Victor says, Scotty took a leap of faith, so to speak, and she says, he didn’t. He tells her, don’t worry. Yes, he was thrown from the plane, but also yes, he was wearing a parachute. Does she really think he’d be so cruel to someone she cares about? She says, in a heartbeat. That’s if he actually had a heart. He says he has a pulse, and pulls her to him. It’s beating for her. Can’t she hear it? I love this already.

Scotty says Obrecht was going to a conference on Huntington’s and other inherited diseases. He was just tagging along; a little scuba diving, some island time. Anna asks, who else was on the plane? and he says, there were two pilots and a flight attendant. Jordan says, and shortly after takeoff they hit some turbulence? He says, Obrecht thought there was something wrong with the pilot, so she headed for the cockpit, but he said, no. He lead her back to her seat, and buckled her up. The oxygen masks dropped down, and they started gulping up oxygen. The next thing he remembers, he was on the ground. They were about 3000 miles away from the Devil’s Triangle. Britt asks Anna if she thinks the plane could have been hijacked, and Anna says, it’s possible, but by whom? Scotty flashes back to Obrecht saying she has to survive this. She has to help Nina. Anna says, what is it? Does he know who could have done this? Epiphany brings in Scotty’s blood test results, and Britt looks at them, frowning. Jordan says, what is it?

Alexis asks what Jax thinks, and he says he thinks his last two interventions were a complete disaster. So third time’s the charm? She says, she woudn’t be incarcerated if she didn’t try to take the law into her own hands, and I laugh. But she was drunk, so she can blame it on the booze. If Jax does something, and it blows up in his face, he’ll have no one to blame but himself. He’ll never be able to live with himself. He says, if he does nothing, will he be able to live with himself? In either scenario, a lot of people are going to be affected. A guard walks over, and Alexis tells Jax, visiting time is over. He thanks her for listening, and her advice. He’ll see her later. He starts to leave, and she says she thinks he made his decision before he came there. Good luck. He says, thanks.

Trina tells Ava, thanks for the talk, but she’s got to get back to work. Ava says, no. She wants Trina to take the rest of the day off. Find Spencer. Stake your claim. Trina says, he’s not her property, and Ava says, he’s not what’s-her-name’s either. She may have a history with Spencer, but so does Trina. Trina flashes back to telling Spencer that she doesn’t know what to believe, and him saying he’s sorry. If she tells Ava, Cam, and Joss that he pretended to be Victor, he’ll understand. She says, but he doesn’t want her to. Ava asks, what’s wrong? and Trina says, nothing. Just promise she won’t leave before saying goodbye. Ava says, she won’t. Now go find Spencer.

Spencer comes back to the table with Esme, and tells Nikolas, it pains him to say it, but Nikolas is right. He’s the last person who should throw stones. Esme says, in case Nikolas is rusty at Spencerspeak, that’s his way of saying he wants to put things back together. Spencer says, not how it was though. Better. Nikolas says, he wants that too. He’s grateful Esme was able to bring them back together, and Esme says, if Spencer is happy, she’s happy. Nikolas says, he hopes this marks a new day in Cassadine history, where all of the family ghosts are left where they belong – in the past.

Obrecht asks what Victor wants of her, and he says, the same thing he’s always wanted; her companionship. She says, he always had an agenda within another agenda, and he says, isn’t it enough that he saw her getting close to another man? She says, he had her under surveillance? and he says, she rises from the ashes, again and again, but when she turned to Mr. Baldwin, that attachment seemed distressingly real. She says, it is real. If he hurts one hair…  He says, let him go. He managed to heal himself from the physical wounds she inflicted, but he doesn’t think he could bear the emotional scars of losing her to another man. She says, deal with it, and he says, never. As soon as she accepts that, the better off she’ll be.

Scotty asks what his bloodwork says, and Britt says, there are indications of trace amounts of trichloromethane in his bloodstream. He asks if she can say that in English, and she says, chloroform. Jordan says, he told them the last thing he remembers is putting the oxygen mask on, and Anna says, what if he wasn’t breathing oxygen? What if he was being drugged to pass out, so they could strap a parachute on him without him knowing who was responsible? Britt says, who’s they and what do they want? and Scotty asks, why they would want Obrecht? Britt says she knows her mom has no shortage of enemies, but why go to all that trouble? Anna’s phone dings, and she says, it’s a message from the WSB. Scotty asks if they found Obrecht; is she okay? Anna says, they seem to be dealing with a master magician. Not only as an airplane and a person disappeared by sleight of hand, there’s something else. Britt asks, who else is missing? and Anna says, not who. It’s what. She asks Scotty what the name of the convention was that Obrecht was attending, and he says, some convention for inherited diseases. Jordan names the hotel, and asks if that’s correct, and Scotty asks, what’s the point of this? How is it helping them find Obrecht? Anna says, the convention never happened, and Jordan says, and the organization hosting it, doesn’t exist

Victor tells Obrecht, try to enjoy her accommodations, and she tries to watch what code he puts into the keypad to unlock the door. He says he thinks she’ll find he’s anticipated her every need, and leaves. She yells, a gilded cage is still a cage! She’ll find a way to escape to be with Scotty.  

Trina comes out of the elevator, and sees Spencer, Esme, and Nikolas. She says she was not expecting to see this, and Nikolas says, it seems Esme has a future in negotiating treaties. Thanks to her, he and Spencer have taken the first steps toward reconciliation. He goes over to the hostess, and puts Spencer back on his account. He waves goodbye, and Trina sits down. Spencer says she looks upset, and she says she just left the gallery. Ava said the stalker won. She’s leaving town. Esme says, that is sad, but it’s understandable she’s doing it to protect her daughter. She doesn’t want to see the same thing happen to Avery that happened to Loren. Trina says, who’s Loren? Does she mean Kiki? Oops.

Ava turns out the lights at the gallery. As she’s leaving, Jax comes in. She asks what brings him there, and he says he needs to talk about Nina.

Tomorrow, Jax says he’s not leaving until he gets answers, Sam asks Curtis why she’s not welcome at the Savoy, and Sonny asks Nina if she came to any conclusions.

💘 He Loves Liesl…

There’s a new Victor in town. In an interesting side note, Thaao Penghlis, who played Victor off and on from 1981 to 2015, will be interviewed on the new season of Mupo & Friends. You’ll be able to catch it in September on YouTube or at MupoEntertainment.com. I do the copywriting (i.e. I write the questions), and I’d asked him about playing Victor. Apparently, they’d wanted him, but he had a soapy conflict. I wonder if he spilled any beans? I’ll post the link when it’s going to air, but you can also set a reminder on YouTube.

🍹 Craig was on the two Toms’ Southern Charm watch party remotely. That was the best thing about it. Seriously, none of their random guests would make it on People’s Couch. Those people were actually funny.

💰 I half-watched Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles, and covid affected L.A. a little differently than NYC. It was both a buyer’s and seller’s market, although people were still looking for a bargain. Fredrik showed his clients a house that David and James – who now have different looks, but I still can’t keep it straight who’s who – were selling. They came to a deal, but the seller wanted it kept on the DL so he could speak to his wife first. No surprise, Fredrik opened his big mouth. During a party at Fredrik’s house, David and/or James confronted Fredrik. Tracy walked away, not wanting to be part of it, and I didn’t blame her. JoshA said he’d had his own beef with Fredrik, and it was water under the bridge, but you had to know who you were getting into bed with. Fredrik whined that he was sorry, but it wasn’t like he’d put it on Instagram. It was unclear whether this had or would affect the deal. JoshF was also obsessed with Tracy’s dog, Jake, as we all would be. He’s adorable. Jake, not JoshF, who’s annoying AF.

This season, fabulous houses you will never be able to afford, and Fredrik meets Dolph Lundgren, who says, you lie, you die.  

🔁 Leaving To Come Back…

On tap for tomorrow, tea time, wise words, and a whole lotta soap. Until then stay safe, stay forbearing, and stay maybe not trusting your gut so much if it’s consistently wrong.

May 9, 2021 – Through Grace’s Eyes, Showrunning Fear, New Dexter, Prequel To Come, Goodbye To a Legend & Dreams

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

This was one of those weird episodes that’s even worse than time jumping. We were jumping from the real world to… something else. I hope it’s easier to follow than it was to transcribe. Although nothing was as bad as that episode of Z Nation where they were in the crates that kept moving around. And so…

Birds circle overhead. Grace lies on her back under trees in a forest that has pink foliage. She opens her eyes, and a zombie jumps on her, snapping at her face. A knife pokes through its eye from behind, and a young girl asks, what’s wrong, lady? Are you trying get yourself killed? Grace thanks her. The girl battles with several zombies, whacking and spearing. When she’s done, she holds out her hand, and helps Grace up. Grace asks where she learned to fight like that, and the girl says her dad taught her. He’s going to kill her; she’s not supposed to be outside the wall alone. They’ve got to move. There’s a clinic where she lives, and the doctor can check Grace out. Grace asks what her name is, and the girl says, Athena, like the Greek goddess. Her mom gave it to her because she thought it would make her strong. Athena asks Grace’s name, and Grace tells her. Athena starts to walk, and says they better get Grace to the clinic. Grace follows her.

The girl says, right there; that’s where she lives. It’s Morgan’s place, and Grace says, impossible. How long as she been there? Athena says, since she was born, and Grace asks how old she is. Athena says, sixteen; why? Grace sees Morgan’s pokey weapon, now rusted, where he left it outside, and the greenery is pink instead of green here too. She sees Athena talking with a grey-haired Morgan, and Grace says, Morgan? He asks if she remembers Morgan, and we hear zombies outside the wall. Morgan tells Athena to go inside, and he and Grace follow.

We see horses in a corral, and Morgan says he and Athena will talk later about how she’s going to muck out the stables for the next month. He asks Grace if she’s okay, and she says, it’s everything they wanted it to be. She asks if he doesn’t recognize her, and he says his memory isn’t what it used to be. Does he know her? She says, it’s her, Grace, and he says he doesn’t know what she’s trying to do, but… She says, it’s her. This place was different. If it’s not her, why does she know about riding the carousel with him? And how he and Duane used to race cars? It’s her. He says, Grace? And she cries, flashing back to the past. He says, this isn’t possible. She can’t be there. Grace asks, why?

We see Grace’s gravestone, and Grace asks if he’s sure it’s her. He says he buried her himself, and she asks how she died. He says, the labor took a lot out of her, and the radiation had made her sicker than they thought. He’s sorry. They tried to do everything they could. She says, and her baby? Did he make it? He says, she. Grace already met her. Grace says she should have known. Is she okay? She spent so much time reading about how babies can absorb radiation… He says, she’s fine; trust him. Before Grace passed, she said she had one wish; to see what her child would be like grown up. Maybe that’s why there. Sometimes things happen that we can’t explain. Grace says she’d love meet her, but if Athena asks about her, there’s only so much she knows, and only so much she can tell. She thinks she should hold off, at least until they know what’s going on. June comes by, and tells Morgan, she usually tries to keep them out of the grave; don’t scare her. He introduces June as Dr. Dorie. June says she was a nurse before, but Morgan insisted on the title change. Athena told her what happened. She looks Grace over, and says, no sign of concussion or brain injury. What’s the last thing she remembers? Grace says, she was traveling on a road with someone, but then it gets fuzzy. June tells her, stay, and get some rest; it will come back. She introduces Charlie as her apprentice, and Grace says, Charlie. Charlie says, her parents thought they were having a boy. Grace says, so did she.

Morgan tells Grace, a lot of things have changed. She sees Daniel cutting Victor’s hair, and he says she doesn’t happen to be a barber, does she? He’s getting too old for this. Victor says, they all are. Maybe the next one will give a decent haircut. Morgan asks Dwight how the harvest is going, and Dwight says, it should be ready next week. Dwight sees his little boy, and says that kid is more of a hellraiser than he was at his age. Shari comes by, carrying a baby, and says she’s not so sure. Morgan introduces Grace to Dwight and Shari, and Shari says, the baby is Keena and her boy is John. Grace says, it’s nice to see a happy family living there, and Dwight says, they got lucky. He and Shari leave, and Grace asks Morgan when they got back together. Morgan says, not long after Athena was born. She asks about Alicia and Al, and everyone. Morgan says, Alicia started a place of her own at the burned out stadium where she used to live, and Luci went with her. Al left a while ago. She said she was chasing a story, but he thinks she was chasing somebody. Grace says, she never told him before, but she didn’t think it would happen. The way they fell out with each other, and what they were facing; what brought them together? Morgan says they were struggling. They didn’t know who was painting the graffiti, or what to do about it. They couldn’t even agree on how to face it. Then she had Athena, and he lost her. Everybody forgot their differences, and rallied around the child; they still do. He’s sorry she didn’t live long enough to see happen, and she says, her too. He thinks there’s a way for her to get to know her daughter without having to explain. He calls to Athena, and asks if she wants to go on a run.

As they walk, Grace looks delighted. Athena tells Morgan that she knows what he’s doing. He thinks if he takes her on a run to the feed store every once in a while, she won’t sneak out. He asks if she thinks it will work, and she says, it might. Grace hears Athena singing In Dreams, and asks what she’s singing. Athena indicates the Walkman on her belt, and says she never goes anywhere without it. Grace asks if she can see it, but Athena says, no. Her mom wanted her to have it; it’s the only thing she has from her. Grace says, maybe not, and Morgan says, hold up. Eyes and ears. They see a car off the road, and Grace walks toward it. The End Is The Beginning is painted all around it, and Grace says, she remembers this. She’s seen it before. She tells Athena they were attacked before she born, and the people would leave messages like that. Athena says they have to warn everybody, and Grace tells Morgan, she’s seen this before, but he says, it was probably a long time ago. She says, no; she’s seen this before. She says, it’s just like the… and the car blows up.

Grace hears Morgan saying he needs her wake up, and she sees the car in flames. She screams Morgan’s name, and Athena says they’ve got to get out. Zombies are everywhere, and Grace asks where Athena’s dad is. They run, and Grace asks, how far? Athena says, a couple of miles, and Grace hears Morgan ask, where are you? His voice sounds very distant, and she says, right here. Athena stabs a zombie and tells Grace, come on. Morgan fades away, and Grace asks where he went. Please. She misses him. She hears him say, come back, and she says she’s right there. Athena says they have to keep moving, and Grace says she can hear him. A lone zombie toddles up, and Grace says, she remembers something. Athena asks if Grace can hear her, and stabs the zombie. Grace says she heard Morgan, and Athena says she’s going to get them both killed. Grace stabs another zombie, and Athena says, the wall is just ahead. They need to get back. Grace starts to walk in the opposite direction, saying, it’s this way. Morgan asks, what’s going on? and Athena tells Grace, the wall is this way. The scene repeats itself, and repeats itself. Finally, Grace turns her back on the lone zombie.   

Grace lies on ground in the pink forest. Morgan says he’s got an idea, and goes toward the graffitied car. It blows up, and Grace is back where she was. Athena says, come on; they’re almost to the wall. Grace says, the car exploded like it did before. She must be unconscious.

Grace lies on the floor in the stables, and Morgan says he’s right there. He tells her that he needs her to wake up, so they can think about the baby. He can’t do this without her. She’s with Athena again, and hears him. Zombies clamor at the stable door, and Morgan says she’s got to wake up.

She tells Athena that Morgan is trying to wake her up, and asks if he can hear her. Athena says they’ve got to get her to Dr. Dorie; they’ve got to warn everyone. Grace says, Athena’s not real, and Athena pokes Grace with her stick, asking, does that feel real? Grace says Athena is in her head, there are fragments she’s trying make sense of. She wanted it be real; she wanted Athena to be real. Athena says she’ll be wishing something else is real soon. The car explodes again, and Grace says she’s hearing Morgan. She snatches the Walkman from Athena, and Athena says, that belonged to her mom, and Grace says she knows. She brought it so she could listen to it while she was in labor. Athena says, she has a kid? and Grace says she doesn’t know. She puts on the headphones, and says, come on, Morgan.

In the stables with Grace, Morgan says, June, can you hear me? June asks where he is, and he says, there’s no easy way there. She won’t make it. They were attacked on the road. There was an explosion, and people came after them. June asks, who’s after him? but he says, Grace is unconscious. She needs to tell him what to do. June asks how Grace’s vitals are, and he says, she’s breathing, but her pulse is weak. With Athena, Grace listens, and says, what? No. Athena asks, what’s the matter? and Morgan says, she needs to wake up. She’s in labor. June says, tell her where they are, and Morgan says, they’re in the vet’s office; the junction at 77th and 28th. June isn’t sure if she has enough gas, and says she’ll come on foot. Don’t worry. On the road, Grace talks into the recorder, and says she’s right there. How does she get him to hear her? Morgan tells June, he has to go; they found us. Grace asks, who found them? and Riley fires shots through the door.

Grace wonders, what the hell is going on? Morgan says, guys are shooting; they’re in trouble. Athena says, of course Grace isn’t there; she’s here. Riley breaks into the stables, and says Morgan is a hard man to find. He knows they’re there somewhere, and they have something he wants. Grace takes the headphones off, and says, no, Morgan. Athena takes the Walkman, and says Grace broke it. It’s all she has left. Grace says, it’s not working because Morgan shut it off. They have to find something else to connect her to him. She asks Athena if they’re near 77th or 28th, and Athena says, it’s not much further, and Grace asks, where’s the vet’s office? Athena says she’s not doing it, and Grace says, take her there, or she’ll break the Walkman.

In the real world (such as it is), Morgan tells Grace, sorry. He’s going to have to move her. Grace tells Athena, keep moving. They have to get to the building. At the stables, Riley says, it will all be over, and Athena asks, who’s that? Grace says, Athena heard it too? and she says, why wouldn’t she? Who are they? Grace says, the people who blew up the car. Grace suddenly falls to the ground in pain, and so does Athena.

Morgan wheels Grace in a wheelbarrow, and tells her, it’s okay; it’s just contractions. On the road, Grace cries out. Riley comes over to her, and says she has something they want. He takes out a knife, and Grace holds his hand back. Athena tries to get up, but can’t. Grace turns Riley’s hand and he stabs himself in the throat with his own knife. She stumbles over to Athena, and tells her, it’s okay. She thinks they’re contractions. She wonders why Athena is feeling them too, and says, she was wrong. Athena is real. It’s the only thing that makes any sense. They’re connected. Athena doesn’t understand, and Grace says, I’m your mother and I need to wake up so you can be born.

Athena asks why Grace didn’t tell her sooner, but Grace says she didn’t know how to explain it. She didn’t think Athena was real. Athena says she is real, and Grace says she’s sorry she took Athena’s tape recorder. Athena says she’s sorry she poked Grace with her stick, and Grace laughs. Athena asks, what happens when Grace wakes up? and Grace says she thinks all this goes away. Athena says, it’s not fair; she just found out about Grace. There’s so much she wants to know. She’ll have to ask her mother. Grace smiles, and says, right. She’ll just have to wait. it’s happening this way for a reason. She needs to wake up so Athena will be okay. Athena says, it will take hours on foot; it’s too far. A white horse gallops out of the woods. A very well trained and saddled horse. They get on, and Athena asks why her dad was singing that song, and Grace says, it was one of his favorites. She says she’s talking about Athena’s biological dad, and Athena asks what he was like. Grace says, his name was Matthew. He was kind, and handsome, and smart. And a big Roy Orbison fan. Athena asks, what happened to him? and Grace says they worked at a power plant together. They were exposed to radiation, he got very sick, and she lost him. She’ll always be grateful for what they had. Athena asks what they had, and Grace says, her.   

They travel down the road, and Grace says, it’s working. They’re close. Morgan says Grace has got to wake up. There’s not much time. Riley tells his men, get in there. Morgan sets up a blockade, and tells Grace to wake up. Grace tells Athena, the stables. They’re here. She opens the door and walks in. They see a zombie busy looking at the ceiling and poking at something, paying no attention to them. Athena looks around, and asks Grace, what’s wrong? Grace says, this may be the only time she has with Athena before… She didn’t tell Athena everything. The reason why they’re here is that Grace’s subconscious created this place. Out there in the real world, she’s sick. She was exposed to radiation like Matthew. She survived long enough to grow Athena, but doesn’t think she has much longer. She doesn’t think she’ll have a chance to get to know Athena. Athena says Grace can get better, but Grace says, you don’t get better from the kind of stuff she was exposed to. She knows why they’re here. She was scared for Athena to be born into a world that didn’t deserve her, and wanted to protect her, but she knows Athena will be okay. She’s strong. Athena starts to cry, and Grace says Athena is going to bring everyone together. She’s going to be the hope they need. Grace takes her hand, and Athena says she knows the reason she was at the wall when she found Grace. She was worried about her dad – about Morgan. She thought if she went out looking for seeds, he wouldn’t have to. She didn’t want to grow up without him. Grace says she won’t have to. He’ll raise her. Everyone will raise her. In the stables, Riley says, they have nowhere to go. How about giving him what he came for?

Morgan tells Grace, wake up; they’re going to find us. Now zombified Riley and his group of zombies break in. Grace tells Athena to get behind her. They have to get through and inside. Athena says, this might be all the time she has with Grace. She’s going to fight for every second. Zombie Riley and his group come closer.

Morgan stands ready, and Riley and his men break in. Morgan tells Riley, turn around and leave now, but Riley says, hand over the key, and it all goes away. He’s been looking for the key for a while. He hired someone to find it, and they didn’t deliver. He sent two friends after the first guy, and they didn’t come back. He’s guessing Morgan had something to do with them not coming back. Morgan says he’s going to do to Riley what he did to them, and Riley says, the key will change everything; he’s not leaving without it. Morgan moves forward at the same time Grace and Athena do in Grace’s mind. Morgan fights Riley and his men, while Grace and Athena fight zombie Riley and his zombie men. In reality, now it’s just Morgan and Riley, and Morgan spears Riley in the shoulder. Riley says Morgan can’t stop them, but Morgan says he thinks he just did, and Riley runs out.    

Grace sees the key around Athena’s neck, and asks where she got it. She says, her dad… Morgan. He gave it to her when she was little, to wear as a reminder. Grace says, a reminder of what? Athena says something about peace that I don’t quite grasp, and Grace asks what that means, then falls to the ground.  

Morgan tells Grace, hang on. Athena asks, what’s wrong? and a zombie grabs her. Morgan says, she’s not breathing; he’s losing her. Zombie Riley tells Grace, she’s already dead; they both are. Morgan does chest compression, and says, come on, Grace. Grace sees Matthew, and then the carousel. Zombie Riley says he knows they thought it would end differently, and handles the key around Athena’s neck. Morgan continues to do chest compression, and zombie Riley says, that was just a dream. Morgan says, he’ll never give up, and zombie Riley is stabbed by old Morgan. Old Morgan holds out his hand to Grace, and says, they don’t have much time. She takes his hand.  

Morgan is still doing chest compression, and old Morgan asks if Grace is ready. She says she doesn’t want to say goodbye, but she has to. Morgan says, stay with me, and Grace hugs old Morgan. She says, even if she’s not there, she knows he’s going to build everything they couldn’t. Morgan listens to Grace’s chest, and says, please come back to him. Grace hugs Athena, and tells her, remember this when you get older. Athena says she will, and hands Grace the recorder, saying, she can make sure. Record what she wants Athena to remember. Morgan says, listen to him; please come back. Grace says she loves Athena, and always will. She kisses Athena’s hand, and Athena says she doesn’t want to lose Grace. Grace says, she won’t; she never will. She doesn’t have to be afraid. Grace will always be with her. You can let go, my angel. Grace backs away.

The door opens to a bright light. Grace opens her eyes, and Morgan says she’s awake. He thought he lost her. She says she had to come back. It’s a girl. They’re going to have a girl. She tells him that doesn’t think she’s going to make it, but he says she doesn’t know that. She says she does; she saw it. He says, saw what? and she says, the future… our future. Everything is going to be okay. They have a daughter.

Grace says she recorded a playlist of songs when she left. She hopes when Athena listens to it, it makes her smile. it will make her feel like Grace is there with her because she will be. Morgan tells Grace, he got the water, and she thanks him. He says, that’s for… She says, Athena. Morgan tells her that she kept saying that name. What happened when she was out? What does she think the dream was? Grace says, she knows when someone is close to their last moments, like she was, sometimes they see things they can’t explain. Morgan says, the near-death thing, and she says, it felt real. She thinks it was Athena. That’s how she knows everything will be all right.

A truck barrels through the door of the stables, taking part of the wall with it. Riley gets out, holding a gun, and tells Morgan, drop the stick or he’ll shoot him. Morgan drops it, and Riley says he told Morgan that he’d get what he came for. Morgan says, something tells him that Riley is getting less, and Grace asks what they’re talking about. Riley says, the key. Morgan knows what to do. Riley aims the gun at Grace, and says, give him the key, and he’ll walk away. Morgan asks what it opens, and why Riley wants it, but Riley says, it doesn’t matter. It’s inevitable, no matter what Morgan does. Grace tells Morgan to give Riley what he wants. The key isn’t their future; the baby is. This baby is going create a future where people like Riley never win. That is inevitable. He already lost. He just doesn’t know it. Morgan hesitates, and she screams, do it! He takes the key off, and tosses it to Riley. Riley surprises us all, and instead of blowing them away, says, good luck, jumps back in the truck, and squeals away.

Morgan asks if Grace is okay, but she tells him that he doesn’t have to worry. The baby is going to bring everyone together. She’ll give everyone something to fight for. She knows it. Morgan says, okay. He believes she will.

Grace breathes between contractions, and Morgan bathes her face with water. Roy Orbison’s song In Dreams plays, and Grace listens. Grace pushes the baby out, and Morgan takes it. She takes the headphones off, and asks, what’s wrong? Why isn’t she crying? He says, come on, and I don’t mean to judge, but he isn’t being very aggressive here. He places the unmoving infant on Grace’s chest, and she cries. Morgan says he doesn’t understand, and she says, they weren’t her last moments; they were Athena’s. He nods, and she says she thought it was going to be different. It was just a dream. She cries.

Yeah, Grace, we all thought it was going to be different.

Next time, June’s journey; Morgan tells someone, there’s nothing they can say or do to make it okay; Dwight and Shari reunite; and someone asks June why she’s there.

⚰️ Explaining the Dead…

The showrunners talk Fear.

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-holding-crm-showrunners-interview/

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-in-dreams-grace-athena-showrunners-interview/

🩸 Reviving Dexter…

Choose your teaser.

https://ew.com/tv/dexter-revival-teaser/

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/countdown-dexter-reboot-heres-scheduled-031648451.html

🐉 Fanning the Flame…

The prequel is coming… along with winter.

https://ew.com/tv/2019/10/30/house-of-the-dragon-thrones/

https://ew.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-first-look-photos-cast-game-of-thrones-prequel/

https://ew.com/tv/house-of-dragon-cast-game-of-thrones-prequel-production-photos/

🥀 Farewell, Sweet Vixen…

I admired Tawny Kitaen for her bravery in coming out about the health hazards that breast implants cause women. May she dance on the clouds the way she danced on the hood of that car.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9569450/tawny-kitaen-dead-obituary/

🌉 Slipping Into the Night…

I have to finish some copywriting for the www.MupoEntertainment.com weekly interview show, Mupo and Friends, which can be found on YouTube. Glorious YouTube. Where would we be without it? Okay, maybe there are some hours we can’t take back looking at puppies, but it was worth it. The upcoming interview is with scream queen Brooke Lewis Bellas, and I think she’ll be a lot of fun. Check us out. I also write articles for the magazine at the website. Now that I’m done with plugging myself, until we sail away tomorrow, stay safe, stay well-informed, and stay in one world or another. It’s too confusing to commute.

April 16, 2021 – Cyrus Meets Anna, Good Report, a Tribute, New Project, Glory Days, Her Reaction, Tiffany’s Closet, No Way, Old Feud, Thrones On Stage, Bad Hosts, an Invite, Not Quite Twelve Quotes & Sunshine

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sasha brings take-out coffee into the garage, and Brando asks if she got one for him. She says she got him a latte, and he thanks her. She says she thinks she left her phone there, and he says she did. He found it in the car after she left, and he put it in the back. She says she wants to tell him something, and he says, that it shouldn’t have happened, but she says she was about to say she’s glad it did, and Brando smiles.

Sonny asks if Nina is okay, and Nina says, yeah, wrong number. He says he made coffee, and she says she’s desperate. He says she’s not desperate. All she has to do is take her time, and it’s up to her to pick and choose where she goes from here. She asks if he’s talking about Eli, and he says she barely knows Eli. She says, Phyllis and Lenny are fond of him, and Sonny says, but Eli is a stranger to Nina. As a matter-of-fact, so is he.   

Valentin asks Anna if she has any news about Chase, and she says Finn is keeping her up to date. They haven’t made a diagnosis that it’s poison yet, but she and Valentin can’t tell them. Peter will take off with the antidote. He says, so they honor the agreement, and wait while Peter reconciles with Maxie, and she says, they have to fix this.  Jason is in prison, thanks to Cyrus, and Peter is going to take off. Valentin says, not if he can do anything about it. Carly meets them at the door of her house, saying, the guards let her know they were there. She invites them in, and says, no more waiting around. They have to act now.

At Perdino’s, Laura leaves a phone message for Nikolas, saying, she doesn’t know what’s worse. Him being in league with Cyrus, or him going radio silent. Please call her back. Martin comes in, and says he couldn’t help overhearing her leave a message for her son. She asks why it’s his business, and he says he was hoping Nikolas kept his promise. Laura asks what her son promised him. More to the point, what did Martin offer Nikolas in return?

On the phone, Nikolas says he’s narrowed the search to a bakery in Stowe, Vermont where he thinks Martin ordered a hummingbird cake for his mother’s birthday. He knows it’s a long shot, but he needs to know if Martin, or anyone else, ordered a hummingbird cake from the bakery, and he needs to know any corresponding address. Call him as soon as they have some names. Ava asks if he’s really doing this; finding Cyrus’s mother, despite the fact that she and Laura advised against it. He says, if bringing Florence back to her son means keeping Alexis safe, then she’s right, he’s doing this.   

Alexis’s cellmate Maggie brings her to the gym/yard area, and says, they have an hour of the yard, and then do the work they’re assigned. You don’t learn to survive by lessons some advisor gives you. If you’re tough, you survive. If not… A large, disappointingly stereotypical inmate walks over to Alexis, who asks if she can help her. The inmate pushes her.

Maggie says, this one is new, Elda. Don’t worry. She’ll keep her in line. Elda walks away, and Alexis asks Maggie what the hell Elda’s problem is. Maggie tells her, steer clear. If Elda takes a dislike to her, compared to what she can do, incarceration will seem like a day at the spa. Alexis asks if the guard just watches, and Maggie says Alexis has a lot to learn. Alexis says that’s what Sam warned her about, and Maggie asks who Sam is; Alexis’s husband? Alexis says, her daughter. She said being locked up would seem like a foreign land, with its own rules and languages. She’ll have to be more careful if she’s going to survive another day, let alone three years.  

Ava tells Nikolas, once Cyrus’s mother is back, Cyrus will have no incentive to help Alexis. Not to mention he’ll have free reign to get even with Jason and Carly for taking Florence in the first place. Nikolas says, all that power and money won’t give Cyrus the one thing he’ll want after he gets his mother back. Ava says, Cyrus has money. Sonny is gone, and Jason is in prison, so Sonny’s territory is ripe for a takeover. What more could Cyrus possibly want? He asks what means more to them than money and power, and she says, love and family. Cyrus thinks Nikolas can convince Laura to accept him as part of the family. He says, it worked with Martin. He offered to repair Martin’s relationship with Laura, and Martin offered him a clue that might lead him to Florence. Ava says, the bakery where he got Florence the cake, and Nikolas says, Cyrus will come back to him sooner or later, and ask him to build a bridge to his sister. Ava says Nikolas is actually kind of sexy when he has things figured out, and they kiss.

Martin tells Laura, he gave Nikolas nothing; he has nothing to give. Laura says Nikolas can manipulate with the best of them. Is Martin sure he didn’t tell Nikolas where to find Florence? He says, of course (🍷) not. He has no idea where she is. She asks what Nikolas promised, and he says, to intercede with her on his behalf. Nikolas volunteered to mend fences between them. Martin knows how angry Laura is with him for his contribution to Julian’s escape, but please believe him, he had no idea Julian was responsible for what happened at The Floating Rib. Laura’s daughter is his niece, and now Lulu… He swears on his soul, if he knew about the death and destruction Julian created, he would never have helped. She says, despite the blackmail? and he says, for all the good it did him? Even though he gave into Julian’s blackmail, in a few short weeks, everyone knew Cyrus was his brother. And now he and Laura are on the opposite side of something, and any progress they’ve made as brother and sister seems to have vanished, which is exactly what Cyrus wanted. Cyrus is afraid he and Laura will end up on the same side, allied against him. When Cyrus walked in on Laura giving Martin a birthday cake, Cyrus’s instinct kicked in, and his bag of tricks. He exaggerated Martin’s guilt in the hope of obscuring his own. She tells him, don’t worry. No matter how disappointed she is in Martin, she’ll never forget that Cyrus gave the orders to plant the bomb in The Floating Rib. Cyrus approaches their table, and says Laura never ceases to amaze him. He didn’t think she and Martin would be on speaking terms after what she learned about him. Maybe there’s hope for him and Laura.

Brando says he didn’t know if he’d see Sasha again… in that way. Last night was all about… She says she’d just ended the relationship with Michael, and he thought she was on the rebound. He asks if she can blame him, and she says, not really. She and Michael were pretty serious, until they weren’t, but even when she still hoped she and Michael would pick up where they left off, Brando was always there. He says, stalking her? and she says she never minded. He says he figured that out when she didn’t call the cops, and she says, as much as she tried to ignore it, something was between them. He says, internal combustion, and she says he’s comparing her to a car; how romantic. Can she at least let her have an eight-cylinder engine with turbo charging? He says he’s been meaning to ask her how she knows so much about cars. She asks, why wouldn’t she? Did he think the face of Deception has no life beyond the glamorous shoots? He says he was hoping to hear more about it.

Nina tells Sonny that Eli doesn’t trust him either, and Sonny says, tell him something he doesn’t already know. She says, for the record, she’s not in the market for a new relationship, and he says, if she were… She says the perfect man has to make her fall in love with him, and then completely break her heart. He says she’s too hard on herself. She doesn’t deliberately choose these guys; she’s much better than they are. She says, is she? and he says didn’t she come there to get away from her bad choices. She’s way too smart not to know she’s in an unhealthy relationship is like. She says, is she? the thing is, it doesn’t stop her from missing the person she ran away from. Maybe she should just write the article and move on. He says, maybe, but when you move on, you take yourself with you. She says he doesn’t know who he is, does he? and he says, look what happened to him, and she says, what if he could get himself back?

Carly asks if Valentin and Anna have made any progress with Gladys, and Valentin says, Gladys is a shallow, selfish, greedy beggar with a huge interest in self-preservation, like Carly said. Anna says she’s sure Cyrus has put the fear of God in Gladys, and she knows if she changes her story, Cyrus will kill her. Valentin says, not to mention what Peter is capable of doing to her, and Carly asks what Peter has done now. Anna says,  nothing, but he insists on being in Maxie’s life, and had to be escorted out of the hospital. Carly is sure it’s a nightmare for Maxie, but thinks Peter is less of threat to Maxie than Cyrus is to all of them. The only thing that’s stopping him from burning Port Charles down is that she has Florence – for now. Anna asks what she means, and Carly says Cyrus tried to offer her a deal; Florence, in exchange for Gladys changing her story so Jason could go free. He didn’t seem disappointed or angry when she turned him down. It sounded like he had another deal in place.

Sonny asks what makes Nina think he can find out who he is? She says, no one is completely anonymous. If he really wants to uncover his past, he can reach out on social media. He says he’s not sure he wants to find out what happened to him before Nixon Falls, and she asks, why not? He says he likes it there. He likes the people and the pace. He likes the fact that the highlight of the season is a dance at the firehouse. Nina says, it sounds like a lot more fun than the Met Gala, and he asks, what’s that? She says, a ball where people dress up to impress each other and raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She admits it’s a worthy cause, and he says, it’s her world. She says she could show him pictures of her and her friends dressed up on the red carpet outside the museum, everyone smiling, but no one is actually happy. He says she seems happy there, and she says, he does too. He says, why go somewhere else to find happiness? I expect them to break out in a song from Oklahoma! any second.

Brando says, so Sasha had a summer job in high school? She says, working at a garage. It was mostly in the office, but she occasionally helped with repairs. She had spending money, and discovered she liked the work. He says he pictured her playing with Disney princess dolls, and she says she did that too, but she’s not a stereotype any more than he is. He’s Cyrus’s driver-slash-bodyguard; the one Cyrus keeps around to clean up his messes, but it’s just a front. He says, don’t go calling The Invader, and she tells him, don’t worry. She likes him better alive than dead. She admires his bravery; walking a tightrope to protect Carly and her family. He says he’s more like an idiot, and she says, you don’t win medals for being an idiot. She has to get going. She has a photo shoot, and grease on her face is not a good look for the face of Deception. He says he thinks she looks great, but he’s not being very objective. He wipes her face with a clean rag, and they almost kiss, but he says he almost forgot; her phone. He leaves to get it, and she smiles.   

Cyrus sits at the table, and says, the three of them breaking bread. He asks Laura if this isn’t better than their petty squabbles. Maybe one day, his mother will join them. Laura says she thought Florence was happy where she is, and Martin says, she is. Wherever she is, mama makes the best of things. Cyrus says, she’ll be happier back in the loving arms of her family, and Laura asks what he’s planning. Cyrus says he gives her his word that he’s not planning anything. Mother’s fate, as she well knows, is out of his hands.

Ava tells Nikolas, don’t distract her, and he says, he’s distracting her? She says she’s concerned about his involvement with Cyrus. Why is he certain he can find Florence when Cyrus’s own people couldn’t? He says the man he was talking to is Colonel Jackson. He served in various hot spots around the globe. He’s retired from the military, and opened his own company. She says, a mercenary? and he says, security consultant. His people can be anywhere at a moment’s notice. They’re infiltrating the bakery to find out if hummingbird cakes or any other Southern desserts have been delivered to a nearby address. Ava asks what it’s costing Nikolas, but he says, it doesn’t matter. If he finds Florence, Alexis is safe. She says, one does not guarantee the other, and he says he can’t leave his aunt in Pentenville with no resources. He has to make sure she’s protected. She says she loves him for wanting to protect his aunt, but doesn’t think this is the way to do it. Think about Cyrus, look at his history. Think of all the people he’s betrayed, including her brother. If Nikolas thinks he can trust Cyrus to keep his word, he’s making a big mistake.

Carly tells Anna and Valentin, if Cyrus gets his mother back, they lose leverage. Gladys is going to keep following Cyrus’s orders, and lie to the cops. Peter stays free, and Jason stays in prison, at least until the trial. Anna says, that would be the case, and Carly says, then they have to put more pressure on Gladys. Valentin says he’s not kidnapping Gladys, and holding her in Anna’s basement, and Carly says, why not? It’s a start. Anna says, a coerced confession won’t hold up in court, and Carly says, Anna is worried about what’s legal now, after she covered for Peter for months? After Jason warned Anna, and told her to come forward? What is going on here? Where is the help Anna promised her? Is she going to get Jason out of prison? Anna says she understands Carly’s frustration, but Carly has to trust her. If Carly goes after Gladys, she’ll make Jason’s situation worse. Carly asks what Anna is telling her. Better luck next time? Jason is just going to rot in prison? Valentin tells her, that’s not what they said, but Carly says, that’s what it sounds like. They said they wanted to stop Peter from killing someone else, to stop insinuating himself into Maxie’s life. So what are they going to do about it? Anna says, nothing. And neither is Carly.   

Alexis wonders what she did to get on Elda’s bad side; she just got here. Maggie says, Elda has no other side; it’s all bad. Did Alexis defend her and lose? Alexis says she’s never seen Elda before, and Maggie says maybe Elda was her mortal enemy in another life. She has to go back inside and prepare for her parole hearing. The tips Alexis gave her are really going to help. Alexis says she was told not to trust anyone there, but… Maggie says she gets it. It’s tougher without someone to talk to. She thought a smart woman like Alexis could have fancy-talked her way out of Pentenville. Alexis says she could have plead guilty and gone to trial, and Maggie asks why she didn’t. Alexis says it’s a long story, and Maggie says she’s got the time. She sits on a bench, and Alexis says, come to think of it, she does too, and sits next to her.   

Ava says all Nikolas has done is give Cyrus an opening to threaten Alexis any time he wants something. It’s what Cyrus did to her brother. He threatened Julian’s family to get him to cooperate. It’s just a manipulation. Nikolas says, he’s not Julian. Nobody manipulates him. He needs to know they’re in this together. If one of them feels threatened, they have to set aside their doubts and questions, and come together. Isn’t that the kind of marriage they’ve created, despite the odds? She says he doesn’t play fair, and he says he’s not playing. He needs to know she’s with him. Today, tomorrow, always. She asks if he needs proof, and he says, always. They kiss, and he picks her up in his arms.

Gladys comes to the garage, and sees the tools around the car. She asks if Brando doesn’t have the morning off. Why is it always all work and no play with him? Sasha’s head pops up, and she says, it’s nice to see Gladys again. Gladys asks what Sasha is doing there, and I’m hoping they weren’t doing it under the car.

Laura says Cyrus might try to make his fingerprints invisible, but it’s clear to her that he’s pressuring someone else to find his mother. Someone who loves his Aunt Alexis very much, and wants her to be protected while she’s in prison. Martin says, Nikolas was concerned about his Aunt Alexis when they last spoke, and Laura says she thought Martin didn’t tell Nikolas anything. Martin says he didn’t. For the last time, there was nothing to tell. He doesn’t even know his mother’s current location. Cyrus says, don’t blame, Marty. They rarely agree, but they both want the best for their mother. Laura laughs, and says she doesn’t think so. Martin loves his mother for who she is, but Cyrus needs his mother to validate his life. She didn’t approve when Jason took Florence, but it was the only way to contain Cyrus’s violence and greed, and it worked. Since Jason’s had Florence, there have been no shootouts. Cyrus wants his mother back because he doesn’t want Jason to have that leverage over him. She say she’ll be damned if she’ll let Cyrus use her son to make it happen, and walks out.

Carly says, they expect her to do nothing. Why? What aren’t they telling her? Anna says, Peter took steps to protect himself. It’s probably his first step in his strategy for leaving Port Charles. Carly asks what the hell Peter has done, and Valentin says they can’t tell her that, but they’re working hard to fix the situation. Anna says, if Peter even gets a hint they’re working against him, someone innocent will die. Carly asks if this innocent person has a name, and Anna says Carly isn’t the only one who wants Jason free, or Peter to be brought to justice. If she goes for Gladys, she’s going to escalate an already dangerous situation. So can she take a deep breath, and let them handle Peter? Carly says she was only working with Anna because Jason wanted her to, but Jason is in prison, so she has to follow her instincts. If they can’t tell her why she should give them time, she can’t promise them she will. Anna says, then Peter won’t be the only one with blood on his hands. He can live with it. Can Carly?   

Sonny tells Nina, he’ll throw in a danish if she tells him what’s on her mind. She says, what if she told him that she did something selfish that might hurt a lot of people? He says he wouldn’t believe her. He’s seen her with Lenny and Phyllis, and she’s not a selfish person. She says, she is, but the weird part is, she believes she’s doing the right thing, a good thing; not just for herself, but for someone who will never know. Sonny asks if it’s someone he knows, and she says, it’s someone who deserves to be happy. Someone who deserves a fresh start. She’s making sure they have both of them. He says, that’s a good thing, not a selfish thing. She says, that’s what she tells herself, and sometimes she even believes it.

Sasha says she was helping Brando fix the carburetor, and Gladys says Sasha would risk her manicure to help out at the shop? Brando comes out from the office, and says he charged Sasha’s phone; it was losing juice. He sees Gladys, and asks what she’s doing there. She says she just came to check on her boy. It sounds like he had an interesting evening.

Martin says, he was hoping he and Laura could find a way past what happened on his birthday, but once again, like the Angel of Death, it takes Cyrus one minute to ruin everything. Cyrus says, relax, Marty. As soon as mother comes back, Laura will get over her anger. Martin says, do him a favor. Let’s review, shall we? In one way or another Cyrus is responsible for putting Laura’s daughter in a coma. Now Cyrus is trying to coopt her son. In what universe would Laura look at Cyrus with anything other than loathing?

Walking into Perdino’s, Valentin says, how much does Anna want to bet that Carly doesn’t wait around long enough for them to take down Peter? She says she doesn’t want to take that risk, and they go inside. They see Cyrus and Martin, and Valentin asks if Anna wants to go to the MetroCourt. She says, no. She wants to say hello. She goes over to their table, and Valentin follows. She says Valentin has been telling her how helpful Martin has been in establishing parental rights for Brook’s baby. She doesn’t think she and Cyrus have been formally introduced, and says she’s Anna Devane, Peter’s aunt. Cyrus smiles.   

Ava and Nikolas bask in the afterglow, and Nikolas says he needs Ava to believe that he’ll protect the ones he loves; his mother, Alexis, Spencer, especially her. Ava says, her whole life she had to protect herself, and he says she doesn’t have to anymore. He’s here for her, like she’s here for him. If he was in danger, wouldn’t she do everything in her power to save him? She says, in a heartbeat, and they get busy again.

On the phone, Carly tells Bobbie to put the guards on extra alert, and do it without scaring Florence… All right… She loves Bobbie too. The doorbell rings, and she says she has to go. Call her if there are any signs of trouble. She opens the door to Laura, who asks if something happened. There are more guards than usual. Carly says she’s just taking extra care. What did Laura want to see her about? Laura asks what it would take for Carly to surrender Florence, before someone gets hurt.

Cyrus says he’s pleased to finally make Anna’s acquaintance; her reputation precedes her. She tells him, don’t believe everything you hear, Mr. Renault. He tells her to call him Cyrus, if he may call her Anna, and she says, of course (🍷). Cyrus says he hears congratulations are in order. Valentin is going to be a new father again. Valentin says, how about that? Cyrus’s brother takes care of a lot of his interests, and will tell Cyrus that family means a lot to him. Cyrus says, as it does to all of them. Anna tells Valentin that she’s suddenly famished, and they go to their table. Martin asks, what the hell was that? All the pointed looks going back and forth, the least Cyrus could do for his brother is shout duck. Cyrus says, just marking their territory.

Valentin asks if Anna would like to explain that interaction, and she says, sometimes you just have to look your enemy in the eye to figure out your next move. He asks if she has, and she says, most definitely.

Carly asks if Laura has noticed that Port Charles has been fairly calm since Florence started her extended stay with friends, but Laura says, it’s not going to stay that way. Carly knows that already. Carly asks why Laura is saying that, and Laura says she was just talking to her brothers. Since they’re all family now, they feel free to share with her whatever is on their dysfunctional little minds. Carly says, which is? and Laura says, Martin was way too eager to make her believe he’d kept Florence’s location a secret, and Cyrus was too self-assured, even for him. Carly asks if he knows where Florence is, and Laura says she doesn’t think so – not yet – but she thinks Nikolas does.

On the phone, Nikolas asks if they found the find bakery… Excellent. Did they have subsequent orders for Southern desserts?… Bobbie Spencer? She’s the mother of one of the parties involved in Florence’s kidnapping. Does he have an address?… Terrific work, Colonel, thank you. When they arrive at the address, he wants them to establish a parameter, reconnoiter the area, but don’t make a move until he gets there. Understood?  Ava asks if Nikolas found her, and he says he’ll know soon enough. Ava asks why not order Colonel Jackson to take Florence the moment he finds her. Is Nikolas having second thoughts? He asks if he hasn’t convinced her to change her mind, to understand why he’s doing this, and she says, if she tells him that he hasn’t, will he call it off? He says, no, but he’d rather do this with her than without her.

An inmate suddenly plops between Alexis and Maggie, and they get up. Alexis says, it was the combination of a lot of booze and a lot of bad decisions that got her into this lovely location. Maggie says, and a few bad men? and Alexis says, one or two contributed. In the end, it was on her. Maggie says Alexis obviously knows how the parole board thinks. They want to hear inmates take responsibility for their actions, basically saying what they did was wrong, but they learned their lesson. Alexis says, it will be a while before she sees a parole board. What’s crazy is, she chose to plead guilty because she wanted to be accountable for the things she’d done. Not just for other people, but for herself. As naïve and insane as it sounds, after three years, she wants to walk out of this place a better woman. Elda approaches them, and tells Maggie, take a hike. Alexis says, it’s okay. Three’s a crowd. Maggie leaves, and the guard leaves with her. Alexis and Elda face each other.

Nina tells Sonny, thanks, but she’s going to the library to research the early days of Nixon Falls for the article. He says, since they’re both going to the firehouse dance, they should go together. Nina says she’d love to go with him, but Eli already asked her, and she said she’d go with him. He says he’s not surprised Eli beat him to it, and she says she’ll save him a dance. He says there are things she doesn’t know about Eli, and she says there are things Mike/Sonny doesn’t know about himself, and there are things he doesn’t know about her. He says, true, and she asks if he’s trying to tell her something. He says, will she save that dance? and she promises she will.  

Sasha thanks Brando for finding her phone, and Gladys tells her, next time, be more careful. She goes to the other side of the room, and Brando says, but not too careful. You might miss out on something good. He apologizes for his mom, but Sasha says, in her own way, Gladys is just trying to look out for him. She has to run, and he asks, who’s looking out for her? She says, she thought he was, calling him Mr. Stalker. He says, so his stalking is welcome now, and she says, maybe because she’ll also be stalking him. Unfortunately, I can see the Twitter reaction now being right up there with Baby, It’s Cold Outside. <heaving a heavy sigh over people being offended too easily and in any context>

Anna tells Valentin, it wasn’t until she was face to face with Cyrus, that she realized they weren’t entirely powerless. He asks if she wants to share what’s on her mind, and she says, poisoning an innocent, and holding on to the antidote for ransom is classic Faison (ha-ha! Faison Classic). It’s appalling, but not surprising that his son would follow his example. What Peter doesn’t realize is, the same tactics that brought down Faison, can bring him down too.

Martin says if Cyrus is grimacing at Anna, he advises him to stop. Cyrus says he’s smiling, and Martin says, Valentin is very protective of Anna, and he’s also very dangerous. Not in the hairy back, knuckle-dragging, let’s-break-their-knees way, familiar to the garden variety simians Cyrus employs. The last place Cyrus wants to be is on Valentin’s bad side. Cyrus says he’s counting on Martin to keep the peace between him and his client. As to Anna, what does Martin know about her? Martin says, he’s an attorney, not one of Peter’s muck-raking journalists, and Cyrus asks if Martin doesn’t find it fascinating. First, Anna was Peter’s mother; now she’s his aunt, and they’re not good terms. Apparently a lot of dirty laundry was spilled at the wedding that didn’t happen. It might prove useful as leverage. Martin says, to who? Against who [sic]? Cyrus’s new friend Peter? Why does he care about the man anyway? Cyrus says he doesn’t. Peter is merely a means to an end. And if it goes well, the end may soon be in sight.

Carly tells Laura, now it makes sense. Now she knows why Cyrus wasn’t upset when she rejected his offer to trade Florence for Jason’s freedom. He already had a plan in place with Nikolas. Laura says, she’s right then. Martin let something slip to Nikolas, so Cyrus is getting his mother back, but through her son. Carly asks if Nikolas doesn’t know he’s walking into a trap. Cyrus has all the power. This is what he does; creates danger, then offers to erase it. Laura says, and before you know it, he owns you, and Carly says, he did the same thing to Julian, and Nikolas is married to Julian’s sister. Can’t Nikolas see where this is headed? Laura says she’s not defending Nikolas, but Carly has taken risks to protect the people she loves. Carly says she knows; they both have. Even if Cyrus keeps his word, and protects Alexis in Pentenville, that’s great for Alexis, but it leaves Jason in an even worse position. Laura says, and it gets Nikolas in even deeper with Cyrus. Carly asks how they stop Nikolas.   

Nikolas talks to the Colonel again, and asks if he can overcome the Corinthos guards. Ava tells Nikolas, whatever he decides, she’s with him. He tells the Colonel to wait for his signal.   

Alexis tells Elda, crazy weather, huh? Elda asks who Alexis is calling crazy, and pins Alexis against the wall.  

On Monday, Curtis asks how bad someone wants to find out, Cyrus wants Martin to celebrate with him, Anna visits Jason, and Elda says she’s going to make sure Alexis remembers. And I don’t think Elda means her birthday.

🩺 By the way. John Stamos (ex-Blackie) was on Watch What Happens Live this week, and had nothing but wonderful things to say about the cast of General Hospital. No surprise.

💣 The Spy Who We Loved…

An upcoming tribute to John Reilly will include his real life daughter.

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/general-hospital-john-reilly-tribute-caitlin-reilly-casting-1234951545/

https://www.tvinsider.com/995144/general-hospital-john-reilly-tribute-episode-caitlin-reilly/

🎥 The Other Kendall…

Life beyond Pine Valley.

🕶 It Was the Bomb…

Emma Samms revisits my favorite soap time period. I loved all that spy stuff.

🖐🏽 Kardashian Kast-Off…

I have no doubt she didn’t hold back.

https://extratv.com/2021/04/13/lisa-rinna-s-unfiltered-reaction-to-daughter-amelia-dating-scott-disick/

👠 Look Out Imelda Marcos…

Spoiler: Tiffany has shoes that have never been worn, but just make her happy to look at.

https://pagesix.com/2021/04/13/rhod-star-tiffany-moon-gives-us-a-tour-of-her-closet/

😱 Can’t Blame Them…

I wouldn’t want my mother on RHOBH either.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1257794/why-paris-and-nicky-hilton-didnt-want-mom-kathy-to-join-rhobh

🐇 If Anyone Still Cares…

I watched The Girls Next Door. I read Holly Madison’s book. Like Kendra said, Dude, it’s 2021.

🎭 Broadway Game…

A mishmash of New York-ish entertainment news, including Game of Thrones coming to Broadway. I have mixed feelings.

https://pagesix.com/2021/04/06/game-of-thrones-headed-to-londons-west-end-in-2023/

🏆 Good Times…

Remember when life was maskless? Before we had to social distance? When at the Academy Awards meant people accepting awards in person? Remember when Anne Hathaway and James Franco screwed that up?

https://nypost.com/2021/04/15/why-anne-hathaway-and-james-franco-bombed-as-2011-oscars-hosts/

📜 You’re Invited…

But will there be an open bar?

🎺 Quotes of the Week

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind. – Bernard M. Baruch

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. – Confucius

The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. – Arthur C. Clarke

You cannot change anyone, but you can be the reason someone changes. – Roy T. Bennett

Rejection is an opportunity for your selection. – Bernard Branson

You’re going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it’s always their actions you should judge them by. It’s actions, not words, that matter.Nicholas Sparks

There has never been a time in my life where I have experienced deep grief and have not come out the other side of it completely new and fresh and wiser. – Glennon Doyle

Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.Marilyn Monroe

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. – Amelia Earhart

We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology. – Carl Sagan

Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response. – Arthur M. Schlesinger

🧳 Packing It In…

Putting on my copywriting hat, until I switch to Dead mode on Sunday night. If you want to check out my interrogation skills, my copywriting is featured on Mupo and Friends, at 2 pm on Sundays. This week’s guest is Han Soto from Cobra Kai, and you can catch it on YouTube or MupoEntertainment.com. Change up your weekend, or whatever you might call it these days, and until we next meet, stay safe, stay encouraged, and stay doing it for the right reasons if you must do something selfish.

April 12, 2021 – Peter Threatens Anna, a Return Guest On Deck & Sometimes

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna thanks Peter for coming back, and he says, it sounded urgent. She says, it is. They’ve reconsidered his offer. Peter says, the offer ended when he walked out the door. It’s too late. Valentin comes downstairs with a gun, and says he couldn’t agree more. Peter asks what Valentin is going to do; shoot him? In front of Anna, the one person who doesn’t want him dead? Valentin says he wouldn’t be so sure.

Britt goes to Maxie’s hospital room, and asks how the patient is. Maxie says, better. She’s finally feeling like she can breathe. Britt says, breathing is good, for Maxie and the baby. Maxie says, Britt’s idea was inspired, and Britt says, of course (🍷). She also told Peter that him pressuring Maxie is dangerous for the pregnancy, and Maxie needs bedrest, so he’s convinced her condition is serious. She’s laying the groundwork for Peter to believe the baby died. Maxie asks if it’s weird to fist bump over something like this, and Britt says, it is, but they do.

Jordan goes to the club, and asks if Curtis is there. He comes out from behind the bar, dripping wet, and she says, the place looks so good. He looks good. He says, so does she.  

Portia walks into an examining room, introducing herself, and realizes Taggert is there. He says, it’s not just her next patient; it’s her ex. Once again, Taggert isn’t Taggert. <sigh>

Michael knocks at Willow’s door, and she invites him in. He says he’s happy to ignore the mattress in the middle of the room, but there’s a mattress in the middle of the room. She says, it came in a weirdly small box. She was curious, so she opened it. She thought it might unfold gradually. He says, but it didn’t? and she says, no. It exploded in the middle of the living room. As usual, his timing is perfect. She asks if he thinks he can help her lug it upstairs, and he says, of course (🍷). He’ll be happy to. They get on either side, and Michael stands the mattress up. He says, before they do this, there’s something important he needs to tell her.

Finn goes with Chase to his apartment. He says he knows it didn’t go as planned, and Chase says, dinner is over. They survived. Can they just leave it at that? They go inside, and Finn asks if Chase is okay. Chase says he’s just tired… and hot. Is Finn hot? Finn says, no. He says Chase looks pale, and clammy. Chase says his stomach is hurting too. Finn tells him to sit down, and Chase says Finn doesn’t think he got food poisoning at the restaurant, does he? He wonders if they all got it, and says, it would suck.

Anna tells Peter, Valentin isn’t going to do anything to him. She is. She puts a stun gun to his neck, and he falls to the floor.   

Jordan says, so this is the new club. She can’t believe she hasn’t been there yet. Curtis asks what she thinks of the name, and she says, The Savoy; she likes it. It looks so beautiful. Congratulations. He thanks her, and she asks if he was holding out on her about his plumbing skills. He says if he had any plumbing skills, he wouldn’t be soaking wet. She picks up a towel, and starts to dry him off, but he stops her. He asks what she’s doing there, and she says, when he stopped by, she could tell he wanted to talk, but Taggert was there, so he left. She was just hoping he’d tell her now, since they’re alone. She takes his hands.

Portia says she’s surprised there isn’t a guard with Taggert, but he says they’re keeping tabs on him, showing her the ankle monitor. She asks if he’s sick, but he says he just wants his gunshot wound checked, in case there’s anything that will cause him grief. She says, like his death caused her and Trina grief? and he asks if she wants him to apologize again. She says, he’s forgiven. She can get him another doctor if it makes him more comfortable. He shakes his head, and she asks if he has a problem with her drawing blood. He says, if he recalls, neither one of them had a problem with that. Oh, snap. 

Michael asks Willow if they can put the mattress down, and she says, of course (🍷). What’s going on? He says, he and Sasha broke up. Maybe that’s not the right way to put it, since they weren’t fully back together. Willow says, they were trying, and he says, they mutually decided there was no future for them. She says she’s so sorry, and he says he is too. Sasha is an amazing person. They tried to make it work, and have what they used to have. She says, but they just couldn’t? and he says, no, so they’ve moved on. Now Sasha is a good friend, and he’s hoping to be that for her too. She says, wow. She thinks it’s awesome they were able to figure things out. It’s good to know where they stand. She asks if there’s something else, and he says, last night, they almost kissed. She says she remembers, and he says he completely respects that they’re at different places in their lives, but he’s leaving out a major part of the reason he realized things aren’t working out with Sasha. It’s because of her. They started with friendship, and taking care of Wiley together. They’re still both of those things, but it turned into more for him… a lot more. He had to tell her how he felt. He’s not putting any pressure on her, and he’s not asking her to make a choice between him and Chase… She says, stop. Just stop.

Finn gives Chase a bottle of water, and says he wants to take Chase’s temperature to see if he’s not coming down with something, but Chase says he needs sleep; he’s exhausted. Finn says, all right. He can take a hint. Chase says, thank God, and Finn asks Chase to promise he’ll call if it gets worse. Chase promises, and Finn says, drink a lot of water. Chase says, got it, and Finn tells him, feel better, and leaves.

As Valentin ties Peter up, Anna says she’d rather have Peter arrested and pay for his crimes, but he’s so skilled at covering them up, it’s not an option. Which brings them to this situation. Peter needs to know her priority is to keep Maxie and the baby safe. Peter says he’d never hurt Maxie and the baby, and Anna says she heard that from Faison all the time. Peter is turning into his father. His obsession with Maxie, he’s mistaking it for love, and it isn’t. It’s on her; her refusal to see him for who he really is. It’s her responsibility to fix it. Valentin says, no. He’s not letting her do that.

Britt asks if Maxie has thought about what happens next, and Maxie says, it’s all she thinks about. Britt asks, what’s the plan after Maxie gives birth? Who is she giving the baby to? Maxie says, she actually thinks she has the perfect solution. I think, hmm… Spinelli?

Portia tells Taggert, she’ll send his bloodwork off to the lab, and he says, great. She asks how he is otherwise, and he says, does she mean in general? She says, yeah, and he says he’s trying to get a semblance of his life back, and he’s meeting with his lawyer. He heard Trina got accepted at PCU; can she believe it? Portia says she believes Trina got in, but she can’t believe Trina is old enough for college. He says, it’s a trip for sure. He’s grateful for the job she did with Trina; he’s so proud. She says, her too. She guesses they did something right. She asks how it is living with Jordan, and he says, it beats the hell out of lock-up. It reminds him of old times when they were working on a job. She says she’s glad it’s working out, and he says it is for him. He’s not so sure about Curtis.

Curtis tells Jordan, when they decided to separate, he wanted to figure things out. What’s next, not just for him, but them in general. He was right in thinking they were due for a change, and when he got out of P.I. business, he bought this place. He’s excited to be prepping for opening day. He finally found his stride, and needed to see her to find out what was up between them. Jordan says, but Taggert was there. They could have gone somewhere else. He didn’t have to leave. Curtis says, he did.

Michael says he’s sorry, and Willow says she’s sorry to interrupt him, but she needed him to stop. She needs to say this while she still has the courage. From the moment they slept together in the nursery (which sounds kind of distasteful), it changed everything. He says, for him too, and she says she hasn’t had the guts to say it, or even admit it to herself until now. She doesn’t want to let go of what they have. She doesn’t want them to be friends or co-parents. She wants them to be together for real.  

Britt says she’s sorry. It sounded like Maxie said Spinelli. (Ding-ding-ding! I guessed right.) Maxie says she did, and Britt says Maxie wants to stash her baby with Spinelli? He’s the father of her other child. Maxie says, correct; it’s the perfect solution. Britt says, hello? Maxie isn’t getting over on a mean girl in high school. Maxie says she was the mean girl in high school, and Britt says Peter is obsessed with her. It’s like she pushed a button on his heat-seeking missile, and he’s locked in. Does she think he’ll buy what she’s selling? With all the work they’ve done, Peter will still be suspicious. They need to make sure the baby is unfindable. Maxie says, that’s not a word (FYI, it is according to spellcheck), and Britt says, Spinelli will be the first place Peter will look. Maxie will have to come up with someone else. Maxie says Britt is being bossy right now, and Britt says she’ll wait.

Valentin says Anna saw what she wanted to see, but he did too. He knew what Peter was capable of, but still let Peter manipulate him. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how they saw it. Peter is the reason they’re there. Peter chose to kill those people. He takes no responsibility, and lies. He’s trapping and manipulating Maxie, proclaiming his love for her. Peter tells Anna, they’re family, and Valentin says, shut up. Peter says he knows Anna cares about him; she knows him. Anna says she sees clearly now how he played them. She’s not interested in his phony act. The fact is, the man he held prisoner for five years, is being held in prison for something he didn’t do. She tells Valentin, let’s do this, but the doorbell rings. Valentin asks if she’s expecting someone; don’t answer. Anna says her lights are on, and her car is in the driveway. They’ll know she’s there. She goes to the door, and opens it to Finn.    

Maxie asks, what’s wrong with Robin? and Britt says, where to start. Maxie says, Robin and Patrick are amazing parents, and Britt says, Robin is Maxie’s cousin. Maxie says, so? and Britt says, if Spinelli is the first place Peter will look, Robin is the second. Besides, does Maxie really want her baby to be raised in such a sanctimonious household? Maxie says, Robin is like a sister, and it sounds like Britt is being judgy. She loves Robin and Patrick, and they’ll be great with Louise. Britt says, no; it won’t work. It can’t be someone Maxie knows. Maxie says, too bad they can’t wait. Britt could impregnate herself, and no one will know. Britt says she sees the gloves are off, and Maxie says, they were never on. Britt says she misses Rocco every day. She might be a sneaky bitch, but she doesn’t want Maxie to go through missing a child from her life, or be pulling out her hair if Peter gets his hands on the baby. They need to put on their thinking caps, okay? Maxie says, fine. She’s sorry. Britt says she knows.

Finn says, sorry to bother Anna, but Violet needs Bella… Her stuffed pig? Anna says she meant to bring it to the MetroCourt when they decided it would be a bad idea for Finn to come and get it. He says, it’s not such a bad idea. Can they talk?   

Valentin drags Peter to the basement, and duct tapes him to a chair. Peter says Valentin is a fine one to be lecturing him about obsession, when he was drooling the whole time. He should thank Peter. Valentin asks, why? and Peter says, Anna is finally game. She’s leaning on him, when she couldn’t stand the sight of him before. Now she’s his sidekick. How long before Valentin beds her? When he does, Valentin will know he owes it all to Peter. 

Anna asks how Finn is, and he says, okay; her? She says, okay, and he says, it was a strange night. Anna finds Bella behind a pillow on the couch, and gives the toy to him. She says, strange how? Was it a patient? He says, strange as in his family. He guesses she doesn’t read the paper, and she says she’s been a bit distracted. He says, Peter’s rag put their whole story on the front page, and she asks, why? What happened? He says, Chase is his son.

Chase sleeps, and opens his eyes to see Willow sitting on the end of the couch. She says she’s sorry she woke him, and he asks, what’s going on? She says she was wondering if she could move back in with him. She wants to pick up from where they left off before everything went wrong. Is it possible?

Willow tells Michael, as misguided as Chase was, it was still an honorable sacrifice. He was trying to help. He’s a good person, and she wanted to make it okay for him, but the truth is, she changed. In their time apart, her heart changed, and the way she saw Michael changed. There’s no going back, because when she’s alone and daydreaming about the future, she doesn’t see Chase; she sees Michael. It’s him. He’s the one.

Taggert tells Portia that he and Jordan were going over Cyrus’s file, when Curtis showed up. He seemed surprised, Portia says, which makes sense, since he was living there until recently. It was Curtis’s home with his wife, and Curtis and Jordan are still married. Taggert says he knows what she means; it had to be difficult. Curtis seemed like he had something to say, but backed off because he was there. She says, they split up because Jordan lied about Taggert, and he asks if that makes it his fault, but she says, it just makes it messy. He says he doesn’t want to get in the way of Curtis and Jordan patching things up, but it does make him wonder. She says, wonder what? and he says, would Portia feel the same? She says she has no idea what he’s talking about, and he says he knows she cheated on him, and he’s pretty sure it was with Curtis.

Jordan says, if Curtis thinks there’s something going on with her and Taggert, he’s wrong. It’s all work. He says, that’s the problem. She and Taggert share a closeness, an easy intimacy that he knows has nothing to do with sex or romance. It’s just two people with the same goal, and their eyes on the same prize. She asks, what’s wrong with that? and he says, nothing, but it’s a stark contrast. She and Taggert don’t have to keep secrets; there’s nothing they can’t share. He’s started to realize that will never happen with them. They love each other, but that level of trust and ease… He doesn’t think he’s ever felt that with her. She asks what he’s saying, and he tells her that he’s saying he thinks it’s time they got a divorce.

Portia says Taggert knew about her and Curtis? and he says he suspected, but how long had it been going on? She says, it was when Taggert took his last trip, when he was still undercover. Taggert says she was different when he got back. He knew her heart had been with someone else. He doesn’t blame her. The fact is, he wasn’t a good husband. Even when he was with her, he was absent. She says she never got the best part of him, and he says he left it open for her to look elsewhere. She tells him, Curtis never said anything, but put the blame on her for their split. Taggert says, it was his fault; he’s sorry. She says, her too, and they hug.    

Jordan says she never wanted to let work come between her and Curtis. They have everything else. He says, it’s not enough. Haven’t they proven that? He can’t withstand the secrets she’s forced to keep, or chooses to keep, thinking she’s protecting him. He loves her, and that will never change, but the trust is gone. He doesn’t see another way around it. To be perfectly honest, she never trusted him either. If she had, she wouldn’t have shut him out. She asks if he thinks she liked doing it, but he says he thinks she hated it. But he also thinks if she had to, she’d do it again, the first time something big pops up. It’s torture for both of them, and for both their sakes, he thinks it’s best if it ended.

Anna says, it’s quite a situation, and Finn says, it’s been interesting. She asks how he feels. Chase is his son. He says he should get back to Violet; he wanted her to have Bella before bed. She says, sure, and he starts to leave, but kicks something. He wonders if someone lost a wallet, and when he picks it up, Valentin’s driver’s license falls out. He says, never mind.

Valentin says Peter really is Faison’s son, trying to manipulate him with what he loves. Peter believes he’s a good guy, and always gets his way, but not this time. Peter is going to pay the price. Peter says Valentin thinks he knows Peter, but he’s about to learn something in a big way. When it all falls apart, Valentin will try to blame him, but he has an insurance policy.

Michael tells Willow, it changes everything, but they don’t have to change anything. If that makes sense. They have all the time in the world. She asks if he wants to take it slow, and he says he wants to be with her; however it works for her. She says he didn’t answer her question, and he says he doesn’t want to take it slow, but he can. Willow says she thinks they’ve both proved that, but now they don’t need to anymore. He says, they don’t, and they kiss.

Portia says she didn’t leave Taggert for Curtis. Curtis took off when she finally told him that she was married. They ran into each other again when she transferred there from Mercy. How did he figure it out? He says he is trained to notice these things, and she says, she and Curtis are friends now, and she’d never come between him and Jordan. She’s rooting for them, and wants them to make it. He says, him too.

Jordan says she adored being married to Curtis, and it kills her know he wasn’t happy. He says, sorry, but… and she says, don’t. Even if she disagrees that their problems are insurmountable, she’s not letting go of her career. He says he’d never ask her to do that. He truly believed him switching jobs and changing his life was the fix they needed, but when he saw Taggert at the house, it hit him that… She says, it’s not him; it’s her. They stand there, facing each other.

Michael gets up, and holds out his hand. Willow takes it, and they kiss. There’s a song part, and they get busy. Zzzzz…

Chase tells Willow, he’s been dreaming about this moment, and she says, her too. He asks, what about Wiley? and she says she can still be Wiley’s mother a few minutes away. It will be good for Wiley to have a mother who is truly settled and in love. He says he can’t argue with that. Welcome home. They almost kiss, but Chase wakes up.   

Finn asks if Valentin is there, but Anna says he’s not. He says, Valentin will probably be missing his wallet. Should he let Valentin know? She says, she will, and follows him to the door. She says she and Valentin have been working on a plan to stop Peter to prevent him from doing more harm. He says, good. He’s sure that’s as specific as she’s going to get. He tells her that she looks pretty, and starts to leave, when she says his name. He turns, and she says, tell Violet that she misses her, and sorry about Bella. She’s sure Violet missed Bella too. He says, don’t worry. Violet is getting used to it. He leaves, and Anna closes the door, outing her back against it.

Britt tells Maxie, okay, here’s the deal. When Louise is born, Britt will take her. Maxie says, perfect. Is Britt insane? Peter will see right through it. Britt says, let her finish. She’ll  make sure the baby goes to a good place, far away, with someone who knows it’s not an adoption, and at some point, will have to give the baby back. Most important, someone no one in Port Charles knows. Maxie says, where? How is she going to find that kind of person? Britt says she doesn’t know yet, but she’ll figure it out. When she does, she’s not telling Maxie. Maxie can’t know; it’s the only way for her to answer Peter honestly if he suspects the baby survived. Maxie says, what about Britt? She’ll know, and Peter will strangle the truth out if has to.

Valentin says he and Anna are going to make Peter disappear, and stay gone, as long as they need him gone. He’s going where no one will find him. Anna comes downstairs, and Valentin says, all clear? She says she has it covered, but she found this. She gives Valentin his wallet, and he says, it must have fallen out when he and Peter were struggling. Peter had some objections. Through the duct tape covering his mouth, Peter says, they’re making a fatal mistake. Anna rips the tape off his mouth, and he says, they think their plan is foolproof, but it’s not.

Portia says, even if Taggert wasn’t there – he says, he wasn’t – at least she had Trina. Trina is so happy Taggert is back in her life. Taggert says, for now, and Portia says, despite everything, she truly wants the best for him. She wants him to be happy. He takes her hand, and says, I got you, kid.

Jordan says she guesses this is goodbye, and Curtis says he wishes it wasn’t, but he doesn’t see it any other way. She starts to leave, and he says, wait. Can they have one more dance before they go their separate ways? She takes his hand, and they slow dance. There’s another song part, and she looks at him sadly. She holds him close, and cries.

Maxie tells Britt, if Peter even suspects the baby is alive, he’ll know Britt is in on it. What is she going to do if Peter comes after her? Britt asks if Maxie trusts her, and Maxie says, it shocks her to say it, but yes. Britt says, Peter will never know; she’ll never tell him. Maxie says she doesn’t think Brook is grasping the point she’s trying to make. Peter will kill Britt if has too. Britt says, then the secret dies with her.

Anna asks Peter what they forgot, and he says they’re not the only ones who can make plans. She asks what he means, and he says, if they go through with this, someone she cares about will die. I think Peter forgot something. Plans don’t always go as planned.

Chase calls the station, and says he’s not feeling so hot. He’s going to use a sick day tomorrow. He goes back to the couch, and gets under the blanket.

Willow and Michael bask in the afterglow. Willow says she almost didn’t buy the mattress. She went back and forth, but she’s glad she decided to get it. It’s now her most favorite mattress of all time. He says, his too, and they kiss.  

Tomorrow, Michael suggests he and Wiley move in with Willow, Curtis knows it’s the right decision, Brook could use a friend, and Peter says the only way it can be stopped is if they let him go.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Marina Lav, Croatia. We revisit Gary, Sydney, and Alli – the girls half-nakey and Gary full nakey – jumping off the side of the boat. They’re being loud about it too. Glenn hears the splash, and in his interview, he says, this is the reason he never had children. Sydney says, it’s effing cold, and Gary asks, who’s getting towels? The girls tell him that he has less to hide, and he makes a mad dash for the boat, hiding his weenie. He dries himself off, and gets towels for the girls. Back on the boat, Sydney looks for her phone, and Gary flirts with Alli by the indoor bar. No surprise, Sydney’s radar goes off and she finds them, and asks if they’re being mean to her. In Gary’s interview, he says he’s in a tight place. Sydney has feelings for him, but he doesn’t feel the same for her as he does for Alli. What does he do now? He doesn’t know. I suggest maybe keeping it in his pants. Sydney tells Alli that she likes Gary, but she’s not stupid; she knows they flirt. Alli says when they flirt, there’s a chemistry there , but then she’s… Sydney says Alli likes him, but Alli says, not that much. It’s not her thing, and it’s totally Sydney’s thing. Seriously, this is how they’re talking, but in their defense, they are drunk. Alli says she didn’t realize Sydney liked Gary as much as she does. She’s so sorry. They hug, and Sydney says she loves Alli. I think they’d probably be better off together than either one of them would be with Gary. Sydney wonders if they should wake up Gary, but Alli says, no; just you and me.

This doesn’t stop Sydney, who admits to being a terrible person. She stands at Gary’s cabin door, saying she shouldn’t do this. She looks in and says, they’re asleep. Since it’s 3 am, that shouldn’t be too much of a shock, and Colin asks, what’s going on? as Sydney climbs into Gary’s bunk. Gary is like, WTF? and she says she was told to come there. Is this how she usually gets a boyfriend? It’s very unattractive behavior. And desperate. Gary says he wants to f*** Alli, which can’t be any more clear, but Sydney says Alli doesn’t want him. He should give up on that. She says she hates that she likes him, and tells him that he could make the same money as he does in yachting. He can go to Florida and work for her, and have a family. I’m not sure if she means have children with her, or she wants him to be a part of the family she already has, but he says, okay. Now I’m not so sure he knows what he’s saying okay to.

The next morning, Gary asks what Sydney is doing in his bed, and JL (officially calling him that now, since it’s easier to type) sees all the clothing and mess they left behind on deck. He says, oy-yoi-yoi. Sydney says she doesn’t know why she’s in Gary’s cabin, and JL says, the boat is an effing wreck. Sydney says she hates herself; she has no self-control, and Gary says he’s going to lose it. Alli asks if they had sex, but Sydney says they just fell asleep.

JL tells Dani that he got woken up last night, and we see a clip of Alli bouncing into his cabin, and being loud. In Glenn’s interview, he says he’s not the most sympathetic to self-inflicted wounds, like having to work hard with a hangover. They can’t be dragging their asses. Daisy tells Sydney, all guys are idiots, which about sums it up.

They dock, and the guys stand on shore, having a smoke. JL tells Colin that he had a wild night, and Colin says he was in bed, then got woke up. On the boat, Sydney says she hates herself. Colin tells JL, there was some skinny-dipping fun last night, and Gary says he woke up with someone next to him. JL says Sydney is cling level 1000. In Colin’s interview, he says, Sydney is falling in love with Gary or something. it’s only been three weeks. He doesn’t get it. It’s Gary. Me neither, Colin. Sydney tells Alli, you can’t help who you fall in love with, and she and Alli whisper in their cabin. Gary comes by and listens in, and Alli says she doesn’t want Sydney to feel bad later. They see Gary, and tell him to go away. He says he’s starting work, and Sydney leaves. He tells Alli, Sydney was being silly last night, jumping in his bed while he was sleeping. Alli says, bullsh*t, and in her interview, she says, back in Australia, when someone is upsetting her, she eliminates them. I’m hoping she means figuratively. She says she’s strong in doing it, but in this environment, there’s no escape. She tells Gary that he slept with Sydney, and she knows how that makes a girl feel. Gary says, he told Sydney to go, but Alli says she knows Sydney likes him, and she went to his bed. Gary says he’s effing pissed off, and Alli tells him to f*** off, calling him a POS.

Gary tells Sydney that he’d like a quick chat. He went to bed alone, and woke up with her next to him. She says he didn’t, and he asks what gives her that right? She says she thought they had a conversation, but she doesn’t remember. Gary tells her, he’d said it was his cue to go to bed, and he woke up with her there. It won’t happen again. She says, sorry, and in Gary’s interview, he says he put himself into this situation, by hooking up with his deckhand, but he thought he’d made it clear where they stand.

Glenn calls Daisy, Gary, and Natasha to the crew mess for a preference sheet meeting. The primary is Frank Marini. Glenn says, he’s been on board before, but the charter was all guys, and it was like a testosterone competition. We flash back to shrimp cocktail guy, and Glenn says Frank was the most chilled of the group. This time, he’s bringing his wife Jessica, who’s a proudly self-proclaimed trophy wife. Natasha reads that Frank’s favorite cuisines are Italian, American, and Japanese, and he’s fond of an American style breakfast. Glenn says, that’s an Important point, and Natasha needs to nail it. She also reads, don’t feed him any of Aiden’s (another guest) vegan food. Daisy reads that he wants a night of Black Jack and poker, and wants the crew to join in. Gary says he loves gambling, and Daisy says he can host it.

The boat is cleaned, and Glenn says he’s going to check the tender hose. Daisy tells Dani, she feels bad for Natasha, but she’s embarrassed about the egg thing. She’s going to try to be more constructive. In the galley, Natasha says she’s overthinking things. In her interview, she says she felt a bit defeated by the second charter. When she left for Europe, her grandma had just died, and she’d been like Natasha’s mom. Natasha was starting a new journey, and didn’t have her. It was tough. She almost cries, and does that hand wave thing. She says she’s no longer a scared girl, and can chose to be positive or negative. She’s ready to kill the next charter. Provisions come in, and Colin gets parts for the tender. He hopes to have the tender up and running, and works on it with Gary. Gary says what happened with Sydney was his fault in the first place. He needs to have a proper word with her. Colin finishes up with the tender, and says he’s proud of himself for the repair job.  

Dani asks JL if he needs a hug, but he’s not ready for that right now. He tells Alli that he values his sleep when he gets it, and she says she’s sorry, but she didn’t know he was asleep. She says she didn’t appreciate it when he told her, f*** off, but he says he told her more than once, and she kept egging him to come out. He says he’s all good, but it seems like she’s not happy. She tells him that she’s saying she’s sorry, but he’s still going, wah-wah-wah. He asks if he’s supposed to say he’s sorry, and she says, yeah, for telling her to f*** off. He says he’s sorry for the language he used, and goes upstairs, saying, feelings are too tight around here. Alli says she doesn’t want issues, and goes to the bathroom, where she cries, and says she’d struggling. Gary finds her, and suggests they just get through the charter. She says, the negative energy is weighing on her, and she just wants to be friends. He says, no problem.

Colin tells Gary that Alli was spewing all this stuff, and Gary says she told him to f*** off. Colin says, she’s crying now, and we hear Alli in the bathroom, saying she feels like she’s at her breaking point.

3 hours before charter. Alli tells Daisy, the interruption with Gary was so effing uncool. Her pa has been on her mind, and she’s been on the brink of tears. Daisy hugs her, and Alli says she just needs a moment. She’s been holding it in. Daisy says she’s brave, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Gary is a sh*thead for stirring drama. It’s going to be a long day. Alli says she’s totally present, and they jump around saying they’re okay.

Everything sparkles. Gary asks Alli to come up and talk, and she says she was pissed off earlier because she’d been holding in her grief. That’s why she had a disagreement with him. It’s the last thing she wanted when she was feeling vulnerable. He says he felt bad; he knows she’s going through a tough time. Friends? They hug, and I can’t believe the lines that come out of this dude’s mouth. He says he’s there for her, and I roll my eyes. Glenn tells the crew to be ready to go in twenty minutes. Gary tells Sydney that he’s sorry for how he spoke to her. He shouldn’t have talked like that, regardless of how pissed off he was. Sydney says, no excuses. She fully apologizes. It’s a line they shouldn’t have crossed. They agree they’re okay, and Gary pats her on the shoulder, a step down from the hug-pat. Everyone goes out to meet the guests.

Glenn welcomes the guests back, and everyone introduces themselves. Daisy gives the tour, and Natasha says she’s upset. She thought they’d have eye-candy. Dani says she thought they were both personal trainers, and in Alli’s interview, she says she’s usually attracted to the guidos. They’re usually a little wild, then turn out to be a bit much. Guest Aiden says, if he orders a white wine spritzer, punch him in the head. Daisy serves drinks, and the boat goes out to sea. Glenn puts the sails up, and says, the further up, the smaller the gap between islands. They might have to do some funneling. I love how they always play cliché seafaring music in the background when they boat sails. Natasha tries to field whatever is falling in the galley, and Daisy says, the guests are the reason she doesn’t date Americans. She won’t be finding the love of her life on this boat.

Aiden calls guest Anthony an ignorant idiot for not remembering Daisy’s name. He said it, not me. Some of the guests jump off the side of the boat, and everyone gets ready for dinner. Daisy tells Dani, the mindset is different. It feels totally calm. Natasha tells Colin that her spirit animal is a phoenix; it rises from the ashes. In her interview, Natasha explains that the plating isn’t her idea, but was inspired by her favorite chef. She wants to exhibit the art of presentation with her plating skills. The table is really pretty, with tiny white lights in the centerpiece. The guests are seated, and service begins. Natasha says she’s displaying the colors of Italy with the deconstructed salad, and Jessica says it looks like art. Aiden says he might propose to her. Frank says, they’ve been on other cruises, and it’s by far the best food they’ve had. In Natasha’s interview, she says she’s back in her zone. Colin wonders who Gary’s next hook-up is gong to be, and JL says, Alli. He tells them that he made out with Danni, and Gary slaps his hand because we’re in middle school. Colin says he’s embarrassed at how much he’s enjoying this gossip sh*t, and leaves to see if the girls need help. Gary says Colin is making him feel like a d*ck, and follows. They do dishes, and Daisy tells Dani, it’s helpful having so much help in the galley. Thanks, Captain Obvious. She says, Colin took the initiative, and didn’t even offer; he just did it. Colin tells Gary that he doesn’t want to end up being the dishes guy, and I tell him, too late for that. You helped. Now it’s your job. He wonders if they should lock the door to keep Sydney out.

Alli and JL talk, and she says she thinks it’s best if Sydney doesn’t continue down this path. In Sydney’s interview, she says, it’s a sucky situation. It hurts. You break up with someone and you still have feelings, and it’s hard. I try to figure out how it’s classified as breaking up when you were never really dating. She tells Alli that she’s closest to Gary on the boat. She works with him the most, and she likes having someone. Alli says Sydney needs to change that. The guests hang out in the hot tub, and Dani asks JL who he would pick; Sydney or Alli? He says he already picked her. Good answer for a middle schooler. He tells her that he’s more comfortable on a motor yacht. There’s not as much sh*t to do. In Dani’s interview, she says she likes working late with JL. It’s just them, and they don’t have to hide anything. They kiss on the steps.  

Ciovo, Croatia.  Sydney replaces JL on deck duty. She says, the boat is filthy. JL is supposed to be doing a full rinse down, but nothing on the list is getting done. She’s not sure what he’s doing, and we see him sleeping. Natasha makes a coffee cake ring. Mmm… Daisy tells Alli that their service is so good, but Natasha doesn’t listen. She wants to tell Natasha about the portions being too large. Anchor is home, and Frank asks Glenn if it’s always this quiet in the morning. Glenn says, it is, and Frank asks if his guys are giving the crew a rough time, but Glenn says, they’re great. The guests sit for breakfast, and Daisy takes orders. Jessica orders, one egg over easy, and I wonder, why bother? Daisy gives Natasha the orders, and Frank says, the chef is probably cursing him right now. Instead of over easy, Natasha gives Daisy a scrambled egg. In Daisy’s interview, she says she should put her foot down, but Natasha won’t listen. She could make Natasha’s life easy. She knows the answer, but they’ll do it Natasha’s way. No surprise, the egg comes back, and in her interview, Daisy says, another sh*t breakfast with sh*t eggs. Natasha tells Daisy, it’s over easy to her, but Daisy says, to her, it’s scrambled. In Natasha’s interview, she wonders why breakfast is stigmatized with eggs. I don’t think that word means what she thinks it means. She says let her make them something to eat that’s not effing eggs. Jessica says the new egg is perfect, and Anthony thinks the chef forgot about him. She’s probably using a single skillet. He says he’s going to head down to the galley in a little bit, and ask what’s going on. Eggs are a staple. I’m with him on that. I eat them every day, and make them for my dogs every day.  

Anthony starts to wonder if the eggs are being hatched (ha-ha!), and Daisy finally brings his order. Jessica says she’s getting on her bathing suit, and leaves the table. Anthony says he’s easy going, but likes his eggs every day, and Aiden calls him a diva. The water toys are put out, along with the NautiBuoys. Anthony and Aiden take out the jet skis, and Anthony stalls out. When they come back, Aiden asks Daisy if it would be a problem for them to look in the galley, and Daisy gives them a behind-the-scenes tour. She takes them to the galley, and says, this is where the magic happens. She shows them the crew cabins, and the laundry, where Dani says, exciting stuff. Aiden says they’re seeing how the other half lives, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, God, let this be over with. She forgets to leave the trap door open, and locks Colin in the engine room, which everyone finds hysterically funny. Okay, it is, kinda.

Frank asks if they can move dinner up to 8:15 from 9, and Daisy asks Natasha, who says, no problem. Gary hugs Alli, and she says he’s good at hugs. Bleh. He tells her that he’s trying to make her feel better. Please. Stop. Daisy tells Natasha, her only constructive criticism is that the portions should be smaller. Natasha says the portions weren’t too big, and Daisy tries to explain that the guests thought they were, but Natasha won’t have it. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Natasha is obnoxiously confident, and she hates it. Natasha gripes to Dani that Daisy claimed she was giving constructive criticism, and saying Natasha was making too much food. She can f*** off. In her interview, Natasha asks, who told Daisy this? (Um… the guests?) She’s worked in restaurants that served twenty-course meals; she knows what portion sizes the guests need. She tells Dani, she’s not down for this bullsh*t. If Daisy wants her to be a bitch, then she’ll be one.

Natasha will still never hold a candle to Rachel’s batsh*t craziness.

Next time, Dani and JL make out some more, Sydney says she’s constantly picking up after JL, and Dani tells Gary to go f*** himself.

Rollin’ On the River…

A cup or two of tea at the hospital tomorrow, since I’ve given up on ever being able to watch The Real Housewives of Dallas. However, Pooch Perfect is on Tuesday night, followed by a two-hour Big Sky. I’ll be DVR’ing those, since my TV watching will be rudely interrupted by the weekly meeting of MupoEntertainment.com. If you’ve got a minute, take a look at the site. My articles on entertainment can be found in the magazine section. You can also see some great interviews with some very interesting people on Mupo and Friends, both at the site, and on YouTube. Okay, that’s a plug for me too, since I write the interview questions. But no matter what, stay safe, stay supportive, and stay away from giving Natasha constructive criticism. She doesn’t respond well to it.

February 23, 2021 – The FBI Talks To Carly and Jax, a Cuppla Things, Cameron’s Hair, Sober Filming, Terrified Teresa, Karate Return, 24th Anniversary, Globe Moments, Celebrating Drew, Today’s Fact & Duke’s

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

I missed the beginning, since that’s the way the week is going, but what happened was… Carly met Diane in the PCPD interrogation room to go over what Carly was going to say to the FBI. Diane said Carly should stick to her original statement, and say Nina misheard them. Maxie found Nina at Crimson, and said she’d heard about what happened at the cemetery, and Nina told her about Jax and Carly knowing Nelle was her daughter. Jax met Alexis at the café, and she said it seemed like he had something on his mind. Michael told Willow about Nelle being Nina’s daughter, and how Nina thought Carly was responsible for Nelle’s death. Anna and Finn were getting ready to look for Obrecht, but Finn had to deliver Peter’s tux to him first. When he left, Valentin showed up, and Anna said she could tell he didn’t have good news. He said their suspicions about Peter were right, and it was worse than they feared. Britt met Obrecht in the club Curtis is thinking of buying. Obrecht showed up wearing a dark fedora and trench coat, looking like a spy, and Britt told her the sparrow had landed. Peter went into the apartment, dropping the mail on the table, but not noticing the envelope from Dimitri Marick. Then I sat down, and…

Diane tells Carly, they’re going to want to interview Jax. Is there any chance he had second thoughts about backing her? Carly says he told Nina that they’d talked to the authorities before they found out Nelle was Nina’s daughter. They all felt bad, before Nina went off at Sonny’s grave, which is exactly why they chose not to tell her. Diane says, and here we are. They should have told Nina the moment they discovered it; it would have saved them a world of pain. Carly says, Jax devested Nina, and Diane says, that’s her point. Will Jax think Carly is more deserving of his protection than Nina is?

Jax tells Alexis that Nina was searching for her daughter, when he and Carly found out Nelle was Nina’s daughter. They chose not to tell her, but the truth came out. Alexis says, it inevitably does, and he says Nina felt betrayed. She’d misinterpreted his conversation with Carly, and went to the authorities. Her statement was given to the FBI. Alexis says, about? and Jax says, the night Nelle died. She says he knows attorney/client privilege is no longer a thing for her, and he says he’ll just say, certain facts were simplified to protect certain people. She says, in other words, Carly. Don’t tell her. He says he can confirm Nelle’s death was an accident; their original statement was simplified. That’s why they were… She says she’s not able to give him advice, and he says he understands. She says, simplifying can make him sound like the biggest criminal. Why further incriminate himself? Just her two cents. He says he appreciates it, but she says he seems to have reservations. He says he was wondering what’s the best thing for Nina.

Nina tells Maxie, she talked herself into believing that once Jax realized he was keeping Wiley from her, he would tell her the truth. She was looking for him to salvage… something. When she found him, he was with Carly, and they were talking about Nelle’s death on the cliff. Carly was there, and when Nelle fell, Jax encouraged Carly to keep quiet. Maxie says, Jax told Carly to lie, not the other way around? and Nina says, she had no intention of confronting him. She wanted to go someplace private, but of course (🍷) Carly needed Jax. Maxie tells her, don’t get mad, but they were at Carly’s husband’s funeral. Nina says she should have heard Carly. She thinks Carly was happy that she made a scene, so Carly would have an outlet for her anger. She knows it wasn’t the right place or time, but she swears everything she said was true.

Obrecht asks what sparrow Britt is speaking of, and Britt says, herself. Anna isn’t the only one deserving of a code name. Obrecht asks, what code name? and Britt says, scarecrow. Obrecht says, that’s not a code name. It’s an epithet of scorn and derision. Britt says the scarecrow confronted her, demanding to know where Obrecht was, and Obrecht says, Britt said nothing? Britt says, of course (🍷) the sparrow remained silent, but the scarecrow revealed more than she intended. She was trying to determine Obrecht’s whereabouts, by asking questions of the WSB. Obrecht asks what the WSB told Anna, and Britt says Anna thought they were stonewalling her, but that’s just her amateur suspicion. Obrecht says, no doubt Anna isn’t used to being kept in the dark, and Britt says Anna warned Peter that Obrecht was on the loose. Anna didn’t say that to her, but if she hasn’t told him, it’s only a matter of time. Obrecht says, perhaps it’s what she does with the time that matters.

Valentin tells Anna, before he says anything, he’ll give her a choice. She can drop this, and let her questions about Peter lie, believe he’s the man she wants him to be… Anna says, or the truth. Why does he want her to know? Is he somehow incriminated? He says, for once, Peter’s actions have nothing to do with him, other than being the man who started Peter on this path. Anna says Valentin did what he did, but didn’t make peter the man he is today. Neither did Faison, Alex or her; he’s his own person. He says she wants to believe Peter is someone else, someone better, and she says Valentin knew Peter was lying to her all along, didn’t he?

Britt says she doesn’t get why Obrecht is being under the radar, unless it’s to wear that get-up; it’s fabulous. Obrecht preens, and says, danke. Britt says, Obrecht was cleared of all charges and released. It’s not as exciting as prison, but it’s less stressful. Obrecht says she’s not avoiding law enforcement; it’s for the element of surprise, so she can trap and unmask Henrik. Britt asks, how? She hasn’t been able to prove anything. Obrecht says, no one that dirty can cover up everything. The proof is out there. Britt says, Obrecht wants revenge, and Obrecht says, of course (🍷), but she wants to protect Maxie and James even more. She swore on Nathan’s grave that she would. Britt says she’s not the only one swearing on Nathan’s grave. She was there the other day and ran into Peter, who was making a few promises himself.

Finn goes to Maxie and Peter’s apartment, and asks if Peter is ready to do this. Peter says, bring it on, and Finn hands him a garment bag. Magically, they’re dressed in black tie, and Peter says, too much? Finn says, maybe, but he looks good. Peter says, look at them, ready to tie the knot, and Finn says, it’s amazing what the love of a good woman will do.   

Jax tells Alexis, Nina’s pain had unintended side effects. He had to take steps to protect Carly and Josslyn. She says, if he takes Nina’s side, it will give credence to her claim, and asks if there’s any hard evidence. He says, no, and she asks if there were any witnesses. He says, no, and she asks how Nina would benefit by him not sticking to his story. He says, Nina would know he’s on her side.

Nina tells Maxie that she was getting angrier, and lost her composure. She could feel the stares, followed by the cringes. Maxie says, as someone who can share in public cringe-worthiness, solidarity, sister. Nina says she hears that. They were thinking, there’s crazy Nina, having a breakdown again. They should have focused on what Jax and Carly did. That’s why she went to the Commissioner, and told her everything they did. Maxie says, she turned them in? and Nina says, someone has to hold Carly responsible for killing her daughter.

Michael tells Willow, Nelle’s death was an accident. His mother didn’t cause her fall, but But Nina went to the FBI (actually, she didn’t, Jordan did, but I’ll let it pass), and told them a crime was committed. Now they want to interview his mother. Willow says, Nina went for the worst possible course of action, lashing out at Wiley’s other grandmother. Willow tells him, her relationship with Nina has been rocky at best, but then Nina testified at Wiley’s custody hearing. He says, a game changer, and she says, Nina showed up out of compassion for their child. Everything Nina did for Wiley happened before she knew Wiley was her grandson. She may be acting badly now, but people do awful things when they’re grieving. Maybe it will help Nina and Wiley to let them know each other.

Maxie asks if Nina is trying to get the case reopened, and Nina says, damn right. Maxie says that she gets that Nelle is Nina’s daughter, but she was also a raging psychopath. She made Michael and Carly’s lives hell for years. Nina says she’s not excusing Nelle’s litany of crimes, but she was also a person. As her mother, shouldn’t she want to know how Nelle died? Maxie says, of course (🍷), but the question Nina should be asking, is how Nelle became the person she was. Nina says she already knows the answer. Her mother gave Nelle away, and she was raised without any love by a man – Nina starts to cry – who literally sold her for parts. She sits at her desk, crying, and Maxie sits opposite her. She says she can’t imagine what Nina is feeling now, knowing what Nelle went through, and that there was nothing she could do to stop it, but lots of people live difficult lives and experience terrible abuse and hardships, and they still manage to be good people. There came a point where Nelle stopped being a victim of circumstance, and decided to hurt people. Nina wonders if Maxie is saying she should drop it; cut Jax and Carly out of her life. Maxie tells Nina, that’s not for her to say, but she thinks Nina should ask herself, if she was Carly, and saw Nelle go over the cliff, would her first thought be to help her? Or would she be thinking, is Nelle going pull her over the edge if she tries?

Carly whines to Diane that the Feds are going to look for any inconsistency that leads to obstruction of justice just because she’s Sonny’s wife… Sonny’s widow. Diane says, Sonny left behind an allegedly successful enterprise, that’s at present unprotected. Any prosecutor could use the case to uncover it. Carly says, there is no case to make. She’s sticking to her statement.

Alexis asks Jax if he wants some hard earned life advice, and he tells her, go ahead. She says, throwing yourself under the bus because you want to prove you care is not all it’s cracked up to be. He thanks her, and says he should get going; he’s already late. She says, the Feds don’t like to be kept waiting. Does he know what he’s going to do? He says he thinks so.

Obrecht says, Henrik visiting the sacred ground her Nathan is buried in is abhorrent. She hopes Britt spat on him. Britt says she did one better. She talked about how good and decent Nathan was, and how that’s what Maxie loved about him. Obrecht says, it’s moments like these that make her proud, and asks how he responded. Britt says, it bugged him, but he never veered the whole time, giving his I am not my father’s son mantra. Obrecht says, let him believe that, and Britt asks if she ever thinks Peter will follow in their father’s footsteps. Obrecht says, he’s a liar and a murderer, but he’s no Caesar. Britt says, maybe he doesn’t need to be. Maybe he just needs to be a good enough bad guy that even Obrecht won’t catch him. What then?

Valentin says he told Peter that Obrecht had been released, and was probably heading for him, and Anna says, and he admitted to framing her? Valentin says, he did, and arranged the hit on Franco. She wonders why he’d arrange a hit just to abort it, and Valentin says, a fit of conscience, a change in strategy. She asks why he’d order a hit on Franco in the first place, and Valentin says, Franco was having a procedure to reverse the one that had given him Drew’s memories. A possible outcome might have been the memories becoming more intense and vivid. She says, Drew knew something that Peter didn’t want to be common knowledge, and he says, Peter is good at making people disappear who get too close to the truth. She says, he tried with Andre, and Valentin says, he arranged the attack on Andre. That means… She says, he arranged for Drew’s plane to go down.

Nina tells Maxie that Jax and Carly repeatedly lied to the authorities. She’s not wrong to want them to face the consequences. Maxie says she gets that, but she doesn’t know that sending them to prison will give Nina the peace she needs. Only Nina knows that. Nina says Maxie is right. She’s been so focused on making sure they were punished, she wasn’t thinking about Josslyn or Donna. She doesn’t want another child deprived of their parent. Maxie says, there’s one child she hasn’t talked about, who’s waiting for the avalanche of love Nina has stored up. Nina says, Wiley, and Maxie says, don’t tell her that she hasn’t thought about it. Nina says, it’s all she can think about. She’s going to spend time getting to know him. Maxie says if Nina keeps the focus on Wiley and the world she wants with him, she knows Nina will get it. Nina says Maxie is a good friend, and Maxie says, not friend – family. She made a promise with Nina and Britt over Nathan’s grave; together, no matter what. No matter what, she has Nina’s back. Now, she has a hot date with her groom-to-be.    

Obrecht tells Britt, Henrik is weak. He believes he’s worthy of having the scarecrow as a mother, and worthy to take Nathan’s place. He’s desperate to maintain that belief, but he forgot, sooner or later, he’s going to crack. Britt says, all she’s hearing is posturing. Tell her that there’s an actual plan. The wedding is almost on top of them. Obrecht says Britt is right. The operation is moving too slowly. It’s time to confront the beast in its lair.

Finn tells Peter, it probably sounds incredibly corny, but being in love with Anna and being loved by her changed his life in a way he never thought possible. Peter says he never had a maternal presence in his life, and now… Finn asks if he remembers the time without it, and Peter says, quite well, too well. It’s a life he never wants to go back to. Since they’re being corny – Finn says, fire away – sometimes he thinks if there weren’t a mother in his life, he wouldn’t have changed course. He was headed down a dark road, and he’s grateful to put it behind him. Marrying Maxie, and bringing their daughter into the world is the final step in closing the door on the life he had before he met Anna.

Michael tells Willow, someone is making a strong argument for more stories, and she asks if it’s any story in particular, or should they make up a new one? What does daddy think? He says he thinks nothing makes him happier than seeing her with Wiley, and she says she’s pretty sure she knows someone else who would like to see him. He says he knows Nina deserves to see her grandson, but he doesn’t know if it’s the right time. She says, Wiley might fill the hole in Nina’s heart, and bridge the chasm between her and his mother, and he says, the little guy does have a way of bringing people together.

A man walks into the interrogation room, and says he’s Special Agent Wilson from the FBI. He’s there to follow up on some accusations by Nina Reeves regarding the death of Nelle Benson. Diane says they’re eager to cooperate, and he says, then he’ll begin. Nina stated she overheard a conversation between Jasper Jax and Carly, where Carly stated she was present when Nelle fell to her death. Is that true? Diane says, sorry. Is he asking if the statement is true, or if it’s true they had this alleged discussion? Is it the discussion of the event, or the event itself? Wilson apologizes for being unclear, and asks if Carly stated she was present at the time Nelle fell. Carly tells him, she never said that, and he asks if she was present when Nelle fell. She says she stands by her original statement, and he says he’s sure her more than capable attorney advised her to answer yes or no questions with a yes or a no. So was she present when Nelle fell to her death? Carly says, no. He asks about what Nina heard, and Carly says Nina was mistaken about what they were discussing. He says, if they weren’t discussing the events surrounding Nelle’s death, what were they talking about? and Carly says she has no idea. They were laying her husband to rest, and outside of Nina’s outburst, the day was a blur. He says, tell him again what happened on the night in question, and Carly says, she caught up with Nelle in the clearing. They fought, Nelle took off, and she never saw Nelle again. He asks where Jax fits into the scenario, and she says, he showed up after she scuffled with Nelle. He asks if she has anything she’d like to add, and Carly says, no. He thanks her, and asks them to wait outside. Jax is in the squad room, and Wilson tells him, come on in. Carly looks panicked.

Finn sees Alexis at the Bistro, and she says, the groom to be. The day is fast approaching. He says, that it is, and she asks if he’s happy or dreading it; it’s hard to tell with him. Finn sits with her, and says he’s dreading the crowds, and socializing in general. He learned a secret though, Violet taught him that the fuss is really about everyone else. Violet is loving every minute of it, so he guesses he is happy. For him. How about her? She looks happier… happyish. She says she’s had three of these, indicating her coffee cup, and has one of these. She shows him her AA chip, and he says he’s proud of her. He asks if it’s okay to say that, and she says, yeah, but she’s not too proud. It’s her second one for 24 hours in less than a week. Finn looks at it, and says he is proud of her. He believes in her. He knows how hard it is to start day one. If she ever needs a friend, he’s there.

Obrecht tells Britt, there’s been a fortuitous turn of events. She pretended to be a potential advertiser, and inquired about Nina’s assistant Maxie. She found out Maxie has dinner plans with her fiancé tonight, presenting her with the prefect opportunity. Britt says, for what? and Obrecht says, to pay a visit to Maxie and Peter’s home. What a pity they won’t be there. She and Britt laugh.

Wilson asks Diane and her client to join him and Jax in the interrogation room.  

Valentin tells Anna. Peter has been working hard to cover up the true nature of his crimes, which brings them back to Franco. Anna says, Franco has been hearing Peter’s voice in his head, which is really Drew’s memory. Valentin says, Franco’s tumor retuned, so Peter blasted it all over the internet. Anna says, to discredit Franco, and Valentin says, in case he figured out what he was remembering. The only time Drew would have remembered Peter’s voice when he was connected to Shiloh and Cabot… was when they were in Afghanistan. Anna says, right, so Peter was really working with Faison and Helena all along. Valentin says, Peter may have told him months ago, but he didn’t say anything because Anna believed that was in the past, and Peter had been redeemed. He realized that redemption was a lie. She says, it was clear to everyone; to Robert and Jason, and Finn. She blinded herself to who Peter really is, and that makes her just as culpable for the harm he’s done.

Anna says she was thinking about something Alex said, after she shot her. She said the reason she gave Anna the memories of Peter was so she’d protect him, but she didn’t do that. Valentin says, nonsense. He’s the one who delivered Peter to his father. She says she doesn’t mean that; it’s not the entire reason. Cabot’s memory transfer caused her to believe Peter was her son; hers to rescue and raise the same way she did Robin, but she didn’t. She decided she preferred to carry the guilt, and turned her back on him, and that was the reason Alex hated her so much. He says, take it from a man who has to make up for damage that he’s done; Peter’s life ain’t on her. They sit, and Anna takes his hand. She says, okay. Peter’s done what he’s done. The question now is, what do they do about that? He says, take their heads out of the sand; ask the tough questions. Anna says, what’s the point of protecting Peter when he’s putting those they most love at risk? We see she has tears in her eyes.   

Finn hands Alexis’s chip back to her, and she says, say something. He says, maybe, but don’t argue. She says, he doesn’t want to argue? and he says, okay. She’s one of the most brilliant, capable, and kind people he’s ever met. She says he always has her back, and he says he always will. He wants her to treat herself the way she treats other people. Back the hell off, and leave his friend alone. She deserves better. He says he wants her to do what it takes, lean on who she needs to lean on. Crawl, scream, do what she has to in order to get through, but get through. She deserves better.  

Peter’s phone rings, and he says, Anna. If she’s looking for Finn, he just left. She says she was hoping to talk to him. Can he come by the house? He says, sure. He’s about to meet Maxie, but if it’s important… She says, it is. It’s important that they talk.

Maxie sees Britt at the club, and Britt says, fancy meting her there. This place is great. They have an impressive selection of mocktails. Does Maxie want to sit and have a baby-friendly drink? Maxie says, sure, before Peter gets here. It’s their last date night. Britt says she can’t wait, and Maxie says she’s been thinking about Britt. She was just talking to Nina. Her sister Georgie is gone, and Lulu is out of commission. She and Nina were remembering when they made that promise in Nathan’s memory, and it’s good to know that she has sisters looking out for her again.

Obrecht breaks into Maxie and Peter’s apartment. We see the envelope from D. Marick on the table with the mail.  

Wilson says he wants to speak to both Carly and Jax. In the absence of hard evidence, and no witnesses, they have no reason to pursue the case. The case will remain closed. He thanks them for their cooperation, and Diane thanks him. She asks if he’d like to go brief the Commissioner together, and they leave. Carly says, thank God it’s over, and Jax says, the legal part. Nina isn’t happy. Carly says she doesn’t care, and she doesn’t feel bad. Jax says she has every right to be angry and upset, but he’s just saying, there’s going to be fallout.

There’s a knock at Nina’s office door. Willow and Michael come in with Wiley, and Michael says they were wondering if Nina was up for a visit. Wiley waves at her in all his cuteness. 

Tomorrow, Olivia tells Alexis that she has five minutes, Anna thinks it’s time she and Peter face the truth, and Carly tells someone if they don’t play their cards right, it will be their last.

🤹‍♀️ A couple of random things. While I didn’t see The Real Housewives of Dallas, I did catch some of Marge and Delores (RHONJ) watching it. The highlight was a drunk shopping trip, where the women thought a charcuterie board was for spanking. Good thing they bought it, since they’d tested it out. Repeatedly. Ricki Lake and John Waters were virtual guests on Watch What Happens Live, and told a ton of good stories. They also pulled out some souvenirs from their Hairspray days, which proved one way being remote is good. People can run into the other room and find stuff to show us.  

✂️ (Almost) Bald Is Beautiful…

A backstage look at Cameron’s new ‘do.

☕️ Coaching the Countess…

I need a sober coach to watch.

https://pagesix.com/2021/02/19/luann-de-lesseps-had-a-sober-coach-while-filming-rhony/

🥤 Just a Bigger Solo Cup…

It’s as good an excuse as any.

https://pagesix.com/2021/02/21/why-teresa-giudice-is-terrified-shell-be-axed-from-rhonj/

‘RHONJ’: Teresa Giudice Reacts To Report Claiming She’s ‘Terrified’ of Being ‘Axed’ From Show

🐍 AKA AJ…

I love Cobra Kai.

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/cobra-kai-season-4-could-bring-back-karate-kid-iii-villain

🎸 Making It Home For 24 Years…

There’s got to be something better than in the middle.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/9527847/the-wallflowers-one-headlight-jakob-dylan-interview

🏆 The Best Of Them…

According to Parade anyway.

🎂 They Say It’s Your Birthday…

In celebration of Drew’s 46th, a whole bunch of pictures. I love her, and hope her new talk show makes it.

📌 That’s a Fact…

Abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass was born into slavery sometime around 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland. He became one of the most famous intellectuals of his time, advising presidents and lecturing to thousands on a range of causes, including women’s rights and Irish home rule. – from Biography.com

You can read more about him here: https://www.biography.com/activist/frederick-douglass

🤸 As Tuesday Turns To Wednesday…

I’ll be interviewing underground rap artist, Mumm-ra tomorrow for MUPO Entertainment. He sounds like an interesting guy, who’s also a comic buff and collector. Same. See you in Salt Lake tomorrow, when the Reunion wraps up, and it’s their last chance to rip more bandages off. Until then, stay safe, stay inquisitive, and stay deserving of whatever code name you choose.

February 8, 2021 – Peter Confesses To Valentin, AKA Alex, the Other Shoe Falls, IMO, Today’s Fact & Blues

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Terry tells Franco, the technician will make sure his head is immobile. The treatment is painless, but some people experience side-effects, like fatigue or nausea. Franco says he could stand to lose a couple of pounds. Holiday baking. She says he may lose his hair, and he says, now she’s going too far. Elizabeth says, whatever it takes, they’re doing this.

Valentin tells Peter, Franco is channeling Drew’s memories, which means they’re resurfacing. Peter says all he knows is that Franco’s tumor has returned, which makes him a potential threat. Valentin says, Peter didn’t feel like that when burst into the OR to save Franco, and Peter asks what he’s getting at. Valentin says he’s just playing with puzzle pieces to see what fits. Not long ago, Peter came to him concerned that he’d crossed Jason. Peter’s life is about to unravel, and he’s acting like he doesn’t realize it.

Anna asks Britt where her mother is, and Britt says, she’s in prison, where Anna can’t shoot her. She’s sure Anna has plenty to do other than sic Finn on her. Doesn’t she have wedding plans? Anna asks if Britt was in contact with Obrecht through a phone call or a letter, and Britt says she has a hospital to run. She has nothing to do with her mother. Anna says Britt was convinced Obrecht was guilty when she was convicted, but she told Finn she didn’t know, and thought Obrecht might be innocent. She’s wondering what changed Britt’s mind.

Josslyn puts flowers on Mike’s grave, and says, they’re for him, so he knows she loves and misses him. Carly puts flowers on Morgan’s grave, and says she’s sure his dad and Mike are with him, and she hopes they’re happy together. They’re missed so much. Say a prayer for them tomorrow. It’s Sonny’s funeral, and it’s hard to say goodbye.

Sonny answers the phone, Tan-O, Mike speaking, and Nina asks if he said it was the Tan-O. He says yeah. What can he do for her? She asks what he said his name was, and he says, Mike. She asks, Mike who? and Sonny looks puzzled.

Josslyn asks if Carly really thinks Morgan, Sonny, and Mike are together, and Carly says she does believe that. It’s the only thing that makes it bearable. What about Josslyn? What does she believe? Josslyn says, Oscar told her to look up at the night’s sky, and he’d be there, but they don’t know much about the afterlife, do they? Carly says, all they can do is hope for the best, and Josslyn says she likes thinking of them all together. She hopes someday, years from now, she and Carly will see them again. She and Carly hug.

Sonny asks if Nina would like to place a delivery order, and she says, no. She’s looking for Phyllis Caulfield. Is she there? It’s Nina Reeves calling. He tells Phyllis, and she takes the phone. Nina thanks Phyllis for taking her call, and Phyllis says she can’t tell Nina how often she thinks of her. How is she? Nina says, fine, but she has some news. She thinks she knows who has the other half of the necklace. Phyllis says, she found her daughter? and Nina says, she’s almost certain. Phyllis says, wonderful!

Elizabeth tells Finn that she was hoping to see him, and he says it’s good to see her and Franco. He asks if everything is okay, and Elizabeth says she just wanted to let him know they can’t go to the wedding. Finn says, okay, but they’ll be sorely missed. Do they want him to pass their regrets along to Maxie and Peter? Or are they the reason for not coming? Elizabeth says, obviously, and Franco says, mostly Peter. Elizabeth says they wish Finn, Anna, and Maxie well, but she can’t say the same for Peter. He published Franco’s medical records, and now people think Franco is a maniac. Finn says he understands. He hopes everything turns out all right. Elizabeth says she still can’t figure out how Peter got records he never should have had access too. In all her years there, she’s never seen it happen. Finn says, it was a security breach, and Franco says he knows who did it.   

Peter tells Valentin, he’s about to marry the mother of his child, and Valentin says that’s why Peter can’t be in denial any longer. He knows Peter arranged for Drew’s abduction, and if Franco remembers more, the memories will be like dominos tipping. Then Maxie will be forced to learn the truth about him.

Britt says she lets her guard down for one second and Finn runs to Anna like Chicken Little. Anna asks what convinced her of Obrecht’s innocence? When Obrecht left, Britt thought she was guilty. Britt says her mother didn’t leave; she was hauled off because of Anna. Anna says, semantics. Britt must have made contact with her, and Obrecht pleaded her case. Britt asks if Anna thinks she’s not capable of coming to her own conclusions, and Anna asks, based on what? Britt says she doesn’t have to answer; she has a hospital to run. Like she told Finn, she doesn’t know where Obrecht is. Anna says, that implies Obrecht is no longer in prison, and they’ve made contact. Where is Obrecht now?

Someone looks over The Last Will and Testament of Alexandra Merrick.

Phyllis says she’s prayed for this, but Nina says she’s not 100% sure she found her daughter. Before she goes further, she’d appreciate Phyllis’s input. She has pictures of her daughter’s possible adoptive father, and some other bits of information. She’d love to run them by Phyllis, and can arrange to fly Phyllis to Port Charles, whatever time works for her. Phyllis says she’d love to help, but it’s not a good time for her to go away. Can they do it online? Ava stands quietly by the door, and Nina says she wanted to talk to someone face-to-face; someone who remembered and knew her daughter as an innocent baby, who won’t judge her or her daughter. Phyllis says she hears Nina, but things there are a bit complicated. Nina says, of course (🍷). She realizes what she’s asking is very presumptuous, and an imposition. She didn’t think it through. Phyllis says, it’s okay; Nina doesn’t have to apologize. Nina says she’ll figure out something, and thanks Phyllis, telling her to enjoy her evening. Ava knocks on the door, and says she came by to see if Nina wanted to get a drink at the MetroCourt, but Nina says she thinks she’s going to avoid the MetroCourt for a while. Ava asks if Nina wants to tell her what’s going on, and Nina says, she didn’t hear? She thinks she found her daughter. Ava tells Nina that she’d say congratulations, but Nina doesn’t seem like she’s celebrating. Nina says, her daughter was Nelle Benson.

Josslyn asks if Carly has ever been to Nelle’s grave, and Carly wonders why she’s asking. Josslyn says she knows Nina put Nelle in Woodlawn. She hates the idea of Nelle being in proximity to their family, and Carly says, she does too. Nelle is buried on the other side of the cemetery. Josslyn says she knows Nina had the best intentions. She obviously believes everyone has the right to a decent burial, even people like Nelle, but no matter how far away Nelle is, it seems like their family can never escape her. Carly says she understands how Josslyn can feel that way after what Nelle did to their family. Josslyn says, she’d never wish death on anyone, but she’s glad Nelle is out of their lives. She’d be relieved if she never heard Nelle’s name again. Carly says, she will. She’s going to hear Nelle’s name over and over again, because of her and Jax.

Britt says she thought WSB agents were trained to be dispassionate, analytical, and cool-headed, but Anna’s pursuit of her mother has been personal, including the trumped up charges. Why? Anna says Obrecht poses a threat to her family, and she needs to know where Obrecht is. Britt says, if she’s missing, wouldn’t Anna’s own agency provide the answer?

Peter says, it’s been months since he told Valentin about the part he played in Drew’s abduction. Why bring it up now? Valentin says, all he knows is, if Obrecht is in town, she’s going to maintain Peter framed her for Drew’s death and the attempted murder of Franco. Peter killed the assassin, which begs the question as to why Peter needed to silence him. Peter says he should go, but Valentin says he’s trying to help Peter. If there’s any merit to Obrecht’s proof that Peter framed her, Peter’s life is going to explode. He’s going to lose Anna and Maxie. Peter says, yes. Obrecht is telling the truth. He did frame her.

Phyllis looks out the window at the rain, and Sonny asks how it’s going. Phyllis says, fine; there’s a storm tonight. He says, ever since she took the phone call, she’s been in another world. Does she want to talk? Before she says, no, she’s always checking in on him; he’s just returning the favor. She says, he might not remember who he is, but he sure knows how to use those dimples. Okay, she’ll tell him. The call was from a former patient; a woman she took care of long ago when she worked in the city. She was in a coma, and pregnant with a baby girl. Her mother told Phyllis that the patient’s husband was responsible for her coma, and she didn’t want him to know about the baby, since he was abusive. She’d arranged for a private adoption, and had Phyllis take the infant to the adoptive parents. She recently learned it was all a lie. Nina’s own mother had put her in the coma. Sonny says he’s sorry, and she says she feels terrible for her role in depriving Nina of her daughter. Sonny says Phyllis was lied to; it’s not her fault. He hasn’t known her long, but he knows she’d never hurt another living soul.

Nina tells Ava, that Jax and Carly said they were protecting her; that’s why they stayed quiet so long. Ava says, that old song, and Nina thanks her for not saying, I told you so. Ava told her that Carly and Jax had an unbreakable bond, but she was hoping to prove Ava wrong. Ava says she doesn’t know Jax, but what she knows, she doesn’t like, and she trusts Carly about as far as she can throw her. When the Corinthos clan turned against Nelle, Ava gave her a job. Nelle reminded Ava of herself, and she was pregnant at the time. Nina says, that’s right; Nelle worked at the gallery, and Ava says Nelle was motivated and competent. She was fond of Nelle until Nelle blackmailed her. Nina says she hired Nelle against Carly’s wishes too. She was engaging, and so intelligent. Nina didn’t think it was an act, but that Nelle was being the person she wanted to be. Ava says, of course (🍷) those attributes were part of who Nelle was, or who she would have been, but keep in mind what Nelle could do, and what she did.

Elizabeth asks if Franco thinks he knows how his records were accessed, and he says he knows for sure. He went to confront Peter, and Britt was accusing Peter of using her to access his files. Finn says, maybe, but he doesn’t trust them, and Elizabeth says she doesn’t either. Finn says Elizabeth’s instincts are usually good. He’s sincerely sorry about what happened, and wishes Franco good luck with the radiation. If he can do anything to help, let him know, but Franco is in good hands with Terry. He leaves, and Terry joins them. Elizabeth tells her that they need a few minutes, and Terry says, it’s not going to be a problem. The technician scheduled is refusing to treat him.   

Peter tells Valentin, he’d made a mistake hiring the hit man. He tried calling him off, but couldn’t, so he saved Franco and Andre. Valentin asks, why Peter needed them dead. Why were they a threat? Peter says, Andre wanted to recover Franco’s memories, but said the procedure would risk reinforcing Drew’s memories instead. Valentin says, then he could reveal Peter’s pivotal role in Drew’s disappearance. Peter wasn’t an innocent pawn; he was an integral player, and responsible for Drew’s death. Peter says, Obrecht is sadistic, and held him captive, and Valentin tells him to answer the question. Peter says, yes. He had Drew killed. He made arrangements for Drew’s plane to be sabotaged. Valentin says Peter is right to be afraid of Jason. He stole years of Jason’s life, and Peter is responsible for the death of Jason’s twin brother because he got too close to the truth. Peter says, yes. He did that all of that and more.

Anna tells Britt, the WSB wasn’t forthcoming about Obrecht’s whereabouts; there’s some level of secrecy about Obrecht’s release she has yet to comprehend. Britt says, they’ve shut Anna out. Wow. Interesting. Anna has always been a hot shot at the WSB; their go-to agent. What does their silence tell her? Maybe they don’t trust her anymore. That’s tough, but instead of using her for intel, why doesn’t Anna look at herself, and figure out why the WSB left her out in the cold.

The mystery person sets the will down on the desk, and picks up a flashdrive. They pick up an envelope that says, For Peter, and put it into a manila envelope, along with the drive.

Ava tells Nina, Nelle was a broken person who couldn’t be fixed. She was violent. She killed her fiancé, and tried to kill Michael. People tried to love her, but she took their love and twisted it, making something ugly out of it. Nina had to tell the court to protect an innocent child. Nina says, who protected Nelle? She was an innocent child. She was raised without love, and had an abusive father. Whatever role her mother played, she was out of the picture by the time Nelle’s father sold her kidney. She and Ava both know what it’s like to be physically and emotionally upended by their mothers. Ava says Nina’s mother was a nightmare, and Nina wonders if the drugs her mother gave her while she was pregnant with Nelle didn’t impact Nelle’s brain development and cause her psychosis. Ava says, there’s no way to know, and Nina says, because her mother gave Nelle away. If she hadn’t, Nina would have had Nelle, and maybe there was a chance she would have gotten help. Ava asks if Nina has heard a word she’s said. There was nothing Nina could have done. Nina says, it’s too late for Nelle, but it’s not too late for Wiley. She’s going to be a constant presence in his life. She failed her daughter, but she’s not failing her grandson.

Carly tells Josslyn that she and Jax wanted to spare Nina the pain of finding out her daughter was dead. Josslyn says, and grew up to be Nelle. Carly says, it’s a lot for Nina to process, and she’s furious they didn’t tell her they’d found the necklace. Josslyn says, her poor dad. He’s crazy about Nina. Can’t he make her understand? Carly says, he’s trying. Carly prays once Nina has calmed down, she realizes he was just trying to protect her because he loves her. Josslyn says, no matter how hard you try to keep your loved ones safe, sometimes you can’t.

Sonny says Phyllis has no reason to feel guilty, and she tells him, Lenny says she’s gullible. It really bugs her, but in this case, he was right. She took Madeline’s word, and handed off Nina’s baby to a total stranger. A few months ago, she was contacted by a P.I. Nina recovered, and was desperate to find her child. Nina wanted to see her, but she couldn’t tell Nina much. Now Nina thinks she found her daughter. Sonny says he saw Phyllis light up at the news, and she says, it makes her so happy. He says, so why doesn’t she want to see Nina? Is it because of him?

Terry tells Franco and Elizabeth, the technician has a cousin out west who read the article, and the article brought it back. Elizabeth says, brought what back? and Franco says, when he was the other guy, he hurt someone they care about. Terry says, the technician refuses to come near Franco. It’s unprofessional, and unacceptable, and she’s already filed a report with HR. There’s another tech on the way. Elizabeth says she’ll wait there, and Terry says, she’s got this. She’ll take good care of him. She leads Franco away.   

Elizabeth sees Britt, who says she heard about the problem with the radiation tech. Elizabeth says, no thanks to Britt.

Valentin asks, why? What did Peter hope to accomplish? Peter says, originally he wanted to beat his father at his own game. Acquire his father’s wealth and power, and leave him with nothing. He didn’t care who he used, Valentin says, Peter redeemed himself, but Peter says, the past caught up to him. He kept putting fires out, and doing damage control. Valentin says, now Franco is hearing his voice. Drew’s memories aren’t another fire he has to extinguish. Why did he put Franco’s medical records in The Invader? Peter says he wanted to discredit Franco, so anything he said would be the raving of a madman with a brain tumor. Valentin says, discredit? and Peter says Valentin wanted answers, and he gave them. It feels good to let it all out. Now Valentin has to be honest. What is he going to do with the information?

Finn runs into Anna, and says he didn’t know she was there. She says she was just rattling Britt’s cage about Obrecht, and he asks why she’s the one who looks shaken. She says Britt implied the WSB doesn’t trust her and that’s why she can’t get information. He asks if they’d do that, and she says, perhaps, because of her closeness to Peter. He says, that means they suspect Peter of something, but she says she doesn’t need them. She’s not waiting for Obrecht to strike. She’s going after Obrecht herself. He asks, when? and she says, right now.

Phyllis asks Sonny how they’re fixed for ice, and Sonny says, everything is good. He’s taking his medication, and doesn’t need her to supervise him. She tells him, the doctor said to watch how he reacts, and he says, it’s been good so far. He’s been a little down, but other than that, he’s fine and doesn’t need her to hover. She asks what if his depression gets worse, or he gets energized? He tells her to deal with her patient; it’s a day, not a week. The last thing he wants to do, is keep her from what she does best; taking care of people.

Ava tells Nina, take it from her, getting access to a Corinthos child is easier said than done. Nina says, Wiley is her family, the only part of her daughter that she has left. They can’t keep her from family. Ava says Nina needs proof, and Nina say she was just on the phone with the nurse who delivered her baby to the adoptive family. She’s going to have her ID a picture of Nelle and her father. Ava says, that’s not enough to prove Nelle is Nina’s daughter, but Nina says, it’s enough reason to have a DNA test done on Wiley. Ava says, this could be the beginning of a long ugly fight. Before Nina pursues this further, think about who Nelle was and the things she did, and ask herself, does she really want to know if Nelle was her daughter. Nina’s phone rings, and it’s Phyllis.

Elizabeth says, it’s all Britt’s fault; she gave Peter access to Franco’s medical files. Britt says she’d never do that, but Elizabeth says Britt was definitely angry when Franco saw her in Peter’s office, and Franco was under the impression she was responsible for the information being released. Britt says, there was a security breach, and as Chief of Staff, she’s ultimately responsible for what happened. Elizabeth says, how convenient. She’s taking responsibility while distancing herself. Britt says she’s truly sorry for the pain and chaos Peter caused, but she wasn’t willingly involved. She’d never wish what happened to Franco on anybody. Elizabeth asks if that’s an apology, and Britt advises her to take it before Britt takes it back. Terry comes out, and Elizabeth asks how Franco is.  

Valentin tells Peter, when everything comes out, it will destroy Anna. She may even be considered an accomplice because of her association with him. Peter asks if Valentin thinks he doesn’t know that, and Valentin says, what about Maxie? The longer this goes on, the harder she’ll fall. Peter can’t sustain this kind of damage control. He can’t kill everyone who discovers the truth. Peter says he never wanted to, and Valentin says, then just stop it. Confess, and Obrecht has no power over him. Peter says he can’t. He’s marrying Maxie in a few days, and they’re bringing a baby girl into the world. He wants to give his daughter a happy loving family life, unlike what he had. She deserves that, and he’s desperate for his mother to know she was right to believe in him and have faith in him. Valentin says, what about him? He knows the truth now. If he keeps Peter’s secret, he’s an accomplice. Why should he stay silent when he knows how bad it will hurt Anna and Maxie? Peter says he’ll make it work for them. If Valentin can’t keep his secret for him, please do it for them. Don’t break their hearts. Valentin nods.

Finn says, Anna wants to leave town now? and she says she has to find Obrecht. He says when they’d just gotten engaged, they had to deal with Alex. Now she wants to split before the wedding? She says she has no choice. If Obrecht is out there, she’s got Peter in her sights. She’s gone after Peter before. How comfortable would she feel, getting married without knowing where Obrecht is? She let her guard down with Alex, and Alex nearly killed Finn and kidnapped Maxie. She’s not letting it happen again. He says if he can’t talk her out of it, and she’s really going, he’s going with her.

Terry tells Elizabeth, the procedure is underway, and so far, so good. Elizabeth says she’ll wait for Franco to come out, and leaves. Terry says she has a sensitive matter to discuss with Britt. The technician refused to treat Franco. Britt says, she already heard from HR, and thanks Terry for reporting it. The tech has been put on suspension, and will be terminated. She can’t have the staff determining who is and isn’t worthy of treatment. Terry completely agrees.

Valentin tells Peter, Obrecht has been released from Steinmaur, and they have no idea where she is. Peter is concerned she’s going to exact revenge, and Valentin says he’ll handle Obrecht. Peter says he needs Valentin’s word that he’ll keep what Peter told him to himself. Can he count on Valentin to do what he promised? Valentin says he’ll do whatever is in his power to make sure no pain is inflicted on those they love the most. He leaves, and Peter thinks about that. I would too, since Valentin didn’t exactly say he’d keep the secret.

 Anna says Finn doesn’t have to come; he’s still recuperating. He says he was cleared to be at work, and she asks, what about Violet? He says Violet will be upset if anything happens to Anna, so for Violet’s sake, he’s going to watch Anna’s back. His father has been begging to spend time with Violet, so he’ll love to stay with her. They have to make this quick; what else has she got? She says she doesn’t know what she’ll encounter, and he says he can take care of himself. He suggests they not waste time arguing. The faster they handle Obrecht, the better, and he’s not keen on surprises. Anna says, not after her sister. She’s not taking any chances. Obrecht is no Alex, but she’s every bit as lethal.

We see the return address of D. Merrick V. on the envelope.

Ava asks if Nina wants to hear her advice, and Nina says, go ahead, but there’s no guarantee she’ll take it. Ava tells her, think long and hard about meeting Phyllis. If she can’t confirm Nelle is Nina’s daughter, how is she going to feel? And if she can, what does that mean going forward? How is Nina going to grapple with the missed chances in Nelle’s life? Nina says she has to pursue this. In her heart, she knows Nelle is her daughter. Nelle had a child, and what Nina lost with Nelle, she can make up for with Wiley.

Josslyn tells Carly, she was thinking about how people lie or keep secrets in the name of protecting the people they love. The lines feel blurred; they’re actually protecting themselves. Like how Jordan lied about Trina’s father. Trina is struggling, and she understands why. Carly says Josslyn is right. They set out to protect someone, but do a fair amount of protecting themselves. Sonny is a perfect example. He’d do anything to protect the people he loves, but he’s also protecting himself from watching them get hurt. Josslyn says she’s sorry Sonny is gone. She knows how much Carly loved him, and she did too. Carly thanks her for saying that. Sonny loved her so much. Carly knows it doesn’t feel like it now, but knowing they have that love, and remembering how much he meant to them, will help them go on. They leave the cemetery.

Phyllis tells Sonny, it’s all set. She’s going to Port Charles. She hopes she can confirm her patient found her daughter. Sonny is glad, and she thanks him for convincing her. He’s glad he helped, and says, maybe at some point, she can help him figure out who he is. She says, if Nina could find her daughter after all these years, there’s plenty of hope for him.

Tomorrow, Nina meets with Phyllis, Jax says the odds are in Carly’s favor, and Sonny tells Lenny to get off his case.

🕶 Alexandra Merrick…

Also known as, Anna’s twin Alex Devane.

https://www.soapoperanews.net/2019/03/characters-of-past-ghamcs-alex-devane.html

Below Deck

Five Islands Harbour, Antigua. We backtrack to Daniel (finally a name) telling James and Ashling that it’s their vacation, not his. He’ll go downstairs, and leave them alone. He leaves, mumbling that he’s being given a bedtime, and they’re limiting his alcohol. In Ashling’s interview, she says, he was beyond wasted. As soon as you cross the line of safety, you’re out. She could get in trouble with Francesca, the captain, and possibly Daniel’s parents. Daniel tells David, the crew’s whack, bro. James says Ashling is adorable, and they call it a night.

March 12 2020. Rachel starts the day by cursing out the toaster. In Elizabeth’s interview, she says, yesterday was the worst day ever. She was almost fired, and James didn’t acknowledge her birthday. A stranger would be willing to give her a kiss. Not that she wants a stranger to kiss her. She’s just saying. The guests start to get up, and Francesca tells Izzy that she feels the need to be there for service. She doesn’t trust Elizabeth. In Rachel’s interview, she says, sh*t rolls downhill, and she knows where it’s coming from. We flash back to the mahi mahi issue, and Rachel bitches that she has to troubleshoot when the chief stew is supposed to do that. She tells Elizabeth that she feels like she’s in kindergarten.

Izzy gives Rob a short list of chores, and Eddie goes to the bridge. He asks Captain Lee how it’s going, and the captain says he pulled up the news. There are 938 cases [of covid] in the US. Eddie says, that exploded, and Captain Lee says, and 29 deaths. Some people get it, and don’t know they have it. In his interview, Captain Lee says, things are getting serious. Everything on the news is about corona, and he can’t wrap his head around it. They’re lucky there are no cases on the island, but it’s scary stuff. Izzy tells herself to smile through the pain. Rachel says, ask for pickled quail eggs, you shall have quail eggs. Jackie tries to get Rob to do a yoga pose, and he says he has to find inner peace.

James asks how Elizabeth is, joking that they haven’t talked in so long, he forgot her name. In his interview, he says it was Elizabeth’s birthday, and he didn’t even give her a kiss. At 30, you wonder where your life is going. At 26, he’s in the prime of his life. I hate to tell him, but technically, as a man, he passed that nearly ten years ago. A producer asks why James doesn’t tell Elizabeth that this isn’t going anywhere. He says, she’s smart enough to know what’s going on. Surely. The producer says, don’t call her Shirley. Not really, but it was the perfect opportunity. Izzy tells Rob, she could put Jackie’s bra on her head, and it would be a perfect fit.

Daniel tells a couple of the adult guests (not his parents) that he drank half a bottle of Hennessey when he was cut off. In the crew mess, Ashling tells Elizabeth that he was blackout drunk, and wanted to get in the hot tub. Daniel says, he was told no, and Francesca overhears. He says they told him the hot tub was draining, but he went upstairs and it wasn’t. Francesca asks who told him that? and he says, Ashling and James. He was made to feel not welcome. She says she’s so sorry. Ashling tells Elizabeth, he probably won’t remember anything.

Daniel tells Francesca that he was told it would be better for all of them if he went to bed. She asks if he was really told that, and he says he was, but she doesn’t think so. Ashling tells Elizabeth, Daniel is a spoiled brat, while Daniel tells Francesca that he was made to feel not welcome. He wanted to stay up, and he was upset. The crew members said they couldn’t go to bed if he was still there. Francesca asks Ashling, what happened? and Ashling says, he was wasted. Francesca tells her he claimed they told him that he should go to bed; did they? Ashling says, they took the alcohol away because Daniel was plastered, and wanted to jump on the tender. They almost had Delores 2.0. We flash back to Delores jumping into the water, and Ashling says she’s surprised he remembered. Francesca says he didn’t tell her anything about the tender. Yeah, like that would happen. In her interview, Francesca says, now that she’s heard the story, the law would have definitely been on their side. She trusts Ashling if she thought he had too much to drink, and it became a safety issue. She’s on Ashling’s side, and gives her 100% backing.

Izzy and Rob inflate the slide, while Francesca takes breakfast orders. Daniel whines to his parents about being forced to go to bed, but dad David says, good. He should be thinking about work, not play; that was smart. In Ashling’s interview, she says, thank God. Francesca asks Ashling to go on the excursion, and in her interview, Francesca says, her expectation of Elizabeth is zero. She can’t wait to say she’s letting Elizabeth go. Breakfast is served, and Francesca tells the guests they’re going to be swimming with stingrays, and going to a private island, where they’ll set up for lunch. Rachel tells Francesca that she needs condiments, and what to pack for the picnic. Francesca  tells Elizabeth that she’s going to stay on the boat, and in Elizabeth’s interview, she says, surprise, surprise. It’s pure punishment, clearly. One of the guests says their Japan trip and European trip was canceled. One of the guests thinks it’s the democrats blowing it out of proportion because they want to mess up the election for Trump. (I look into my fictitious camera blankly.) Rachel wants ice packs, but can’t seem to get them, and says she’ll do what she can to see the food doesn’t rot. In Eddie’s interview, he says, Rachel isn’t happy with the interior. Hopefully, she doesn’t stab anyone. She’s she type of person who would. Rachel tells Elizabeth, this bitch can make it work. She’s effing over this sh*t.

Eddie drives the guests on the tender to Jolly Harbour. On the boat, James tells Elizabeth, it’s just them, and in the taxi, Francesca asks Rob if he thinks Elizabeth and James will sleep in another guest cabin. Elizabeth asks if James missed her last night. He nods, looking pained, and she says it was so hard not to celebrate her birthday. The day started wrong. In his interview, James says he doesn’t want to tell her that it’s not going anywhere. It may hurt her feelings, so he’d rather keep it going. Avoid and run away. As long as the cabin thing doesn’t come back to bite him.

In the taxi, Daniel says he wants to go back to the boat. In Ashling’s interview, she says, ugh. Here we go. Captain Lee notices a ton of dishes in the galley sink, and in his interview, he says, is she sh*tting him? Why can’t Elizabeth deliver.? There are things she should know. Maybe her energy broken again. He politely asks if Elizabeth will do him a favor, and knock out the pots and pans, so the galley is clean when Rachel comes back. Eddie tells the captain, time flies when you’re in hell, and they laugh. Daniel says he needs a lot of drinks of liquor, and Francesca tells him, after lunch. In Elizabeth’s interview, she says, she’s stressed about Francesca, and James is being weird. With her ex, everything happened fast, because her head was in the clouds. She learned the hard way. Maybe she should pull back. She’s feeling pretty rough right now.

The guests are taken to a stingray habitat. On the boat, Elizabeth asks the captain if she can use the slide, and he says, as long as her stuff is done. At the habitat, the guide says, they have about an acre and a half. The rope is only on the surface, so the stingrays come and go as they please, and leave when they’re ready. Jackie tells her sons that they’re scaring the stingrays away, since they’re acting like a-holes as always. The stingrays are very cool, and I want one. On Laviscount Island, Izzy and Ron set up for lunch. Elizabeth uses the slide a few times, then stays in the water. Eddie tells Elizabeth that the current is strong, and asks if she’s a mermaid now. Elizabeth says she’s working out, and Eddie tells James that she’s weird. In Eddie’s interview, he says Elizabeth will probably name her first born something like Moonbeam or Star Child. Or Crystal Good Vibes. Crystal will be a stripper. Izzy tells Rob that she has to inflate Jackie’s Versace innertube, and he says she’ll never miss it if she doesn’t see it, but Izzy says she kept talking about it. In Izzy’s interview, she says, when a guest specifically asks for something, it’s a priority. She tries to inflate the innertube with a pump, and says, so extra. She tells Rob that she can’t get it. Rob says, just tell her it’s a knock off, and it doesn’t work. He helps Izzy, and gets it inflated.

Rachel asks if Francesca brought condiments, but that’s a no. Because she’s too stupid to understand they go with hot dogs. Rachel says she thought they’d bring the condiments; she only brought specialty stuff. In Francesca’s interview, she says, Rachel can’t admit when she’s wrong. She’s been walking on eggshells, since she doesn’t want Rachel to leave, but f*** you. She’s over it. Um… Rachel did tell her to bring condiments, so who can’t admit what? I really don’t like Francesca at all. I only marginally liked her at the beginning, but now I’m at zero.

Jackie wants to check out the tortoises on the island. In Rachel’s interview, she says, she told Francesca to bring condiments. We flash back to that, and Francesca even repeats what Rachel said back to her. Rachel says, not only does the lack of communication f*** her, now it’s super annoying. Elizabeth goes back to work, while on the island, we see giant tortoises and baby tortoises. The guide says they also have iguanas. Izzy goes to the snack bar, and asks if they can spare some ketchup. Jackie asks if the tortoises bite, but the guide says they’re very friendly and social with each other. Jackie says she wants a tortoise. In Izzy’s interview, she says the galley and interior need to communicate more, so sh*t like this doesn’t happen. Now they have ketchup. In a Homer Simpson moment, David says, hot dogs… mmm… good. Francesca tells Ashling that Rachel said she was going to make condiments, and now she’s shifting the blame. In Ashling’s  interview, she says she doesn’t know who’s wrong, but the tension is intense. It’s really awkward. The guests head back. While cleaning up, Ashling burps, and Rachel says, it’s the most uncouth thing she’s ever heard Ashling do; she’s very proud. Ashling burps even louder.

Captain Lee radios Elizabeth to have cold towels ready for the guests, and Elizabeth greets them with a tray of towels. Rob tells James that he thinks the beach day went according to plan, but Izzy micromanaged a little bit. Francesca tells the captain it was a success, and the lunch was fabulous. The guests use the water toys, and Jackie takes pictures. Rachel discusses dinner with Francesca.

Izzy wants a quick talk with Eddie, and tells him that Rob is being passive/aggressive. He’s been saying it’s a dictatorship, and got snarky when they were bringing in a jet ski; he wouldn’t get off. She had a conversation with him, and asked if he was offended that she’s the lead deckhand, but he said he didn’t care. He said, the title didn’t mean anything. We flash back to Rob saying she didn’t get promoted to captain, just lead shammy. She asks Eddie how to handle it, and Eddie says lead deckhand does mean something. He tells her to let Rob know that if he keeps up the attitude, and keeps coming at her, either get TF off, or say what he feels. If it continues, let him know and he’ll get involved. In his interview, he says, for women in the industry, respect isn’t as easily earned. Izzy is an extension of him, and if they don’t take it seriously, he’ll give them something to take seriously. He won’t fire them, but he can make their lives a living hell.

David tells Ashling that they’d like to invite the captain to dinner. Ashling tells Francesca, who asks the captain. He says, it’s his pleasure, and Francesca suggests to Ashling that they go all out, and use candles. Rachel asks if anyone is available to make holes in coconuts. Surprisingly, not one person makes a joke, but Rob says he has a license for that, and will be right there. The table looks very pretty, with candles in lanterns as part of the centerpieces. Jackie wears a sash and tiara, and gives the stews tiaras. She goes to the galley to give one to Rachel, telling her that she’s a princess. The captain sits down to dinner with the guests, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, the Queen might be spicey, but David is a simple eater. (However, David also receives a tiara.) She’s doing Thai versus American steakhouse; family style, as long Francesca doesn’t f*** it up. David tells Captain Lee that his staff is incredible. Jackie says she wants to steal them, and the captain asks if she can until he’s done with them.

Rob and James chat on deck, and Rob says, just a couple of guys polishing rails. At the table, one of David’s sons says he wrecked a Corvette when he was a baby. Captain Lee says, not many people can make that claim. Elizabeth hugs James, and says she’s been wanting more than a hug. James says, work has been stepping up, and it’s hard to find time. Elizabeth says she wants to ask him about his feelings. In her interview, she says she knows he has his guard up, and it’s scary. She wants to know how he feels. She needs to hear from him because she’s feeling things. James asks if she believes in long distance relationships, and she says, no. He says, there you go, and she asks if he believes in crazy situations. She’s open to travel and having new adventures; it’s how she rolls. In James’s interview, he says, he’s literally in a trap with this conversation. Talking about feelings makes him want to jump off a cliff. Elizabeth says, maybe they can travel somewhere together, then they’ll end up hating each other and saying goodbye.

David says, Disney and Universal are shutting down. In the crew mess, Elizabeth tells James that her schedule is pretty open, and in Ashling’s interview, she says, are they kidding her? Elizabeth needs to choose work first, over playing with her boy. Get your sh*t together. Elizabeth asks if James wants to talk later, but he says he’ll be hiding somewhere. A palate cleanser of coconut water is served to the guests. Francesca asks Elizabeth for a hand in the pantry. Elizabeth asks if she should finish the cabins first, and Francesca says, yes, but she’s obviously irritated. I’m not sure why. James goes to the pantry, and starts washing dishes. Elizabeth joins him, and Francesca says, clear the pantry first, then the galley. Daniel announces that more people have died from coconuts falling on their heads than shark attacks. Elizabeth asks James to tell her what they are, and James says, or they’re not. Is that the answer she’s looking for? She says, not at all. Francesca tells Ashling that Elizabeth and James are chatting in the pantry, and James tells Elizabeth that he doesn’t have this conversation until three or four months in. Elizabeth says she needs to know his intentions. Francesca bursts in, and tells Elizabeth, go to bed. She leaves again, and Elizabeth tells James that if he’s into her, act into her. He says he doesn’t want to get in trouble, and like a boomerang, Francesca is back, and says, stop talking, and go to bed. She tells James, finish the job. In her interview, Francesca says, how many times does she have to tell them to get their work on? She’s done. Things are changing around here. Francesca tells James, finish the pantry now. Downstairs, the captain thanks the guests for another delightful evening. David thanks Captain Lee for joining them. Another guest says they love spending time with him.

In the morning, Elizabeth sets the table, but true to form, Francesca points out that they only use one fork in the morning. Elizabeth says she doesn’t usually do mornings, and didn’t know. She asks if Francesca wants to keep the extras there, but Francesca has her back to Elizabeth and ignores her. Elizabeth nods and leaves. In the galley, Rachel and Izzy arrange something for Elizabeth’s belated birthday. Izzy says, no one deserves a crap birthday. Rachel pushes the French toast for breakfast, and one of the guests says it’s the best French toast they’ve ever had. Daniel whines that a stew usually packs for him, as he shoves stuff into his suitcase. The boat docks.

The captain radios the crew to get into their whites and meet on the aft deck. Jackie tells Rachel that she gained five pounds. It was the best vacation they’ve ever had. David tells Captain Lee that his kids want him to buy the yacht if he comes with it. The captain says, if they buy it, he’s there. David gives them the tip envelope, and they leave. James says, another happy customer. The captain tells them to be in the crew mess in five.

At the tip meeting, Captain Lee says, they have number seven in the books. It was a tough start, but they performed well. The tip is… I swear Captain Lee says, $18,500 a piece, but I think he meant total, since they’re not jumping up and down and ditching the final charter. He tells them, now isn’t the time to toss in the towel. Rachel and Francesca need to go over things communication-wise. He doesn’t want to have a repeat of day one. We flash back to the mahi mahi debacle again, and the captain says he wants to see Francesca on the bridge. Everyone else, get back to work.

James and Rob have a contest to see who can hold their breath the longest. Rachel tells Elizabeth, Francesca f***ed up on service. Francesca says, it’s the last day for Elizabeth. James wins the contest, and on the bridge, Captain Lee suggests he and Francesca talk about the elephant in the room. Where is her head at? Francesca says, there are too many slip-ups, and the captain says he has someone lined up, but can’t 100% guarantee they’ll get there because of travel restrictions due to the health issue. The may have to do charter eight down one. How does she feel about it? Francesca says she has no choice, and Captain Lee calls Elizabeth to the wheelhouse. James says, someone’s in trouble, but Izzy says, no way.

The captain says Francesca wants to talk to Elizabeth, and Francesca says she’s been putting in energy and checking up on Elizabeth every charter. Her sleeping in the guest cabin was the final straw. She’s come to the decision to let Elizabeth go. Elizabeth says, what?

Next time, the Finale – Rachel has an issue with service, the captain tells Rachel to stick it out, Elizabeth tries to talk to Francesca, Izzy says Rob has a PhD in passive aggressiveness, Elizabeth says she believes in karma, the virus gets worse, and Captain Lee says they have a situation.

📣 Just my opinion, but I don’t see what Elizabeth has done that’s all that bad, besides sleeping in the guest cabin. And I might point out, he got called on the carpet, but then it was forgotten about. They have one more charter, and frankly, I think it’s despicable that Francesca is firing her at this point, especially since they know places are being starting to be shut down because of the virus. What if she gets stuck in freaking Thailand? Francesca has been gunning for Elizabeth since nearly the beginning, treats her badly, and this is obviously a personal issue. And Ashling is her phony lapdog. Like Elizabeth with the stranger’s kiss, just saying.

📌 That’s a Fact…

One in four cowboys was Black, despite the stories told in popular books and movies. In fact, it’s believed that the real Lone Ranger was inspired by an African American man named Bass Reeves. Reeves had been born a slave but escaped West during the Civil War where he lived in what was then known as Indian Territory. He eventually became a Deputy U.S. Marshal, was a master of disguise, an expert marksman, had a Native American companion, and rode a silver horse. His story was not unique, however.

In the 19th century, the Wild West drew enslaved Blacks with the hope of freedom and wages. When the Civil War ended, freedmen came West with the hope of a better life where the demand for skilled labor was high. These African Americans made up at least a quarter of the legendary cowboys who lived dangerous lives facing weather, rattlesnakes, and outlaws while they slept under the stars driving cattle herds to market. While there was little formal segregation in frontier towns and a great deal of personal freedom, Black cowboys were often expected to do more of the work and the roughest jobs compared to their white counterparts. Loyalty did develop between the cowboys on a drive, but the Black cowboys were typically responsible for breaking the horses and being the first ones to cross flooded streams during cattle drives. In fact, it is believed that the term cowboy originated as a derogatory term used to describe Black cowhands.

– from www.pbs.org/black-culture

🦅 Gonna Fly Now…

I have to get ready for work tomorrow, writing for https://mupoentertainment.com/ . Give us a click. You can find me under the magazine section. And whether you click or not, stay safe, stay united with humanity, and stay doing what you do best, whether it’s taking care of people, or something else.

January 28, 2021 – Sonny Is Returned By a Trooper, a Not So Charming Reunion, House Again, Temp Jordan, Ex-Jordan, Delay At Cannes, Another Game & Key

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

I missed the beginning, but here’s what happened. Dante was in the parking lot, hearing, complete the mission, in his head. Jordan saw him (she’s being played by a temp – see below), and tried to have a conversation, but he said he had to be somewhere. Jason asked why Peter was threatening Britt, and at the Tan-O, a state trooper brought Sonny back to Phyllis and Lenny. At the hospital, Curtis told Portia that he was on a case involving infidelity, and Sam, Elizabeth, and Franco got all loud in the reception area. Alexis stayed out of it, busy drinking from a nip she’d brought along in her purse. And then…

Curtis tells Portia, his client believes her husband is stepping out on her at some club, and she says, doing surveillance at a nightclub doesn’t sound bad. He says, the nightclub’s glory days are behind it. It’s a shadow of what it used to be. He’s not looking forward to staking it out to catch a guy someone claims they care about. She asks if he wants to talk, but he says he can’t put her in that position again. She says, he’s just venting about his job; it happens to everybody. He says he doesn’t think she’d ever be disenchanted about medicine, but she says she has her days. Why doesn’t she come with him?   

Jordan says, so Dante is involved with security, and he says, it pays the bills. She says she also knows he’s a seasoned professional, who’s dealt with complex cases. She thought he might return, but he says he doesn’t think he’s ready to handle the stress. She starts to say something else, but he interrupts, telling her that she didn’t hear him. He’s got somewhere to be. She apologizes, and says they all miss him. She asks him to keep them in mind when he’s ready, and he says, yeah. He’s sorry. It’s a generous offer, and he’ll keep it in mind.   

Peter tells Jason, he and Britt were just having a sibling disagreement. It has nothing to do with him. Britt says, but it does have to do with her. Peter used her GH log-in to access Franco’s medical records. He accessed private information, and splashed it across the front page, causing panic inside and outside of the hospital. She’s the lucky one who will have to give an answer when asked how he got it. Peter says he lost his temper. The last time Franco had a tumor, people got hurt; people close to them, like Lulu. As soon as he heard the tumor was back, he had to get the word out. He can’t be only one who thinks Franco is a potential threat. He’s quite sure Jason feels the same way.

Alexis drinks from a nip in the examining room, and Elizabeth tells Sam, they’re not doing this here. Sam says she wants an explanation from Franco, and Franco says he’s not the same person. He knows he hurt Sam. He knows he hurt a lot of people. When he found out the tumor was back, he made arrangements. Sam asks, what does he mean? What kind of arrangements?  What could he have done that would possibly protect her? He says, at the first sign of him reversing to bad Franco, if he thinks for a second that evil Franco is coming out to run the show, he’ll be put down. Sam looks at Elizabeth, and says, what?

Phyllis asks if Sonny is okay, and Lenny asks the trooper why he has Mike. The trooper says, Mike was waiting outside the hardware store before it opened. Sonny says, he wanted a job, and the trooper says, when he was told they weren’t hiring, he refused to leave. Sonny says, he’s handy. He’s good with tools and people, but the owner didn’t see that. He could have increased the business tenfold. Lenny asks, what happened? and the trooper says he took Sonny to the station when he wouldn’t leave.

Jackie asks how Sasha’s drug use began, and Sasha says, it started so simply; it was gradual. She wasn’t dealing well emotionally, and one night, she had too much to drink. Jackie says, drinking to cover the pain, that’s not unusual, and Sasha says, no, but she had a photo shoot the next day and overslept. She looked like hell, and someone on the set saw her struggling, and offered the drugs to her. Nina tells Jax that she can’t wrap her head around why Sasha would be wearing the necklace, but he says the jeweler told them it wasn’t an uncommon design. Sasha would have no reason to think it belonged to Nina’s daughter. Nina says, that’s not the point. Why did she wear that design? It can’t be a coincidence. He says she can’t do anything now; Sasha is in the middle of an interview. He’ll call Carly to see if she knows anything. He calls, but says, it’s going straight to voicemail. While he leaves a message for Carly to call him right away, Nina gets in the elevator.

Lucy tells Carly that she can’t stop Sasha. She can’t shut down the interview. Maxie agrees, and Carly says, Sasha is having a wardrobe malfunction, but Maxie says, she looks fine. Sasha says that’s how her habit started growing, and Jackie asks her to describe how taking the drug made her feel. Sasha says when she felt lost or lonely, one hit made her problems disappear. Until it wore off. Then she’d have to do more. The more you take the more you need to get high. Valentin notices the necklace, and Nina comes in. 

Sonny says he and the trooper met before, when the hiker found him. The trooper says, when Sonny claimed not to know who he was. He said his name was Mike, and he didn’t remember anything else, but had two people who would vouch for him. Then he realized, Sonny was another stray. Phyllis says Sonny is staying with them, but he didn’t mean any harm. There’s no reason to charge him. They’ll take responsibility for his actions if he’s released into their care. Lenny says, they will? and Phyllis asks if the trooper doesn’t trust them. The trooper says he knows Phyllis’s word is her vow, but be careful who she trusts. Lenny walks the trooper out.   

Jackie asks Sasha to tell the viewers about her heart attack. Sasha says she went to the restroom, and sampled a new batch. She doesn’t know if it was too strong or she did too much, but her heart felt like it was exploding. It was crazy, but what’s crazier is, she thought she might be dying, but the other part of her brain was scrambling to come up with an explanation. Valentin notices the necklace on Sasha.  

Curtis says Portia wants to do surveillance with him at a rundown club? She says, it might be less conspicuous if he’s half of a couple, and it sounds like he could use the company. He says he doesn’t think it’s a good idea, but she asks if they’re not friends. She knows he’s going to work things out with Jordan. He says he hopes so, but they don’t seem to be making any progress. Jordan is pushing him to come home, but he doesn’t want to give her false hope. They can’t paint over it and move on. Portia says, he does want to work things out, doesn’t he?   

Britt tells Peter, she doesn’t care. No one threatened him. She has a mind to call the PCPD, and tell them that he manipulated her to get access to Franco’s medical records. Jason says, obviously, it’s her call if she wants to let Peter slide this once, and Britt says Peter might not grasp the concept of accountability, but it’s her butt on the line. It’s against the law to publish someone’s medical records without permission. Jason asks Peter if there’s any way it can be traced back to Britt, but Peter says he’s a professional. He covered his tracks. His sister will never take the blame for his actions. Britt says, fine. She won’t come forward with what she knows – this time. If it happens again, family or not, she’ll not only throw him under the bus, she’ll be driving it. She leaves, and Peter thanks Jason, who says, they’re not friends. Peter says maybe they can be allies. He knows as much as Jason dislikes him, he hates Franco even more.

Curtis tells Portia, he does want to work things out with his wife. He loves her very much. That hasn’t changed. She says, but something has, and he says he doesn’t think he can get past the lies. She says, she’s not defending Jordan. The secret she kept about Taggert damn near destroyed Trina, but being realistic, she also lied to Curtis, and when she confessed, he was gone before she had a chance to make things right. He seems to have a hard time with people who keep secrets. He asks if she’s saying it’s his fault, but she tells him, she’s saying relationships are a two-way street. They get in the elevator.

Sam asks what Franco means by put down, but Elizabeth tells him that he’s said enough. She suggests they go home, and Franco doubles over, hearing Peter’s voice say, be Drew Cain. Dante runs in, and at the same time, Alexis grabs the syringe from the examining table. She runs over to the chaos, and stabs Dante with it by mistake.

Alexis backs up, horrified, and Sam asks what she’s done. Dante falls to the floor, and Elizabeth asks if he can hear her. She tells him, stay with her, and Alexis says she’s so sorry. Sam asks what she was thinking, and Franco glares at her.

Curtis asks if Portia doesn’t think everyone should be honest, and she says, in a perfect world, of course (🍷), but people aren’t perfect. He’s never lied? He says, when he was using, but he holds himself to a higher standard now. She says, everybody lies. If they didn’t, he’d be out of a job. When the pain isn’t so raw, maybe he can find forgiveness for the people who’ve hurt him. They come out of the elevator, and see the turmoil around Dante. Portia runs over, asking, what happened? Elizabeth says, Alexis stabbed Dante with a syringe. Jordan gives them instructions, and asks Dante to stay with her.

Jackie says, even though Sasha almost died, she was more focused on covering up? Nina tells Valentin, that’s her daughter’s necklace. She starts to move forward, but he grabs her arm, and says, don’t. They’re on national TV. Sasha says she couldn’t admit she had an issue, and Jackie says, they’re about out of time. She thanks Sasha for sharing her story. As she said, hopefully, since she was brave enough to tell them, it will help someone. Sasha thanks Jackie for allowing her to share her side, and Jackie turns it back to GMA. Maxie tells Lucy, their social media is probably blowing up; she’ll go check. Nina approaches Sasha, and says, how could she do this? Sasha knows how much the necklace means to her. Sasha asks what she’s talking about, and realizes what she’s wearing. She says, oh my God, and Nina asks how she could be so heartless. Carly nearly has apoplexy.  

Sonny says Lenny and Phyllis are two of the best. Waking up one day, and not knowing who he is, he couldn’t have picked kinder people in the world to help him out. The trooper didn’t know what he was talking about. Lenny asks why Sonny took off; he had a job with them. Sonny says he’s grateful, but he heard them talking about him. They said something was wrong with his brain. Phyllis tells him to go upstairs and clean up; he’s been out all night. Sonny says he just needs to go someplace where they’re willing to listen to him. Lenny says, they might be kind, but they have limits. He’s more than willing to call the trooper back. Sonny needs to take care of himself. Sonny says, all right; he’ll wash up. He goes upstairs, and Lenny says Phyllis knows he loves how big a heart she has, but she’s gone too far. Mike – if that’s his real name – helped them out, but they’ve more than repaid him. If it’s a mental issue like she suspects, he could be dangerous and not know it. Phyllis doesn’t think he’s dangerous, but he does need help. Lenny says he knows how she works to help every person she can is her way of doing penance for the private adoption. She feels guilty for giving that woman’s baby away.

Nina asks Sasha why she chose to wear the necklace. She thought Sasha was owning up to her mistakes; not compounding them. Sasha says she has no idea why the necklace was put on her, and Jax pulls Nina over to him. He says, the cameras are off, but it’s not a good idea to do this in public. There’s still a reporter here. Jackie says, don’t stop on her account, and Willow says, Chase is driving her to the hospital to sign forms for the nursing program. Does Jackie want to come with them? They’ve barely had a chance to talk. Jackie says she knows they’re trying to distract her, but she’ll take any excuse to spend time with her son. Willow tells Sasha, good luck, and Jackie leaves with Willow and Chase. Nina says the reporter left, and she’s still waiting to hear why Sasha is wearing the necklace. Sasha says wardrobe picked out her accessories. She didn’t even see it until Nina pointed it out. She has no idea why it was chosen. Valentin says, Carly might, and they all look at Carly. Valentin gives a small smile, and I laugh.   

Portia says Dante’s pulse is racing and thready, and his breathing is shallow. Do they know what he was injected with? Sam says, the syringe is on the floor, pointing to it, and Portia says, no one touch it. She needs a full analysis of what’s in it. Elizabeth gets on the phone and calls for a security lab tech; there’s been an accidental injection. Sam asks Alexis what she was thinking, and Alexis says she was trying to protect Sam. She thought Franco was going to hurt her. Sam says she came out of nowhere, and Alexis repeats that she thought Franco was going to hurt Sam. Sam says Alexis can’t take the law into her own hands. Can she honestly say if she was sober that she would have picked up the syringe? Alexis cries.

Valentin says, Nina was very concerned. She tried to get the interview shut down. Carly says she knew what Nina was thinking when she saw the necklace, but Valentin says, it looked like she was serving her own interests. Nina says she can’t hear any more lies. She trusts Carly to tell her the truth. Does she know where the necklace came from?    

At the hospital, Jackie tells Willow, it’s commendable of her switching careers. Willow says she hasn’t given up on teaching. Her goal is to combine nursing and teaching in some way; teaching nursing students, or starting a health program at the school. After she works hard. Jackie says, Chase never mentioned that she was so ambitious. She likes it. She’s learning something new about Willow all the time. Chase says, him too, and Jackie says, it’s not a bad thing. It keeps the relationship fresh. Chase’s phone rings, and he steps away to take the call. 

Britt asks if Jason wants to tell her what happened. All he’s been doing is warning her not to trust Peter, and now he’s defending Peter? Jason says he thinks it’s safer if Peter thinks she’s his ally, and Britt says, it makes sense. But she doesn’t need protection from Peter, Cyrus, or anyone else. There are plenty of people who would say she needs protection from him. She leaves, and Jason hears Chase say, Dante was attacked at GH? He’s heading to the first floor.    

Phyllis tells Lenny, when she took that baby girl to Florida all those years ago, she had no idea Madeline was conning her. She thought she was helping Nina. Lenny says he knows that, and from what she told him, Nina understands. Phyllis is too noble, and keeps wanting to balance the scales. It could backfire this time. Sonny comes back down, and  thanks them again for handling the trooper. He’ll get out of their hair real soon. Phyllis says they promised to be responsible for him. If he doesn’t stay there, he’ll be tossed in a jail cell, and he can’t make bail. If he’s going to stay there, there will be some conditions. Sonny says, which are? and Phyllis says she wants him to come back to the clinic, and speak with a mental health specialist who volunteers from time to time. (Could that be Doc?) She doesn’t have a lot of experience with psyche patients, but she knows enough to recognize the symptoms. It seems he may be having some sort of mania. Sonny smiles.

Nina says, if Carly knows, she has to tell her, and Avery says, it’s hers. She gave it to Sasha. She didn’t mean to make Nina mad. It was for good luck. Nina tells her, no one is mad. Can Avery tell her where she found it? Avery says, outside where mommy took her to the cabin. Valentin looks at Carly. Lots of looks going back and forth today.  

Curtis sees Jordan at the hospital, and he asks if she was called there to investigate. She says, dispatch sent a detective, but she was close by, and decided to have a look. Apparently, there was an assault. He says he arrived after the fact, but Alexis stabbed Dante with a syringe full something. Jordan asks if she was drunk, then says, sorry. Forget she asked. She’ll wait for the report. Can they please not do this; small talk and pleasantries? Can they have an actual conversation? They’re both entitled to their feelings about what happened about what she kept from him. He can’t keep them in limbo forever. It’s been over a month. If he wants to work it out, they have to try. She needs him to come home. That, or tell her to stop waiting. She tells him, she deserves that much, and walks away.

Portia says, Dante was injected with a near lethal dose of lidocaine. They’re looking at a toxic infusion, and he needs a liquid infusion stat. Someone asks if there will be lasting damage, and she says, his pressure is bottoming out. If they don’t start the infusion, they’re going to lose him. Jason sees Franco, and says he heard someone was attacked. Franco says, Dante; it was an accident. Alexis was trying to kill him, and Dante got in the way.

Alexis sits on the stairs, and Sam shakes her head. Chase joins them, and says he received a report about an attack on Dante. Do they care to shed some light on it? Alexis says, she didn’t mean it; it was an accident. Chase asks if Sam witnessed the incident, and she stammers. She says she doesn’t know what happened; it was so fast. He asks her to tell him what she remembers. She can tell him there or at the station. Dante is in bad shape, and she’s a witness. Sam says she saw the whole thing. Her mother stabbed Dante with a syringe when she was trying to attack Franco.  

Britt tries to do some paperwork, but her hand starts to shake.  

The alarms go off next to Dante, and Portia does chest compression on him. She says, come on.

Franco tells Jason, if it weren’t for Dante, he’d be a dying man. Jason asks, why? and Franco says there’s long list of reasons why Alexis would want him dead, but Jason says, no. Why did Dante sacrifice himself for Franco?   

Alexis says she knows what Sam is doing, and Sam says she’s saving Alexis from herself. If today wasn’t rock bottom, Sam is scared for Alexis’s life. She’s sorry, but it’s time for Alexis to pay some consequences. Alexis asks if Sam wants her to go to jail, and Sam says she wants Alexis to sober up. If she’s in jail, she’ll be able to.

Jordan asks Chase what the story is, and he says Alexis’s attack on Dante was confirmed by her daughter, and Jordan says, that was brave of Sam to do. They’re going to have to bring Alexis in. Jordan reads Alexis her rights, while Chase cuffs her. Jason and Franco watch as Alexis is led away. Jason looks at Sam with longing.  

Sonny says, Phyllis thinks he’s crazy? He’s some kind of maniac? She says, not at all. It’s a medical term; racing thoughts and little sleep, along with bursts of energy. She’s sure they can help him out at the clinic, but he says, no way is he getting his head shrunk. Lenny says, those are the conditions. Go with Phyllis and get checked out. If the doctors say he’s fine, so be it. He needs help, and he can get it. If he can’t go along with the conditions, Sonny will deal with the trooper instead. It’s his decision. What is he going to do?

Jackie tells Willow, she knows they’re still figuring out what’s next. She hopes she’s not overstepping. Willow says, overstepping doesn’t seem to be a problem for Jackie, and Jackie admits it’s not. She wants Willow to know how much she cares about her, and that she’s happy Willow is giving Chase a chance to make things right. They get in the elevator.   

Michael says it’s time to get Avery home, and asks if Sasha wants to go. Nina says, before Sasha leaves, she needs the necklace. Sasha says, of course (🍷), and gives it to her. She swears she was so focused, she didn’t notice them putting it on her. Carly tells Jax, she doesn’t know if she left the real necklace at Windymere, or the duplicate. Nina  promises Avery that she’ll return it right away, and thanks her for finding it. Avery leaves with Michael and Sasha, and Nina tells Jax that Avery found it in the woods. If it matches the one she’s wearing, that means it belonged to her daughter. She looks hopefully at the necklace in her hand.

Tomorrow, Nina wonders if the necklace is her daughter’s, Sonny wonders why Lenny and Phyllis care about a complete stranger, Mac tells Alexis there’s no justification for her actions, and Olivia says please tell her Dante is alive.

Southern Charm – The Reunion – Part One

Madison said she never went in thinking anyone would have her back, but if someone came for her, she would the last word, and they all knew it. It’s not like this one is the brightest bulb in the box, and pretty girls are a dime a dozen, so I don’t get why everyone seems afraid of her. BTW, Kathryn is a blond now.

Andy said Kathryn didn’t look pregnant, and that’s because she’s not. He said she almost had another Ravenel baby, which she clarified was with 2 l’s. Leva’s restaurant business was alive again, and Craig has officially been declared a pillow magnate. Andy asked who took the virus the most seriously, and the consensus was Leva. A viewer asked Kathryn if she was glad to have an excuse to social distance, and she said, absolutely. We saw a clip of Whitney sharing a bottle of scotch with the guys, but making everyone sit 20 feet away from each other. There were also clips of Austen and Craig on Tik Tok during quarantine. Craig said Madison was busy sleeping with married men. particularly an ex-MLB player, but Madison denied it. She claimed they’d only DM’d, and both Craig and Austen called her a liar. Craig said she’d FaceTimed with the guy when she was right next to him.

We saw a clip of Madison on Watch What Happens Live, talking about Craig’s girlfriend Natalie. While Leva (who was also a guest) said she thought Natalie was wonderful, Madison said Austen had slept with her, and it was too close to home. She told Craig he’d been in denial, but Craig said she brought it out in a disgusting way. He said Madison weaponized everything. More pearls of wisdom from Craig. Andy said he’d met Natalie when he was hosting Love Connection; she’d been a connection. Craig said Austen had introduced them in Aspen, and Madison was a trash human. She was a sociopath who’d tried to gaslight Natalie. Madison produced the usual receipts from her cell phone, and read a text where she’d apologized, saying, she hadn’t meant to hurt them. She said she had a folder for all of them, reminding me of Cruella de Vil. Craig said she deliberately tried to hurt people, and she told him to have a thick skin and quit running his mouth. Call me trash one more time… He said she was trash. She’d thrown away ten years of friendship, and he was never speaking to her again after today.

Shep said he was ready for battle. Andy said he’d been a bit of a lost cause, but with a new girlfriend and a therapist. Rose was less thorny. Shep talked about writing a book: Average Expectations: Lessons in Lowering the Bar. I do like the title. Andy asked who could have predicted Shep being in a serious relationship, and that was a nobody. Shep said it was an adjustment, but had happened organically. Taylor had refused to give him a reason to run away, and they’ve been together a year. John’s advice was not to take her for granted. Kathryn though Shep was calmer, kinder, and a better listener. He was a more nurturing person. Andy asked what set Taylor apart, and Shep said he sees every day what a good person she is. Andy asked if he’d been faithful, and he stumbled a little, saying, they’d had some hiccups. There were text messages, and he’d kissed a girl, but that’s all it was. It was a moment of weakness when he was drinking. He’d also texted an old flame. Austen said Shep finally took an honest look at himself, and decided who he wanted to be with. Leva thought they were romanticizing cheating. John asked what if Taylor did the same thing, and Shep said he would ask to talk about it. Andy asked Madison if it was hard not to take pleasure in Shep’s relationship drama, but she was there for the apology tour. Andy asked what Shep had learned in therapy, and Shep said to ask himself if he was happy today, and not project. He was trying to be present.

The topic of Shep making fun of a homeless person on Instagram was brought up. John said he told Shep to take it down, and sent Shep a documentary about people who collect cans, but Shep brushed it off. He said it was funny, and that’s all he cared about. Shep said he was drunk, and in a bad headspace. Afterward, he met his parents in Alaska, and when his dad confronted him, he broke down, Andy asked if there was peace between him and Madison, and they said there was, but Austen said they weren’t friends. Madison told him to shut his Muppet mouth, and I was like, ugh. I don’t like Austen all that much, but I think he’s just immature. Madison is just plain mean; a POS wrapped in a pretty package. Shep asked at what point Austen was culpable. Why would Madison let him go when he was cheap labor. Austen said he’d have his time.

Craig’s career ambitions, or lack thereof, were discussed. Andy said Craig’s pillow success must be tough for Shep to swallow, but Shep said he supported Craig and his pillows. We flashed back to times Shep dogged Craig, and Andy gave him he opportunity to eat crow. Shep said he wanted Craig to prosper beyond his wildest dreams. He’d come further than all of them. Craig said they were able to survive during quarantine, and did a quarter million dollars in sales in November. Shep asked if he could borrow some money. Craig said he was opening a brick and mortar store next to Leva’s restaurant. He wanted to do kitchen stuff, and John suggested a Craig body pillow. We flashed back to Patricia saying her pillows luxury, while Craig’s were affordable. Craig said Patricia’s pillows went for $20, while theirs went for $58, which is more than I’d pay for a Craig pillow. Madison said he was nasty, but he said the truth only seemed to hurt Madison. Kathryn thought Patricia was wrong to throw shade at a younger person coming up.

Andy asked Leva what the best part of her experience was, and she said, getting to know everyone better. She and Kathryn had their ups and downs, but she got to know the good parts of her. They all had good hearts, and were good people; she enjoyed them – in doses. Andy asked what the worst part was, and she said when she felt like no one was hearing her. Viewer Francoise viewer asked her to spill the tea about Charleston night life, and she said Shep had to be ushered out of the bar. Shep thought it was a great way to leave. There was a finality to it. Kathryn said the first time she’d had a love connection with Thomas was at Republic. She told Lamar to watch Kathryn. Craig said they’d let Kathryn get pregnant by a 52-year-old man. They didn’t do a good job. Andy asked what other firsts there had been at Republic, and John said he’d kissed Kathryn there. He still couldn’t get the lipstick out of his shirt. Leva said she wouldn’t spill the tea though. It was an industry thing; they were all protected. Andy said she’d talked about being an outsider, and she said interracial couples were more common now. Shep thought Charleston was progressive for a southern city, and Leva agreed. She talked about getting in a car accident, where she’d hit another car. She said the guy got out, and his first question was, are you illegal? Geez, you’d think it would be, are you all right? That’s the usual first question. She said he asked if it was even her car. She also had a guy say he didn’t want her Yankee money when she was trying to buy property. Andy said there had been a lot of Tweets about her son being named Little, and she said his name was Lamar Alfred Bonaparte III. In the South, thirds are usually called Trip or Trey (wow – I learned something new), but it hadn’t fit. When Lamar would change the baby, he’d say he was big Lamar, and their son was little Lamar, and that stuck.   

Andy asked about Leva’s relationship with Cameran, but Leva said it wasn’t there anymore. They’d been close, but she hadn’t heard from Cameran. There was no bad blood though. Andy wondered if Cameran was upset about Leva doing the show, and Leva said she assumed Cameran didn’t want to know about it. Craig said Cameran loved doing it, and Kathryn said Cameran was given an offer to come back right up until yesterday. Craig thought Cameran was regretted not doing it, but Shep thought he was wrong. She liked being part of the group. Danni said Cameran liked control in her life, and regretted not being part of it, but… and Kathryn said Cameran made the decision to leave before anything had happened between them. She hadn’t made up the rumor about Jason cheating, and she thought Cameran was inauthentic and fake. She used Kathryn when it was to her benefit. Craig said he knew there was no truth to the rumor, but Kathryn hadn’t made it up. Cameran was all gung-ho with him and Shep to do the show, and at the 11th hour, decided not to. No one knew why, which was really weird, especially since no one believed Jason had cheated either. Leva said there were rumors about every one of them, and she was surprised it was taken seriously. She said she never repeated that stuff, and always kept it real. Kathryn told Leva that she’d said hurtful stuff, and even made fun of her voice. Leva agreed it was low, and apologized. Kathryn said Leva distorted her narrative.

Next time – the conclusion of this messiness – a bathroom break, Madison talks about her mommy makeover (too bad she can’t get a personality makeover), Leva wishes Austen would stop popping off like a baby, John tells Craig to never mention his kids, and Shep asks if Madison is threatening him. Looks like a good time.

🏖 The horrible people from Summer House are back. Now I like this show even less because I’ve grown to like Hannah Berner on Chat Room, and I’m embarrassed that she’s on it. Last summer was a bust here, but apparently, a new season was filmed in the Hamptons. Tonight’s episode reflected on the past four summers, and gave a preview of the new season. Yep. They’re just as awful.

👮🏾‍♀️ Temp Work At the PCPD…

Temporary Jordan looks like she just walked off the Saved By the Bell set. They might have made an effort to make her look less like a teenager.

🦊 Old Jordan’s New Move…

It’s getting hard to keep all the Jordans straight.

🎞 In Case You Were Going…

The dates for Cannes have been moved again.

👑 Animation Game…

I’m not sure how I feel about this.

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/game-of-thrones-animated-series-hbo-max-1234894042/

🧔🏻 Leaving the Building With Elvis…

I’m off to do some work for https://mupoentertainment.com – give us a click if you can. And no matter what, stay safe, stay respectful of the environment, and stay knowing which necklace you switched. If your prone to do that sort of thing.

January 27, 2021 – Peter Pulls the Trigger, the OC’s Reunion Concludes, Jen Is Confronted in Vegas, Click Here & Cold

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sasha’s interview is being set up at the MetroCourt. Chase asks if Jackie is sure she doesn’t mind that he’s there, but she says, he wants to support his friend, and she’s fine with it. He says he’s not the only one, and we see Michael come in with Willow. Sasha isn’t there yet, and Jackie hopes she doesn’t flake. Chase says, she won’t, and Jackie says he sounds confident. He says he is.

Nina finds Sasha in the Crimson reception area, and Sasha apologizes for dropping by unannounced. She wanted Nina to know, so she wasn’t caught off-guard. Jackie Templeton is interviewing live on TV this morning on GMA 3. Nina asks what the topic is, and Sasha says, her drug use and what led to it.   

Sam knocks on Alexis’s door. Alexis throws it open without saying anything, and heads for the couch. Sam says, warm welcome; late night? Alexis says she’s celebrating. Sam asks what the occasion is, and Alexis says, her vindication, She’s not the drunk driver Tracy would have the world believe she is. She doesn’t suppose Sam would care to toast with her.  

Jason goes to the MetroCourt bar where Carly is working. He tells her that they need to make a decision, and she asks if they can do it there. They’re shooting a TV show in the restaurant, and she needs to be there. He says, it’s not incriminating, just difficult. They’re getting pressure from the five families, and somebody already tried to make a move. They need to strengthen their position, and make it clear he’s in charge. Carly asks how they do that, and he says, they have Sonny legally declared dead, and have a funeral.

Nikolas and Ava come into the hospital with Avery. Ava asks if she’s ready for her appointment, and tells her that the doctor will want to hear all about the vegetables she likes to eat. Does she have her list? Avery says she does, and Nikolas tells her broccoli is always a crowd pleaser, and there’s lima beans. Avery says, eww! She hates lima beans. He says he’s just kidding, and Ava says she’ll see him afterward. She and Avery get into the elevator, and Elizabeth tells Nikolas, they look almost like a real family. He says, it helps having people to emulate.   

Franco meets Obrecht behind a building, and asks if they can meet indoors next time. He doesn’t like the idea of wind chill when it’s time to turn his head and cough. She says there’s no examination this time, and he asks what they’re doing then. Has she finally figured out a way to fix him?

Britt and Maxie do couples stretches at the gym, and Maxie says, she’s done. Britt says, that was fun, and Maxie says, was it though? Britt asks if she’s not a good prenatal yoga partner, and Maxie says she’s a little high energy. It’s supposed to be slow and smooth. Britt says, boring, and Maxie thanks her for stepping in for Peter. A big story came in late. Britt says, sounds juicy, and Maxie says, let’s hope, for Peter’s sake.

On the phone in his office, Peter says, go ahead and pull the trigger. Dante comes to the door, and says, Peter wanted to see him? Peter says there’s a big story coming out, and he wants Dante to be aware of it. Dante asks if he’s being featured, but Peter says, the story could pose a risk to the paper, the staff, and himself.

Elizabeth says she and Franco are hardly perfect, but Nikolas says they withstood what he and Ava threw at them, which was a lot, and came out stronger. She says, it’s easier to come together when you know the enemy; when the threat is right in front of you and you can see it. It’s the invisible ones that are hard. He asks her, what’s wrong?

Obrecht tells Franco, science can’t be rushed; she needs time. He says that’s the one thing he doesn’t have. She says she’s doing all she can, and he says, Terry thinks it’s time he consider radiation, but Obrecht says, it’s no guarantee. He says, it’s something, which is better than nothing. He can’t sit back, and let time tick away. It’s driving him crazy. She says she cautions patience, and he asks if he strikes her as a patient guy. She says if they can’t isolate what brought Drew’s memories to the surface, they could be lost forever. He says, so what? If he’s alive, who cares about the memories? She says she does.

Britt asks if Peter works a lot of long days, and Maxie says they both do, but when he’s home, she gets her feet rubbed. Britt says, lucky girl, and Maxie says she is. When she buried Nathan, she thought she buried her heart with him, but Peter showed her that wasn’t true. He showed her there was a big, beautiful life ahead, and he was right. Britt says she’s happy for Maxie. Peter sounds great. Maxie says, Peter is her brother. Doesn’t she think he’s great too?

Dante asks if it’s true, and Peter says he wouldn’t have published it otherwise. An article like this carries with it all sorts of implications. Dante says, especially given the subject matter, and Peter says, and the subject. He hasn’t asked much of Dante so far, but he’s about to earn his salary. Dante says he’ll speak to the staff.   

Alexis shows Sam her driver’s license, and says she’s once again a member of the motorized society. Crossing guards of Port Charles beware. Sam guesses Alexis thinks it’s funny, and Alexis says all she has left is her sense of humor. Sam wonders if Alexis thinks it’s a license to keep going on living the way she’s living, and Alexis says, license is funny. Sam needs a sense of humor to live with Jason. Sam says they’re not together anymore, and Alexis says, it’s a good first step. The next step Sam should take is paying attention to her own family and career, and turning her critical eye inward and off of her.   

Jax says he has to make a phone call, and leaves, while Nina brings Sasha into her office. She says, that was super fast, and Sasha says, a reporter came sniffing around yesterday. Nina says, like Maxie predicted, and asks if it’s damage control. Sasha says, Chase introduced them to his mother, who agreed to an interview. She used her contacts to get them on GMA 3. Nina says Sasha is really getting the story out there, and Sasha says, that’s the plan.   

Valentin comes into the Crimson offices, and Jax says, Nina is busy. Valentin says he’ll wait. Jax asks if Valentin is surprised to see him, and Valentin says, why would he be? Jax says Valentin thought his maneuvers were going to drive a wedge between him and Nina, but Valentin says he’d be a fool to try and do that, considering what a spectacular job Jax is doing for himself.

Carly tells Jason, Diane explained how it makes sense from a legal standpoint to have Sonny declared dead, but why have a funeral so soon? Jason says, it will stabilize things. It sends a clear message to the five families and any other potential rivals, that there’s no weakness. They’re not just waiting around for Sonny. He’s gone and Jason is in charge. Carly says, a stable transition. But what about the kids? Avery and Donna are too young to understand, but what about Michael, Kristina, and Dante, even Josslyn? It seems disrespectful to have a funeral so soon; they don’t even have a body. He says he hates the idea of a funeral, and hates asking her and everyone else to go through a ritual to say Sonny is gone. It would be a relief if she said no. She asks, will it keep them safe if there’s a funeral? He says, yes, and she says, then that’s what they’re going to do. She’ll call Father Rias and make arrangements. He says he’s sorry, but she says she’d be sorrier if he didn’t tell her. She’ll tell Michael. Conveniently, Michael comes over to the bar, and asks what she’s doing there. She says, someone had to oversee the TV show, and Olivia can’t come in. Michael says not to expect her back for a few days, and Carly asks, what’s going on? He says, changes at home, including his living situation. She asks if they’re moving out, and he says, he and Wiley are staying put. She says, not Willow? and he says, their marriage is officially over.

Chase introduces Willow to Jackie, who says she’s heard a lot about Willow. Jackie’s phone dings, and she looks at it. She says, it’s shaping up to be one busy news cycle day.

Carly tells Michael, she thought things were going great. Now they’re ending the marriage? All of their phones ding, and Carly says, oh my God.

Maxie and Britt look at their phones, and Maxie says, yikes. Late nights yield big scoops.

Sam asks how many times she and Alexis are going to have this same fight? Alexis asks, who’s fighting? Their phones ding, and Alexis says, Sam… Sam says she sees it.

Nikolas asks Elizabeth to tell him what’s wrong. Their phones ding, and Elizabeth says, oh no. Nikolas says, is it true?

Franco asks why Obrecht is so desperate to find out about some random memory of Drew’s. Is Peter that important? Their phones ding, and we see it’s a story in The Invader about Franco’s tumor returning, and wondering if the old Franco is returning.

Maxie says, if there’s any saving grace in Lulu not being there, it’s that she’s missing a Franco redo. Although she’d probably wish she’d snagged the story, but it’s good for Peter. Britt flashes back to Peter being at the computer, and her telling him that she can’t let him dig in hospital records. He says he’ll have to find some other way. Maxie says she has to go change, and Britt looks at her phone. Maxie says, this was fun? Should they do it again sometime? She’s willing if Britt is. Britt says, what? Anything for family, right?

Franco wonders why his diagnosis is splashed on front of this rag, and Obrecht asks if he’s shared it with anyone outside the family. He says, just Jason, but that’s not his style. She supposes someone at the hospital could have leaked it, and he asks why Peter would have published it. He bought Peter a beer; Peter said he was his friend. They’re going to his wedding. He even told Peter it was his voice in his head. She says, Peter knows he has more of Drew’s memories? He starts to walk away, and she asks where he’s going. He says, to get some answers. Obrecht makes a call, and says, there’s been a development. They need to act.  

Sam tells Alexis, this is way overwritten. She spoke to Elizabeth who told her Franco’s tumor was back, but it was being treated, and there had been no changes in his behavior. Alexis says, before Sam gives him a free pass, she needs to do more than take his wife’s word for it. Sam says she’s going to the hospital, and Alexis says she’s going with her.

Nikolas tells Elizabeth, he has to go. He wants her to bring the boys to Spoon Island. She and her sons are in danger. She says Franco wouldn’t hurt them, but he asks how she knows. She says she has faith in her husband, and he says, it’s not a matter of faith; it’s a matter of science. She says she’s listened to the doctors. She’s heard from Sam and Jason, and her other friends, but she hasn’t heard one word of support from her friend when her husband is dying. He’s dying, Nikolas. Nikolas says he’s sorry, and holds her. Ava and Avery come out of the elevator.

Carly says, Franco’s tumor is back, and Jason says he’s taking care of it. Franco won’t hurt anyone they care about.

Lucy breezes in, and tells Jackie that she looks very camera ready. Jackie thanks her, and says, it’s almost go time and Sasha’s not here. Is the interview still on?  

Nina tells Sasha that she doesn’t have to do this, but Sasha says she does. She wants to feel empowered again. Being a victim sucks. Nina says she can’t argue with that. Sasha says, this is her, taking back control. It’s scary, and she might bomb, but it will be on her terms. Nina says she’s proud of Sasha, and Sasha says, that means a lot. Jax comes in, and tells Nina, Valentin is out there, loitering. He said something about Lucy calling, and are they still doing the interview? Nina says Sasha wouldn’t miss it. Go get ‘em, tiger.

Michael says he knows Jason is on top of it, and appreciates it… Jason says, but Michael isn’t going to leave protecting his family to anyone else. Michael says, not where Franco is concerned. He’s going to see about upping security at the house. He leaves, and Carly says, about Sonny’s funeral. Anything to keep them safe is worth doing. Jason says he’s going to take off, but Carly says there’s something else they need to talk about, but they shouldn’t do it there. They go to a more private place.

Michael says he’s sorry to interrupt, and asks to talk Willow, who says, of course (🍷). They step over to the bar, and he says he broke the news about the annulment to his mom. She asks how it went, and he says, she was surprised and disappointed, but they didn’t have time to get into it; something came up. They need to revisit the subject of her moving out. She says she can be out in a week, but he says, no. He doesn’t want her going anywhere.

Lucy tells Jackie, Sasha will definitely be here. Maxie comes in, and Lucy says, they just need a little time. Jackie says it’s a live show; time isn’t negotiable. If Sasha isn’t ready in ten, the interview is off, and there will be no other opportunity, friend of her son or not. Sasha arrives, and asks where Jackie wants her.

Jason asks if Carly is okay, but she doesn’t know. There’s a lot going on; Sonny, Cyrus, his mother. She needs to do something to help. Jason says, moving forward with the funeral will help, but she says she needs to do more. Jason says, she can’t. They already talked about this. She says she knows. He said she can’t be involved in the business. Jason says, not on any level. She says she understands, and Jason says, but? She’s gotten involved with something else.

Avery fingers her necklace, and Nikolas asks how it went. Ava says, she passed with flying colors. She asks if he’s ready to go, and he looks at Elizabeth. Ava takes that as a no, and he asks if she saw the news about Franco. She says she did, and he says he can’t leave Elizabeth like this. She says she understands. It’s incredibly difficult for Elizabeth and the boys. Give Elizabeth her best, and if he sees Franco, tell him that she’s thinking about him.

Britt goes to Peter’s office, and he thanks her for taking his place with Maxie. She says, it was fun, but it’s the last time she’s stepping up for him. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says she saw his story about Franco. He says, it’s a hell of a thing, isn’t it? and she says, the fact that he used her? Did he or did he not swipe medical files from the GH server? Franco comes in, and says, good question. He’d like to hear the answer.

Sasha tells Michael that he didn’t have to come, but he says it’s the least he could do after what she did for Wiley. Lucy says Sasha has to get glammed up now, and Sasha goes to the makeup table. Ava comes in with Avery, who runs to Michael and says she missed him. He says he missed her too, and Ava asks if Carly is around. He says, she’s talking to Jason, but she’s here. Ava says, Carly didn’t see Avery yesterday, so she thought they could spend the afternoon together. He says, she’ll be thrilled, and Ava tells Avery, rule number one, have fun; rule number two, behave yourself. She’ll see Avery later. Avery shows Michael a lollipop, and says look at what she got. He says he’s starving, but she says it’s not for him. She got it from the doctor. He says she had check-up. How much did she grow? Ten feet? Twenty? Avery giggles, and Ava gets in the elevator and smiles.

Valentin asks Jax, any word on Cyrus’s mom? and Jax suggests he ask Jason. Nina says she’s sure that would go over well, and Valentin asks if they want to know what he thinks. Jax says, no, but Nina says, please tell them what he thinks. He says he thinks while it’s an effective way of controlling Cyrus, it’s reckless, and he doesn’t think that’s Jason’s trademark. It is does sound like Carly’s though. He thinks Carly took her. Jason will take the heat, since they’ll go to hell and back for each other. He thinks it pays dividends in the short term, but in the long term, he thinks it’s a hell of a lot more trouble than it’s worth. If he were Jax, he’d reach out to that ex of his as quickly as possible, and get her to reverse course. Jax thanks him for that, and Valentin leaves. Jax says, wow.

Carly tells Jason, Avery has the real necklace, and if Nina sees it, Nina could easily figure it out like she did. Nina is going to figure out Nelle is her daughter, and she can’t let that happen. Jason says Carly didn’t push Nelle, and Carly says she knows, but it will break Nina’s heart. It’s a problem she can solve. By keeping the secret buried, she gets to end Nelle’s reign of terror.

Nikolas asks how he can help, but Elizbeth says she’s not the one who needs help. He asks how he can help Franco, and she says, Franco did something to exacerbate the situation. Now he’s fighting the enemy from the inside and out. There’s the tumor, and there’s Jason.

Peter says he’s calling security, but Franco grabs the phone. Peter asks who he’s talking to; old Franco, or Franco 2.0? Franco says he’s talking to a man who’s a husband and stepfather to three boys. Why did Peter do this? Putting his personal information on the front page is putting his family in jeopardy. Peter says, the people of Port Charles are in jeopardy from him. Did Franco forget he told Peter that he’s hearing voices? Franco says, that’s from something that Shiloh did. Shiloh messed with his head; it has nothing to do with the tumor. Peter asks if Franco’s doctors will attest to that, and Franco says Peter would know the answer if he’d bothered to ask the questions. Did he give any consideration how people are going to react to the article? They’re going to come after him, Elizabeth, or the boys. If they get hurt, it’s on Peter. Peter doesn’t think it’s his head that’s the problem, and Franco grabs him. They struggle, Dante runs in, and Peter throws Franco off him and onto the floor.  

Dante says, call the police, but Britt says, don’t. If he does, Peter will have a bigger problem with her than Franco. Peter says, let him up, and escort him out. Franco gets up, and says, this isn’t over. He leaves, and Peter asks if those are the actions of a sane person. Britt says she thinks they’re the actions of a furious person. She’s furious too. He says, the story had to be told, and she says, by manipulating his own sister? He says she saw how Franco reacted. How quickly he moved to violence. He’s hearing voices. People need to know that Franco is capable of saying or doing anything. She asks if Franco was right. Did he not contact any of Franco’s doctors? He says people are going to thank him for this story. It was the only way to keep Port Charles and his family safe.

Alexis and Sam arrive at the hospital, and Alexis tells Elizabeth that they saw the article. Elizabeth says, so did the rest of the world. Did Sam tell her the reporting is incomplete? Alexis says, Franco almost killed her daughter, and killed multiple people. He skated on Diane’s the-tumor-did-it defense, and now the tumor is back. Why isn’t Elizabeth protecting herself and her kids? Elizabeth says Alexis doesn’t get to question her decisions, and she doesn’t have to defend herself. Is Sam going to back her? Sam says she can’t.

Jason says he won’t stop Carly. Just make sure it’s worth it, and it’s not the one thing that makes the rest come crashing down. He’ll be there to bail her out, but he’ll have to drop something else to do it. He gets up, and she says, that’s not going happen. If it does, she’ll go to Jax. It’s not one more thing for him to worry about. He says he knows her, and how she deals with hurt. Just keep moving instead of standing still, and letting herself feel it. He’s not telling her how to grieve, and he’ll stand behind her no matter what, but chasing after the necklace to cover her grief isn’t going to help. It might put her grief off, but she’ll still have to go through it. She guesses they’re having a funeral then.

Michael tells Avery, Sasha is going to be on TV. The nice lady is going to interview her. Avery says, about what? (we won’t speak of how a child of that age probably wouldn’t ask that question) and he says, a lot of things. How about they find mom. He bets she has leftover Christmas treats in her office. Avery says, wait. Sasha needs good luck.

Nikolas punches the heavy bag, and thinks about Elizabeth telling him, if there are any signs Franco is reverting to form, Jason is going to kill him. Jason doesn’t need a reason. She’s begging him not to let that happen. Don’t let Jason take Franco from her.

The makeup artist tells Sasha, all set, and wishes her good luck. Jackie says, they’re agreed on topics. Sasha might find her questions sharp at times, but she won’t be surprised by the content. Lucy asks Maxie to keep Valentin occupied. He’s trying to get himself involved. She looks at Sasha, and says she looks absolutely fantastic, but needs one thing to complete the ensemble. She puts the half-heart necklace on Sasha, and Jackie says, let’s do this.   

Carly sees Avery, and asks what she’s doing there. Michael says, Ava dropped her off; she thought Carly could use some face time. Carly says she could, and suggests they go to the office where she has more candy. Michael says, what did he tell her? He tells Carly that Avery wants to watch the show. He tried to tell her it’s not for kids, but she’s relentless. She wants to see her good luck charm on TV. Carly is like, uh-oh.

Ava finds Nikolas at the gym, and says he thought he was tending to Elizabeth. He says he’s tending to her from afar. Has she spoken to Franco? She says, not yet, and he says he imagines Franco has his hands full. He bets Franco could use a friendly face. She asks, what’s happening here? Is he actually considering Franco’s feelings? He says, and Elizabeth’s, but mostly he’s considering them. How, for all of their issues – Ava says, and there are many – they’re doing pretty good in comparison. He says he doesn’t want to press their luck, and she says, sounds intriguing. What does he have in mind? He gets down on one knee, and says, marry him for real. Yay! I really like them together.

Obrecht asks Dante what took him so long, and he says, there was a situation at The Invader with Franco. She asks how Peter reacted, and he says, like he was being cornered by a killer. She says, the article was a preemptive attempt to discredit Franco should he ever implicate Peter, and Dante says, Franco’s built a new reputation since the tumor was removed; it’s easier said than done. She says, that’s what she’s afraid of.

Britt tells Peter, she’s the Chief of Staff, and has a responsibility to her patients, which includes protecting their privacy, which clearly she didn’t. People will know what he did and wonder why. They’re likely to find holes in his story. He says she’s his sister and he loves her, but make no mistake, if she pushes this, it may threaten his family. She doesn’t want to come between him, and Maxie and his child. Jason comes in, and says, or what?

Obrecht tells Dante, the article is merely Peter’s opening salvo against Franco. If it doesn’t do the job… He says, they reload, and she clicks her pen several times. She says, Franco is the key to Peter’s guilt, and must be protected at all costs. It’s up to Dante to do it.

Sam says Elizabeth doesn’t want them to believe Franco’s tumor is dangerous, but she doesn’t know, and neither do the doctors. Franco joins them, and says, the story isn’t the whole story. Alexis asks why he didn’t inform her and Sam of his relapse? and he tells her that he didn’t want to scare them. She says, too late. She wonders why they’re being so casual? Does she need to arm herself? Elizabeth asks if Alexis is threatening her husband, and Sam tells Alexis, don’t escalate right now. Alexis stomps off, and Franco asks Sam to just listen. She yells that she doesn’t want to talk to him right now, and Elizabeth suggests Sam hear him out. Alexis goes into an examining room, and digs in her purse. She sees either a pill dispenser or a really wide syringe on the table. Franco tells Sam that he’s not going to hurt her or anybody else. He’s made specific arrangements to make sure that never happens. Alexis checks to see if anyone is looking.

Nina messes with the computer, and tells Jax, got it. Jackie asks Sasha to introduce herself and Sasha says she’s the co-owner and face of Deception Cosmetics. Jackie asks why Sasha sought out an interview, and Sasha says, a few months ago she nearly died of a heart attack brought on by drug abuse. Nina sees the necklace, and asks, what is Sasha wearing?

Carly asks Avery, what good luck charm? and Avery says, there; Sasha’s wearing it. She points to the necklace on Sasha. Jackie asks if Sasha attributes her drug use to her scheme to manipulate the custody proceeding for Wiley Corinthos. Sasha says, when she chose to act, she knew the personal cost would be painful, but she told herself that she could handle the pain. The pain would fade, and she’d be okay.

Nina says, oh my God, Jax. Sasha is wearing her daughter’s necklace. Jax makes a face and shakes his head.

Tomorrow, Nina asks how someone could do thi;, Curtis doesn’t think it’s a good idea; Dante says, it’s a generous offer; Phyllis tells Sonny, there are some conditions; and Jason asks why Peter is threatening Britt.

The Real Housewives of Orange County – The Reunion – Part Two

When we last left, Shannon said Braunwyn had told her daughter that if she wanted the good stuff, to text her. Braunwyn didn’t remember it, and started bawling, saying she was sorry. She would have never done that sober. Shannon said she appreciated the apology. One would assume the good stuff meant drugs, but I’ve hunted for clarification, and Shannon says no. So WTF is it? Hennessey? Andy said Gina had a new house and a new man, but her road to happiness had been paved with roadblocks from the past. We flashed back to Gina and Travis’s version of The Brady Bunch, took a trip down Matt Memory Lane, and strolled through Gina’s many hairstyles. Gina said she was proud of her and Matt’s co-parenting, and they were in a place where Matt could hear the truth. Andy thought it was nice that she found someone great. Someone please get that guy a thesaurus. On break, Braunwyn got all dramatic with her sorries to Shannon, and hyperventilated loudly.

Andy said, Kelly now being friends with Shannon gave him faith in everything. Apparently, it doesn’t take much. Kelly talked about her wedding to Rick, and how she got flack for having a gathering with a lot of people. Although my idea of a lot isn’t 28, and they had everyone tested. The BLM protests were discussed, and Kelly getting more flack for wearing a Drunk Wives Matter hat, which moved the conversation to racism. Both Elizabeth and Kelly said they’d experienced it being Mexican, and Kelly didn’t feel Braunwyn was sincere in being an ally. Emily said Braunwyn used a victim mentality as an excuse for her behavior, and Shannon said Braunwyn had claimed she got no support, and alluded to the group being racist and homophobic during an ET interview. Braunwyn said she’d gotten pissed because they’d called her confused. Um… she certainly seemed confused this season. Elizabeth told the group that she was actually bi-sexual, but non-practicing. Is that a thing now? Braunwyn said she’d thought Elizabeth was a lesbian when they met, and tried kissing her in the beginning. Shannon’s head went back and forth like she was watching a ping-pong match, and Andy thought Braunwyn was trying to do a lot at once; her sexuality, her marriage, her kids, her sobriety. She said she was taking a step back, and that’s where she was right now.

Any said every Housewives trip was messy and dramatic, and this season was no exception. We saw clips from the trip to Lake Arrowhead, and Andy asked Elizabeth at what point she realized she was in a cult. She said she and her brother didn’t understand the situation until they were banished. Her grandmother was the founder, and her dad was a pastor. Andy asked what their tenet was, and she said, money and greed. They were brainwashed in school to obey. He asked how they finally left, and she said her mother got an 18-wheeler, and drove them to Washington. Elizabeth couldn’t live with the burden, and once she said it out loud, she knew she’d exposed her truth, and fear of rejection. She liked her cookie cutter perfection because it helped her to not deal with her issues. Braunwyn said she wasn’t alone. There were many women with perfect lives who didn’t really have perfect lives.

When Andy introduced Sean, Shannon wondered who he was, forgetting he was Braunwyn’s husband. We found out that Braunwyn had never been attracted to men physically, and while Sean said it broke his heart, in some ways, it was a relief when Braunwyn had said she was a lesbian. Braunwyn explained how she’d wanted to try having an open marriage, but when she’d found out from the nanny that Sean brought someone home, she got upset. They eventually decided to go to therapy. We saw pictures of Braunwyn’s new girlfriend Kris, and Andy said it looked like Braunwyn did what she wanted to, and Sean took care of her. It was like he was of service. Sean said he derived happiness from his kids, and they both hoped to stay together. Sean said they wanted to create a decent structure for the kids, and see where it went. It sounded pretty messy, and I’m sure the kids will all be in therapy soon.

Everyone agreed that covid taught them to appreciate the little things, and that friends and family were the most important things in life. They were also in agreement that 2021 would be better than 2020; it had to be. Andy said, since everyone was starting the year with a dry January, they would have a mocktail, and he cautioned Kelly and Shannon not to sneak in some tequila. Emily was tasked with the toast, and said she wanted to toast to everyone. Everyone added something, and everyone had something beautiful in them. She lifted her glass to love and success, to 2021, women’s empowerment, being successful, and supporting one another. That wasn’t just a toast; it was a whole loaf of bread.

Adios for now, OC.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Whitney got together with Heather, and told her about apologizing to Meredith and Lisa, while Meredith and Lisa met early for the group dinner. Lisa said, as far as she was concerned, it was a clean slate with Heather. Heather told Whitney that Jen was still blaming her for ruining Sharrieff’s party, which surprised Heather, since Jen had forgiven her. Heather said she’d said the same thing to Jen.

Jen joined Meredith and Lisa, and Lisa said Heather had acknowledged her weaknesses, and said she was working on them, which was good enough for her. She asked if Jen was still upset, and Jen said she felt Whitney’s apology was sincere, but there were still other issues. She wondered how Lisa could be good with Whitney, when she’d thrown Lisa and Meredith under the bus. Meredith told her, Whitney said she was sorry, and in Jen’s interview, she said they were talking sh*t. If they could forgive Whitney so easy for lying, did that mean they were lying? Lisa said, in Whitney’s head, she was defending Mary, and Jen said, if they wanted to be on Whitney’s side, fine. Meredith left the table, saying she wasn’t engaging. No one was going to tell her who to be friends with.

In Meredith’s interview, she said she grew up with a lot of fighting and volatility, and felt pitted in the middle of her divorced parents. She felt trapped, and got triggered when there was intense conflict. Jen wailed, are you kidding me? and whined that Meredith had just walked away, like Lisa hadn’t seen that. Lisa tried to calm Jen’s ass down, when Whitney and Heather walked in. Jen literally pushed Heather away, and stormed out, immediately coming back, since she forgot to take her purse. She put her finger in Whitney’s face, telling her STFU, when Whitney hadn’t even said anything yet. Heather said it wasn’t necessary to come at her, and Jen got in Heather’s face, looking like she was going to head butt her. It was so bad, Jen’s bodyguard came over. Jen told Lisa that she’d chosen her side, and stormed out – take two – Lisa following her. Lisa said Jen couldn’t leave like this, but she wasn’t listening. Jen said her feelings were hurt, and Lisa told her to talk it out. Heather said Jen just came at her, and she felt shell shocked, and I thought, wouldn’t that be Shah shocked? Lisa said she thought Jen was still upset about the birthday party, and in Lisa’s interview, she said Jen’s behavior was outrageous, but she didn’t think Whitney understood the magnitude of her actions. There had been trouble in Jen’s home. Um… Whitney might be responsible for seriously bad timing, but Sharrieff was pissed about Jen’s reactionary behavior. I’d say Jen is responsible for Jen. Lisa went back to the dinner, and Whitney told her that Jen had accepted her apology, which Heather confirmed. In Whitney’s interview, she said the fact that Jen was still blaming her made her feel like the time they’d spent talking was bullsh*t. Heather thought it was compounded because Jen was also mad at her. She’d said the rest of them were friends with Whitney because she was friends with Heather. Whitney said Jen talked about all of them, and we flashed back to Jen gossiping to Whitney. Whitney said Jen had shown her a picture of Meredith with another man. Lisa said Jen claimed to be loyal to both her and Meredith, but Whitney said Jen had said Meredith and Lisa were coming for her. In Lisa’s interview, she said, the woman she just chased through a hotel claimed she was coming for Whitney. It was a straight up lie. In her hotel room, Jen screamed nonsense to Sharrieff on the phone.

Everyone, except Jen, went to Heather’s room. Heather told Meredith, welcome to the jungle. She got out in the nick of time. Lisa said they were trying to digest what happened, and Heather said Jen had come in and pushed her out of the way. Whitney said Jen had come at her, and Meredith didn’t get it, since the afternoon had felt positive. Whitney said Jen had told her that Meredith and Lisa were going to come after her, and her friendship with Heather was the only reason she wasn’t dead in the lake. Meredith said Jen thought Heather was responsible for Whitney, and she wasn’t going to tolerate that. Whitney said Jen kept dropping bombs, and pushing her to say bad things about Meredith’s marriage. Meredith admitted that she and Seth had been separated off and on for a long time, and she’d seen other people. In Lisa’s interview, she said it was the first time she was hearing this, and her feelings were hurt. It was like she didn’t know her best friend. Meredith said she and Seth had reconciled, and they were the happiest and closest they’d ever been. They were moving forward, and there was nothing else to discuss. She didn’t want to be Jen’s friend. Heather thought Jen had redeeming qualities. She could be horrible, crazy, and toxic, but there was some of that in all of them. Yeah. Not to that level, and not out in public. In Heather’s interview, she said she knew what it was like to feel rejected. She was loyal to her friends whether they were crazy, perfect, depressed, or happy. That’s what friendship is, and she was riding it out. Meredith said she wasn’t okay with it. In her interview, Whitney said, Worst. Trip. Ever. It was worse than when she started her period on the waterslide at a hotel in the Bahamas.

Lisa called Mary, and told her, be glad she wasn’t there. The race track was fun, but not so much dinner with Jen. She made peace with Whitney, but Jen was still mad. Whitney and Heather walked into dinner, and it set Jen off. In Mary’s interview, she said she told them that was going to happen. If they didn’t listen, they got what they deserved. Mary told Lisa that she was regrouping. People were trying to understand Jen, but how did you understand crazy? Lisa said the best decision Mary ever made was not to come.

Heather stopped by Jen’s room, and even though Jen claimed she was going home, her glam squad was working on her. In Heather’s interview, she said Jen was being charming and funny; nothing like the crazed monster she saw last night, spinning and yelling and furious. She told Jen, everyone was freaking out, and Jen said no one had approached her since dinner. Now that I think of it, did anyone even eat dinner? Jen said, no one was talking about the real issue. I wasn’t really sure what that was, since it seems like Jen just likes being angry. In Jen’s interview, she said she wasn’t mad about Meredith and Lisa making up with Heather, but she couldn’t move on until Heather admitted she lied, or Meredith and Lisa admitted they were scared of her. I’m not even sure what it was Heather was supposed to have lied about, since she was just repeating what Mary told her. Jen said her family had suffered the consequences. Heather said Jen had been aggressive and mean, and Jen asked why Whitney couldn’t apologize, and say she f***ed up?  Heather said, the person who had f***ed up was Jen, and in her interview, she said Jen wouldn’t acknowledge anything. She was acting like they’d all wronged her.

Whitney set up a meeting with Kimberly Friedmutter, who wrote Subconscious Power. In her interview, Whitney said it was her last attempt at something positive on the trip. Give them crystals, clear their chakras, bring out the sage, and sound the gong. They needed a lot of negative energy cleared tonight. The women (sans Jen and Heather, who were late) met at Kimberly’s house, and she had them close their eyes and get comfortable. She told them, let it feel good to be in this space. Just then, the doorbell rang, and when I saw it was Jen with Heather, I laaaughed. In Meredith’s interview, she said, the energy shifted. She thought Kimberly would need a bigger crystal. Kimberly took them through some relaxation steps, and I wanted to follow along, but was afraid I’d fall asleep. In Jen’s interview, she said she came because people were lying, and she needed to know who her real friends were. And because she’s 14.  

They all moved to a giant sectional, and Kimberly said she was feeling a lot of damage. It was a safe space, but feelings might get hurt, so know everything could be rectified. Jen started whining immediately about how everything was always her fault, and said she felt she was always the reason for Meredith leaving. Well, yeah. Meredith said Jen was trying to tell her who to be friends with, and Jen said that was Meredith’s perception. Well, yeah again. In Meredith’s interview, she said, the reality was, Jen wasn’t in touch with reality. Jen said Whitney chose an important time to give her information she didn’t want to hear, and it’s time she won’t get back. She was confused as to why. She added that Lisa said Whitney was lying, but Lisa told Jen, she didn’t say that. Jen said she was loyal to the end, and Meredith said Jen was giving a lecture on loyalty, when she’d made negative comments about Meredith’s marriage. If it doesn’t concern her, mind her own business. She told Jen that she didn’t anger easily, and Jen didn’t want her angry. Jen claimed she never said anything, but Whitney said that was false. In Whitney’s interview, she said Jen was absolutely the instigator. She would have never known a damn thing if not for Jen.

Kimberly suggested they allow themselves to be receptive, and told Jen to just say it. Say she’s sorry about sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. If she was sorry. Jen apologized, but not really, and Kimberly told her, no conditions, then decided they’d take a break with a game called Trust/Not Trust. She asked who didn’t trust Meredith, Lisa, and Whitney, and no hands went up. She asked who didn’t trust Jen, and all their hands went up. In Jen’s interview, she said she’d opened her heart and soul to them. She’d showed them that she’d fight for them, no matter what, and this made her feel attacked and ganged up on. Kimberly asked who didn’t trust Heather, and only Jen raised her hand. In Heather’s interview, she wondered if Jen didn’t understand the question. She’s the one who chased Jen down every time she’d stormed off. We flashed back to several times Heather chased Jen down, and Heather said she never betrayed Jen. Whitney asked to change seats, so she could have her own space, and Kimberly said they had to respect their own comfort. She asked Heather to share, and Heather said Jen had been aggressive and violent, and came at her. She was horrified. Jen preached loyalty, but had been a sh*tty friend. Maybe she’d been blind. Lisa said ,it was beyond uncomfortable the night before, and in Jen’s interview, she said her big reaction was justified. Didn’t they know her? Lisa said they all felt attacked, and she didn’t want to be Jen’s friend, but maybe she’d change her mind in the future. In Jen’s interview, she said she wasn’t disloyal. She told the women, if she was going to ruin a friendship… and Heather said, she was on the brink of ruining a friendship. Kimberly said, this was good.

Next time, Sharrieff and Jen do some dancing, Jen meets with Lisa, and Heather has a grand opening for Beauty Lab.

🦗 Give Us a Little Click, Wouldja…?

The start-up site I write for – https://MupoEntertainment.com – could use some clicks. While your there, you can find me in the magazine section.

🤼‍♀️ That’s Quite Enough For Now…

See you tomorrow on the Charm side. In the meantime, stay safe, stay on the road less traveled, and stay not sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong and/or being a crazed monster.

January 18, 2021 – Robert Teaches Olivia the Fundamentals, Teacup Yorkie On Deck & Redemption

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Phyllis tells the gunman to please put the gun down. They don’t want any trouble. He says, empty the cashbox, and there won’t be any trouble. Sonny stands up, and yells, leave them alone!

Michael tells Willow, he was surprised to see Sasha there, and she says they were trying to figure out if their friendship can be repaired. He says, good. At least one of their relationships is being sorted out. She says, what about their relationship? Maybe it’s time to finally figure out what they mean to one another.

Tracy comes in, and Ned says he was worried about her. Didn’t she get his messages? She says, about Olivia wanting to have dinner? and he says, yes, to celebrate him adopting Leo. She says, obviously she’s there, and he says, obviously she didn’t return any of his calls. She said she was visiting Finn, but when he called Finn, Finn said she’d left a while ago. Where was she?

At the MetroCourt, Olivia thanks Robert for meeting her on such short notice. He says he missed her interfering in his private life, and telling him what he should be doing with Jackie. She says, then she can’t wait to tell him to quit stalling, and ask Jackie out for real, but that’s not why she asked him there. She needs a favor. He says, like what? and she says, teach her how to become a spy.

Josslyn, Cameron, and Trina walk into the Kingdom of the Moss Bowl (i.e. Sonny’s kitchen), and Trina says she’s glad Cameron caught up on his sleep. He slept through the entire senior assembly. Cameron says he didn’t, and Trina says, name one thing they said about being accepted to college. Josslyn says, never hold an assembly at night in the middle of winter when your stepfather has officially been declared missing and is presumed dead. She would have fallen asleep too, except for everyone offering their condolences. Trina says it’s the first time Josslyn has been back since her lockdown in November. Everyone just wants to make sure she’s okay. Josslyn says, honestly, it’s a lot. So many people are gone from her life.

Nina laughs over finding a varsity letter, and looks at the half-heart necklace. Ava comes in, and asks what she’s got there.

Jax sees Carly at the MetroCourt bar, and asks what she’s doing there. He thought she’d be home for a few days. She says she’d like nothing more than to lie in her bed, and scream and cry, and he asks why she isn’t. She says because Cameron and Trina wanted Josslyn to go to the senior assembly, but Josslyn wanted to stay home and take care of her. The only way to get her to go was to come there. He says she could have stayed home with Josslyn, and they could have grieved together, but Carly says she doesn’t know how to grieve for Sonny.

Dude tells Lenny, give him the money. Sonny says, these people don’t want any trouble, and puts his hand on dude’s shoulder. Dude turns around and says, now would be a good time for Sonny to shut up. Give him the cash. Sonny punches him a few times in the face, and knocks dude to the ground. Sonny picks up the gun, and stands over him. He believes dude owes these good people an apology.

Josslyn tells Cameron, she’d put her journal away. Maybe it’s time to take it out. Cameron says he thought… She didn’t throw it out? She says, of course (🍷) not. She put it in the basement with a bunch of stuff her mom was keeping, like her baby blankets and favorite toys. Why would he think she’d throw it away? He says he doesn’t know. She used to take it everywhere, then one day she stopped. He jumped to the wrong conclusion. She says, no. She was saving it to read and look back on, but she doesn’t want to stop writing. She thinks it might be helpful to write about Sonny.

Nina tells Ava, it’s stuff she meant to put away. She was sorry to hear about Sonny and Julian. How is Ava doing? Ava says she’s doing okay. Avery didn’t know her brother well, but she loved her daddy. She’s not crying, but she’s looking for her necklace. She wants to wear it for her daddy. Nina asks, what happened to it? and Ava says, she doesn’t know. Carly said she was having it repaired, but Ava called the jeweler, and it was picked up weeks ago. Nina says, with everything going on, Carly probably forgot or misplaced it. Ava says, all she knows is, she doesn’t want to butt heads with Carly; they’re already doing that over the custody agreement. Nina says, of course (🍷). Sonny is gone. Ava says she has full custody now, and Nina says, and Carly resents it. Ava says, that’s an understatement. As much as Carly would like to get into it with her, she has no grounds, and Ava doesn’t want Avery to get caught in the middle of something. She wonders if Nina could broach the subject, and suggest Carly back the hell off.

Jax asks if Carly is just going to drown herself in work, and she says she should be calling people about Sonny’s memorial service, but he hasn’t even been officially declared dead. Jax asks if they didn’t reclassify the search to search and recovery. Doesn’t that indicate Sonny is considered… Carly says, no. She spoke to an attorney, and people aren’t declared officially dead until they’ve been missing three years. The only exception is in a disaster or catastrophe. He asks if the bridge collapse wouldn’t be considered one, but she says, it’s up to the person’s next of kin to make that decision. She can’t do that right now. She starts to cry. 

Robert asks Olivia to tell him what trouble she’s gotten herself into now, and she says, now? Does he think she’s always in trouble? Actually, she’s fine; she’s asking for a friend. He says, anyone he knows? and she says, Alexis. She knows his office is pursuing the drunk driving charge, and he says he can’t talk about it. She says he also knows Alexis already turned down the plea deal. He asks if Olivia can tell him why she did, and she says, that’s why she needs his help. Alexis swears something about the incident smells like a rat. He asks what the rat’s name is, and she says, Tracy.

Tracy tells Ned, she didn’t realize she had a curfew, and he says she’s avoiding his question, which only makes him more worried and suspicious. She says she was checking on Alexis, and tells him, don’t look so surprised. Contrary to what he believes, she has a heart. He says he knows she does, but she was very cavalier earlier when talking about Alexis facing criminal charges. What changed?   

Willow says she knows she and Michael agreed to sort out their feelings for Chase and Sasha before their own future. Michael asks if she hasn’t done that already, since she and Chase kissed last night?

Sonny stands over dude with the gun, and says he needs to know dude is sorry and won’t come back. Otherwise, he’ll have to find another way to discourage him. Dude says he’s sorry. Let him walk away, and he’s gone. Sonny yells, get out! and dude scrambles to his feet and can’t get out the door fast enough. Sonny puts the gun on the bar, and tells Lenny that he might want to hold on to it in case dude comes back. Phyllis says, thank God Sonny was there. That guy would have shot Lenny. Lenny says, most people would be intimidated by a man with a gun, but it didn’t seems to be a problem for Sonny.   

Carly tells Jax that she doesn’t know how  to have Sonny officially declared dead; it’s like giving up on him. He says she doesn’t have to rush. It’s about her and her family. Don’t do anyone’s timetable except her own. She says it  doesn’t matter unless they find a body, and he says, it might actually be best if they do. That way she’d have closure. She says she can’t shake the feeling that the bridge collapse and Sonny drowning is the same thing that happened to Nelle.

Nina tells Ava that she and Carly are cordial, even friendly, but she has no special influence. Ava says she does have influence over someone who has influence over Carly, but Nina says she’s not putting Jax in the middle. That could make it worse, and Carly will be less inclined to cooperate with Ava. Ava says Nina is probably right, and asks if she’s putting her personal stuff away. Nina says, it’s time to close this chapter, and start a new one, and Ava asks if the chapter ending is the search for her daughter. Nina says, that chapter led to a dead end, but the information she found was more than worth the journey. Ava says, tell her, and Nina says, Phyllis Caulfield, who took care of her for years, told her that her child was adopted by a couple in Florida. Ava asks if she knows their names, but Nina says, unfortunately not. So she’s choosing to believe her child grew up in a good home, and is living a happy, purposeful life. Jax encouraged her to believe that too. Ava asks if Nina was the one who wanted to give up, and Nina says, Jax was only putting into words what she’d been thinking. She needs to stop chasing shadows, and believe her daughter is living the life she was meant to live, and everything worked out for the best. Ava says, sounds healthy and well-adjusted, but is Nina sure giving up the search is what she wants, and not what Jax wants for her?

Alone with Trina in the kitchen, Cameron says he blew his Bluetooth speaker. They could use some music. He thinks he made a mistake, talking to Josslyn and assuming things would be normal. Trina asks, what’s been normal about the past year? and he says he was hoping for a fresh start. Josslyn comes back, and says her journal is gone.   

Robert asks if Olivia thinks Tracy was wrong for turning Alexis in for drunk driving, and she says, of course (🍷) not… if that’s what happened. He asks if she doubts it, and she says, parts of Tracy’s story don’t add up. He asks, what parts? and she says, if she tells him, he’ll feel obligated to investigate. She doesn’t want him to, until she has actual evidence. He says, she’s not going to try and hack into Tracy’s email. Anything she tells him will be inadmissible, not to mention illegal. She asks if there’s anything she can do to prove Tracy set Alexis up, and he says, the only way she can confirm it is to have Tracy admit it. She asks, how? and he says he can teach her the fundamentals.   

Tracy tells Ned, it’s true that if Alexis legal problems take her out of circulation, she’s less likely to blab about him, but she’s concerned about Alexis’s drinking. And she’s not the only one. Olivia and Sam were there tonight. Ned says, Olivia was at Alexis’s house? and Tracy says, yes. Olivia has a kind heart, and she was worried. The good news is, Alexis had gone up to bed. She doubts Alexis could have mentioned their one-night stand to Olivia.

Willow tells Michael, she’s so sorry… He says she has nothing to be sorry about. Their marriage was always an arrangement to make sure Nelle didn’t get custody of Wiley, and they succeeded. They already acknowledged they still have feelings for Chase and Sasha, so he’s not surprised part of her would want to be with Chase. She says, part of him wants to be with Sasha too. Sasha was the one by his side when the search for his father ended. He says, she was, and he does still have feelings; they knew that. Willow asks, what about their feelings for each other?

Michael says he always cared about Willow as a friend, and she says, same. He says, with everything that’s happened – the custody battle for Wiley, and Nelle kidnapping Wiley – he came to see her as someone who loves Wiley as much as he does, and cared about her as more than a friend. Willow says she feels the same way, and he says, and their feeling deepened, but they were created in a vacuum. They were playing the roles of husband and wife, and thought they’d been betrayed by Chase and Sasha, when Chase and Sasha were actually protecting them and Wiley. He wonders if the circumstances had been different, would they ever have been more than friends?

Olivia arrives home, and says she’s glad they’re both there. Are they still up for a celebration about Leo? Ned says, all of Leo’s favorites are on the menu, and she says she’ll check, and make sure Leo is still good with Ned adopting him so soon after Julian’s death. Ned says he’d like to talk to Leo first, as his about-to-be father. Olivia tells him to let her know when she can join them, and he goes upstairs. Olivia asks Tracy if Leo’s granny has any last minute advice before he officially becomes a Quartermaine, and Tracy says, first, refrain from calling her granny. And second, if Leo needs any help. she’ll stop anyone who gets in the way of family. Olivia says she has no doubt Tracy would.

Cameron asks if Josslyn thinks Carly might have thrown out her journal, but she says, no. Carly knew what it looked like, and knew what it meant to her. She’d never do that. Cameron tells her, chill out; it’s probably somewhere. He wants to get coffee before curfew; he’s buying. Trina asks if Josslyn is coming, but Josslyn tells them to go. She wouldn’t be such great company. She’d just be thinking and wondering about Sonny.

Nina tells Ava, stopping the search was her own decision. She and Jax discussed it, and he helped her realize that her daughter’s life was her own, and she has every reason to believe her daughter has a good life. She’s having a good life. She runs the magazine, has Charlotte, who she loves, and her nephew James, who she loves. And Jax, the most incredible amazing man. Ava says it sounds like they’re getting serious, and Nina says she thinks so. Jax has been making her a part of his family, which she loves. Ava asks if she gets along with Josslyn, and Nina asks why Ava seems skeptical. Ava says, Josslyn is a lot like her mom. She’s probably used to coming first with Jax, and might be threatened. Nina says, not at all. Josslyn has accepted that she’s part of Jax’s life. Ava says, a drama-free relationship, and she and Nina high-five. Nina tells Ava, say what she will about Carly – and she has – she and Jax have done an excellent job in raising Josslyn. With all the drama, Josslyn is more of a peacemaker than Carly or her. She asks what Ava is thinking, and Ava says Nina has given her a terrific idea.

Carly tells Jax, she keeps going over the circumstances of Sonny’s death; Sonny standing on the bridge, the bridge collapsing, Sonny falling into the water, and fighting hard… Jax says, don’t, but she says, it brings back the situation with Nelle. She’s not sure she believes in karma, but it must be karmic payback for keeping the truth from Nina. He says, Sonny’s death was a tragedy, but it wasn’t punishment for not telling Nina that Nelle was her daughter. Is she having second thoughts? Carly asks, is he?  

Sonny says he can’t explain how he knew how to handle the guy; he just did it. Lenny says he seems proficient in firearms, but Phyllis says, it doesn’t matter. He put his own life at risk for her, Lenny, and their business. She thanks him, and he says he’s glad he could help. Lenny asks what the plan is. Where is he going now?

Jax tells Carly, he thinks it’s too late to tell Nina the truth, but Carly says, it must complicate things with Nina. He says he keeps asking himself if he’s like Valentin, keeping the truth from Nina to keep her in his life. Carly says he’s nothing like Valentin. And as far as withholding goes, people say they love honesty, but does she think they should be 100% honest with their partner? No. Sometimes when you’re in love, there need to be secrets. He says he never told Carly that he was in love, but she says he didn’t need to. He smiles.

Nina looks at the half-heart necklace, and puts it on. She smiles.

Tracy says she’s going to get ready for dinner, but Olivia says, before she goes, she something to talk to Tracy about. Olivia remembers Robert telling her, in setting up the mark, get them on your side. Don’t let them know you’re buttering them up. Everyone responds well to a compliment. Olivia tells Tracy that her scarf is so chic, and makes her look five years younger. Tracy preens, and thanks her, saying Olivia might want to borrow it. Maybe it will make her look five years younger too. Olivia thinks about Robert saying, if that doesn’t work, have them do you a favor. It sounds counterintuitive, but people are more likely to have warm feelings for someone they’ve done a favor for. Olivia tells Tracy, damn. She forgot. She’s supposed to have a witness when they sign the papers for Leo’s adoption. Does she think Monica will be back soon? Tracy says she’ll be a witness, and Olivia says, she doesn’t mind? Tracy tells her not to give it a second thought. Besides her and Ned, there’s no one who cares more about Leo becoming a Quartermaine than she does. Olivia remembers Robert telling her, now that their defenses are lowered, slowly turn the conversation around to the subject you’re investigating. Olivia thanks Tracy, and says, it’s a weight off. Tracy says, no big deal, and Olivia says she’s glad Tracy feels that way. The whole thing with Alexis has got her distracted as hell. Tracy asks if that’s because Olivia went to see Alexis; she didn’t realize they were so close. Olivia says, they’re not close enough for her to insist Alexis get help, but it makes her sad. It’s bad enough Alexis got behind the wheel of a car. Imagine what would have happened if Tracy hadn’t been there. She thinks back to Robert saying, then take them out. She  tells Tracy, part of her wishes Alexis hadn’t been sober enough to disable the alarm. The police would have shown up, and prevented her from getting behind the wheel. She remembers Robert saying, and catch them in a lie. Tracy says she wishes she hadn’t let Alexis disable the alarm, and Olivia flashes back to her and Robert clinking glasses.

Sonny tells Lenny, he doesn’t know where he’s going from there, but Phyllis says she does. They have a room above the bar they rent out from time to time. It’s empty at the moment, and Sonny can stay until he figures out something. Sonny says he can’t take any more charity, but she tells him, who said charity? He needs a job for the time being; he can work there. Lenny is always complaining that he needs help with the bar, and by the looks of it, Sonny knows how to handle himself if trouble comes again. Sonny says, it’s awfully nice, and she says, it’s the least they can do. There’s a change of clothes in the dresser. He can borrow them for the time being. It’s upstairs, the last room on the left. He thanks them again, and goes upstairs.

Jax goes to Nina’s office, and asks if she’s ready for dinner. She says, just about. She was looking at old stuff; memorabilia her mother left, and she found this. She holds up a varsity letter S, and says she played volleyball. She knows Josslyn is on that track, and thought maybe she’d want it for good luck. Jax is sure she’d love it, but is Nina sure she doesn’t want to give it to Charlotte? She says, Charlotte made it clear that the only sport she’s interested in is riding horses. She doesn’t think they give out varsity letters for that. Jax says, probably not. He’ll make sure Josslyn gets it. Unless Nina wants to give it to her. Nina says, she’d love to, since she’s going to be part of his family in the long haul, right?

Ava knocks on Sonny’s kitchen door, and Josslyn says her mom isn’t there. She’s at the MetroCourt if Ava wants to drop in. Ava says she actually came to speak to Josslyn. She wanted Josslyn to know that she’ll always make time for her to maintain a relationship with Avery. Josslyn says, anything else? and Ava says she knows it’s an unfortunate time to bring it up, but Avery is so upset about what happened to Sonny. She keeps talking about a necklace she wants to wear. Carly sent it to be repaired, but she knows Carly already picked it up. It’s a half-heart on a gold chain. Does it sound familiar? Josslyn says, no, and Ava says she doesn’t want to bother Josslyn’s mother, but she’s desperate to help Avery through the next few days. Finding it would be a godsend.   

At the bistro, Trina says when Josslyn started talking about her journal being missing, Cameron got quiet fast. Any particular reason why? He says maybe he knows what happened to it. Maybe it was stolen. She says, and he knows this how? He says the person who stole it showed it to him, and she asks, who? He says, Dev, and she asks why Dev would do that. He says he doesn’t know. Dev said he found it after Josslyn threw it out. It was obviously a lie, and he stole it. Dev betrayed Josslyn’s trust, but if he tells her the truth, it will ruin Josslyn’s memory of Dev. She asks what he’s going to do, and he tells her, the way he sees it, there are two choices. Let Josslyn keep the good memories of Dev, or tell her the truth.

Olivia says, so Alexis did turn off the alarm. She was confused about that. Tracy says, how so? and Olivia says Tracy seemed surprised to hear about the security system. Plus the coffee was out on the counter, with a big sign that said coffee on it. Tracy laughs, and tells Olivia, what can she say? Ned comes back, and says he had a chat with Leo. Leo misses his dad, but he’s absolutely delighted to officially join the family and have Ned as his new dad. Ned and Olivia hug, and Olivia looks at Tracy, who forces a smile.   

Willow says she sees Michael’s point. What happened between them was a false reality. He says it still would be, if Chase and Sasha hadn’t made a sacrifice to save Wiley. Willow says, exactly. Their anger and heartbreak opened the door. They owe Chase and Sasha, and each other, to try and get back the love they all had. Michael says, okay, and she says, unless that’s not what he wants. Zzzzz… All right already.

Trina tells Cameron, here’s the deal. There’s a chance Josslyn will forget by tomorrow. Then they’ll forget too. He says, but if she asks again? and Trina says, they tell her everything they know. Deal? He says, deal.

Ava is meditating on the moss, when Josslyn comes back. She says she went through her mother’s jewelry box, and found a necklace she’s never seen. Ava asks if it’s a half-heart on a gold chain, and Josslyn says, yes. Ava thanks her, and holds out her hand. Josslyn says she’s doing this for Avery, not Ava, because every time she sees Ava, she thinks about Morgan losing his mind because Ava switched his meds. Then she thinks of Morgan stealing Julian’s car and driving away because he literally couldn’t think straight. Her brother is dead because of Ava, and nothing she does will ever change that. She gives Ava the necklace, and Ava thanks her and leaves.

Nina says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to put Jax on the spot. Just forget what she said. He tells her, he’s not forgetting. His family is her family. She says, it’s okay, and he says he loves her.   

Carly sits at the MetroCourt with a drink, remembering Sonny telling her that he loves and appreciates her. There’s no one he’d rather walk down this crazy road with.   

Lenny asks if Phyllis is sure about this guy. He knew how to subdue an attacker, which makes him some kind of expert on one side of the law or the other. She says she doesn’t care about who he was in the past, but who he is now. He saved them when he could have walked away. They owe him a chance. He asks, what happens when that thug comes back with a few friends? Sonny comes downstairs, and thanks them for the clothes and the job offer, but he doesn’t want to be any more trouble. Phyllis tells him, don’t be silly. They need the help. Can he start tonight? He smiles.  

Michael tells Willow, what he wants is what’s best for everyone; to be back to normal, making it right with Chase and Sasha, and easing the heartbreak. She’ll always be Wiley’s mom, but he doesn’t regret a single moment of what happened. She says, her neither, and he guesses they shouldn’t put it off any longer. They need to sign the annulment papers.   

Tracy says, clearly, Olivia has something she wants to say to her. Just come out and say it. Olivia says, okay. What actually happened the night Alexis drove her car off the road?

Tomorrow, Jason asks if it’s a bad time, Cameron asks if it’s because of the cancer, Britt wonders what she’s being accused of, and Olivia questions Tracy.

Below Deck

We backtracked a little, and revisited Rachel getting on stage, and telling the band that she wanted dirty, nasty-ass music. Know who you are, and get it done. She repeats, if they’re making music, she wants dirty nasty-ass music. Eddie wants to walk away from the situation; it makes his skin crawl. Rachel tells the band to do Walking After Midnight, and tells the band, google it. In Francesca’s interview, she says Rachel is embarrassing them all. She’s the head of a department, and older than her. She’s exhausted from babysitting people. She tells Rachel that she can’t be up there swearing and stuff. Eddie says, it’s not effing funny. When she’s sober again, someone needs to tell her that she’s a monster when she drinks. Rachel finally passes out, and Rob signals Eddie, asking if he wants to go paddle-boarding. Elizabeth enjoys drinks with James, and says she wants to party. She thinks Francesca looks left out, but doesn’t think Francesca would be receptive to her right now. James thinks Francesca would start an argument for no reason. He asks what Elizabeth is doing after the season, and she says she has to go to a cousin’s wedding. He says he wants to go with her, and she says he’d have to propose first. In James’s interview, he says he’s interested in Elizabeth, but she believes in fate, true love, and destiny, which makes him laugh. But it’s nice to let his guard down. She makes him smile. Rachel wakes up, and eats a pastry.

Rob, Eddie, and Ashling watch the sunset. Rob says he lost his best bud to lots of drugs, and thinks of him when he sees a it. In his interview, he tells us not to take life for granted. It’s a beautiful adventure, and everything that happens creates a lesson to learn and grow from. (Thank you, Helen Keller.) Sometimes you need to just have a beer and put your toes in the water; keep it fresh. The crew gets ready for dinner.

At the restaurant bar, Elizabeth says James is going to marry her, and Ashling asks how long it takes to get a green card. Rachel says, James is a douche, and they sit for dinner. Rachel starts cursing immediately. In Eddie’s interview, he says, f*** my life. Rachel says she’s mad at Elizabeth. Why is she going with that dude? Elizabeth asks if Rachel doesn’t like James; she likes him a lot. James tells them to do him a favor, and don’t talk about him. In his interview, he says, Rachel has a drink, and wants to tear people’s heads off. She’s an a-hole. Eddie suggests they stop talking about James. James says he’d been helping Rachel, so one less job for him. Rachel says, bleepity-bleep-bleep-bleep. She’d rather flick her own bean than deal with him in a goddam conversation. Where do these people find these phrases I’ve never heard? She tells Elizabeth that she can smell James from a mile away, and Elizabeth says she’s being harsh. What did James do to her?  Rachel says, he’s a douche, and Francesca suggests this is a conversation they should have back on the boat.

Elizabeth gets up, and steps outside for a cigarette. Rachel follows. Elizabeth says Rachel doesn’t know James the way she does. Rachel says she doesn’t like him, and Elizabeth says she thinks it was the first impression. At the table, James says it puts him off Elizabeth. Izzy thinks Rachel is crying out for something, and Eddie says, probably another drink. In James’s interview, he says Elizabeth should have stayed quiet or talked behind his back, but she did the complete opposite. When they go back to the taxis, James deliberately avoids going with Elizabeth, who is the only one who gets in a taxi with Rachel. Elizabeth says, f*** that, and Rachel says, he can s*ck my d*ck. In the other taxi, James says he doesn’t think Elizabeth is going to be his girl after that. And he’s not helping Rachel again. Rachel tells Elizabeth, there’s not enough Botox for her to facially give a f***. In Francesca’s interview, she says it’s like having a drunk college roommate with Rachel. She needs Rachel, and has no choice but to work with her. At least she’s not drunk on charter. That would be an effing nightmare.

The next morning everyone stumbles out of bed. In Rachel’s interview, she says she can’t remember anything. It was a recipe for disaster, and she feels awkward, but let’s just move on. Eddie says he’s too old for this sh*t. In Eddie’s interview, he says, Izzy doesn’t seem to be getting better. It sounds like a cold, but with the virus going around, he’s worried. It’s serous sh*t. He tells her that she should see a doctor. Rachel goes looking for provisions, and Elizabeth wonders why she’s alone. She didn’t want Rachel to go off by herself, and no one likes her now. Eddie says maybe she should apologize to James. Rachel was bashing him, and she didn’t back him up. In Elizabeth’s interview, she says she feels bad that James would think for a second she wouldn’t stand by her man. She runs upstairs, and tells him that she didn’t mean not to back him up. She’s sorry, and wants to make up for it. She’ll tell Rachel to STFU. In James’s interview, he says, after everything that was said, now he doesn’t trust her, but what’s the point of causing drama? He says he’ll catch her later. Eddie tells Izzy to get up and get dressed; he made an appointment with the doctor for her. In Izzy’s interview, she says she’s at the point where she thinks maybe she should go. She doesn’t want to be paralyzed again.

The crew eats take-out in the crew mess, and Eddie says, it’s a civilized lunch. Rachel radios for a hand on the dock with the provisions, but no one responds. Captain Lee radios that it requires a response from somebody, and in his interview, wonders if he’s the only one with a radio that works. Everyone knows how he feels about that. There’s definitely something going on. He doesn’t know what it is, but you bet your ass he’s going to find out. He radios Francesca and Eddie to meet him.

Francesca tells Captain Lee, it was a great day off, for the most part, and he says, let’s hear it. Eddie says, the chef has a difficult time playing with others. Work is one thing, but when the alcohol is flowing, she’s negative and toxic. Francesca says, she directs it toward the crew members, and it makes everyone uncomfortable. The captain says, with the virus, the odds of them getting someone aren’t good. Good chefs are hard to find. The devil he has performs well when she’s sober. He thinks they should put it on the shelf. He doesn’t want to run the risk of having no chef on board. Eddie and Francesca agree. Elizabeth tells Ashling that she likes James more and more. James comes into the crew mess, and wonders why they get quiet when he comes out. He winks at Ashling, and moves along, and Elizabeth wonders why the wink. She asks if James has been flirting with Ashling, but Ashling says she doesn’t know. She feels like he does it to everyone. In Elizabeth’s interview, she says she’s been in scenarios with others who she felt couldn’t be trusted around her boyfriend. Captain Lee calls Francesca, Eddie, and Rachel for a preference sheet meeting.

Izzy tells Eddie, the bad news is, he’s stuck with her as a deckhand. The good news is she has a double kidney infection, a UTI, and strep throat. She got a whole bunch of drugs, and needs to be on bed rest for 24 hours. After that, she should be okay. Eddie tells her to get in bed, and drink some effing water.

Rachel has no hangover, adding to my theory that alcoholics don’t suffer them. The captain says the primaries are Chris and Erica. Chris owns a pipeline maintenance company, and is bringing son Sam and his wife Lindsay, and some friends, along with the queen bee of the house, a 4-pound teacup Yorkie, GG. He says Eddie knows what that means, and Eddie says, go poo-poo, GG. Erica also wants a cowboy themed party the first night. In Francesca’s interview, she says she doesn’t know much about cowboys. They like cool hats, ranch dressing and root beer (!), and have sheriffs. The captain says he’s been invited to dinner both nights. Eddie says, they have one more to get through after this without killing each other.

We see Captain Lee pacing around the bridge. In his interview, he says, with Rachel, he sees someone with all the talent in the world who squanders it. She reminds him of his son. Francesca comes in, and he asks if she’d like a glass of wine. They toast to a successful rest of the season. He asks how things are other than the chef, and says, when she’s in the galley, Rachel has blinders on; she’s laser focused. And she’s very bright. He asks if this is the first time it’s happened, but Francesca says it’s happened before. He says, you can’t reason with idiots; you might as well talk to yourself in the mirror. Rachel isn’t going to hear it until she’s in a place of sobriety. He used to know a guy like that. His youngest son passed away last year. He found him dead of a drug overdose; opioids. In his interview, the captain says it was the worst day of his life. If he’d gotten home earlier… He doesn’t know. Everything is so fresh and raw. It’s hard to imagine surviving something like this. He tells Francesca, it’s the last thing he sees before he goes to bed, and the first thing he sees in the morning. Every day is a struggle. Parents aren’t designed to bury their children. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever get over it. It’s really hard, but it’s life. She says she’s sorry, and he says, him too.    

Francesca asks Elizabeth to sort crew uniforms, and provisions come in. Ashling says she feels like sh*t. She thinks she ate something bad. It’s a half hour until the guests’ arrival, and the crew gives the boat a final check. They gather on deck, and even have dog champagne for GG. Here come the guests, and all I see is that teeny weeny dog – she’s so little! Captain Lee welcomes them to Antigua. He says they’ll get the luggage on board, and get the hell out of Dodge. Francesca gives them the tour, and finds out that GG is short for Georgia. This dog will be all I care about for the rest of the show. Ashling thinks guest Justin looks like he’s ready to get messy. Izzy says the drugs finally kicked in, and she’s feeling fine. Just in time for the next charter. She’s thinking of that sweet, sweet money. The boat pulls out, and Ashling tells Francesca she’s not feeling well. Rachel isn’t either. Eddie fawns over GG, as I would, and Izzy announces that she hasn’t pooped. James tells her that he didn’t need to hear that, and in his interview, says Rob is his boy. He’s not too serious, and they have the same personality. It works. James realizes it sounds like he’s in love with Rob.   

Rachel says she and Ashling aren’t viral, and in her interview, says she’s got bubble guts, and can’t be held accountable for the smell. The guests longue on deck. Ashling thinks she has a UTI, and Elizabeth tells her to chug cranberry juice. (Please, ladies, don’t assume that will cure you.) Eddie and the deckhands (sounds like a rock group) put the toys in the water. In Eddie’s interview, he says Izzy being sick was terrible. She’s a total badass now. Her confidence is up, and he can tell it’s what she wants to be doing. GG goes potty on a weewee mat that looks like a patch of grass. In Francesca’s interview, she says it’s taking a lot of her energy to push Elizabeth. She needs to figure out what’s going on with Ashling. It’s going to break her – again. The guests mess around on the jet skis.   

Rachel tells Francesca that her stomach is still dodgy, but if it gets worse she’ll take Imodium. In her interview, she says her stomach is so messed up. No pun intended, but she’s feeling like sh*t. In Ashling’s interview, she says guest Justin is flirting with her. Guests get smitten, and she has to keep it professional, but if it wasn’t a charter, she might go there. Really? I see she’s not picky. He kind of looks like someone who lives in his mom’s basement and plays video games all day. In Rachel’s interview, she says she worked for a boss out of Dallas. They like good, simple food, but good quality. She asks Eddie if someone can help rip lobsters apart, and he tells her that they’re busy now, but he’ll send someone later. Rob goes to help, and Francesca tells Elizabeth to check the laundry after every break. Guest Drew puts his cowboy hat on, and the guests get duded up for dinner. Izzy points out that it’s a full moon, and says no wonder the energy is crazy. James says she sounds like Elizabeth, and he doesn’t need this. Francesca reminds the captain that dinner is in fifteen minutes. He asks if it’s the cowboy thing, and I laugh at his lack of enthusiasm. Eddie says Captain Lee has to bust out his pythons.  

Francesca gives canapes to the guests, and Rachel does some grilling. Eddie says he’d love to have a lead deckhand who could pick up the slack, but no one is getting that title yet. The guests sit for dinner, and Captain Lee joins them. One of the guests says, bone apple tea. They begin to eat, and the captain says, it must be good. All he hears is the silverware. Francesca thinks the guests will be going to bed early. Ashling asks Elizabeth how things are going with James, and she says he’s not talking to her. Izzy thinks he’s immature, and Elizabeth says, it’s frustrating and weird. Everyone goes to bed, except for Elizabeth, who finishes cleaning up. James joins her, and she says she likes him, and he says he likes her too. In his interview, he says, he does want it to carry on, but she didn’t have his back. Him and his emotional baggage. Instead of working harder to fix things, he pulls back. It’s a defense mechanism, and he’s in no rush to change. Elizabeth texts someone that she’s struggling with a UTI.  

Francesca says, Rachel is sick, but pushing through; Ashling is sick, but pushing through; and Elizabeth is taking advantage of the situation. I don’t see this, and I’m really starting to believe Francesca just wants to pick on her. Elizabeth asks if Francesca thinks she can get some antibiotics, and Ashling says, they’re all falling apart. Francesca tells Captain Lee that they should get a doctor, and he wonders what’s going on. In the captain’s interview, he says he’s at his wit’s end. He might as well have a doctor on speed dial. Francesca tells Eddie that she’s getting a doctor on board, and Rachel tells him that she and Ashling have tummy bugs, and Elizabeth has a UTI. Francesca calls Dr. Williams, who says she’s available. Francesca sends Eddie to pick her up, and Rachel begins today’s breakfast special of Belgian waffles.

In the crew mess, James asks for Rob’s phone, and says he’s double-tapping all the fit birds. His phone is full of nothing but girls. Elizabeth says she can’t deal with this sh*t, and leaves. Izzy tells James that he needs to be considerate, and James says he forgot Elizabeth was there. In Elizabeth’s interview, she says, what in the actual f***? Right in front of her like they’re nothing. It was super insulting. She wonders if Rachel is right. Ashling tells James, he ignored Elizabeth the whole time she was there, and James says they’re acting like he did something wrong. Izzy says he did, and he says that’s why he doesn’t want a girlfriend. Izzy says he needs to have consideration for other people’s feelings.   

Next time, dog poopy on deck, Eddie thinks maybe Izzy can be a lead deckhand, Francesca tells Elizabeth to take accountability, and says she’s had enough.

🏃🏽‍♀️  Jetting Like the Flash…

I have to edit my article for https://mupoentertainment.com/theresa-krakauskas/, so until we meet again in Port Charles, stay safe, stay diligent, and stay discerning right from wrong, and taking the words of Dr. King to heart:

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

The time is always right to do what is right.Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

December 28, 2020 – Franco Makes It Home For Christmas, French Night In Antigua, Brave New Deck & My Year

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In the park, Curtis asks if Jordan doesn’t have Christmas Eve guests, but she says, it’s not Christmas without him; without the two of them. He asks how she found him, and she says she remembered last year, and took a chance on him being there. He says, the sad part is, it feels like so long ago. She says she knows, but it’s Christmas again, and he needs to come home. 

Molly says, what she has to tell TJ is going to hurt him. There’s no way around it, but it doesn’t change the fact that she loves him more than anything in the world. He says, whatever it is, it’s still from her. It can’t be that bad. She says she made a horrible mistake. She slept with someone else.

Michael tells Willow that Wiley is so excited about Santa and getting presents in the morning. Is she sure she doesn’t mind staying? He was hoping his dad would be back in time to celebrate. She says she likes being around his family, and it’s good that Wiley has Avery and Donna to play with. It was truly wonderful for Michael to invite Lucas to spend time with Wiley. He says Lucas couldn’t spend the next 20 years hiding from Wiley at family functions, and she says he knows what she’s talking about. It’s fantastic that he’s keeping Lucas as part of Wiley’s life. He says Lucas will always be part of the family, like her, no matter what happens with them.   

Terry visits Elizabeth, apologizing for getting there late; mass ran long. Elizabeth says she’ll pour Terry some mulled wine, but Terry says, a small pour. Her flight to Denver leaves early. Her parents always ask about Elizabeth’s parents. She knows Elizabeth hasn’t been close with her parents, but maybe it will be different this year. Elizabeth says, probably not. She’s sorry Terry missed Jake and Aiden; they’re in bed already. Terry says Cameron is still there, and Elizabeth says, that’s debatable. He’s had his head buried in a handheld game, like a zombie.

Franco sneaks around the hospital. He motions to Scotty, and Obrecht in a blond wig and lab coat. All three of them sneak into an office. Outside the office, Maxie and Peter come around the corner. Peter tells Maxie reading stories to the elderly and the kids at the hospital is a great tradition. He asks her if everything is okay, and she says she really is excited, but feels guilty about the wedding and the baby. Looking forward to huge life events when so many people are suffering isn’t fair.

Obrecht says she wants to find Franco’s scan before she examines him, and Scotty says, she just got out of prison. Does she think accessing medical records is a good idea? Franco says he’s pretty sure it’s a felony, but explain why she’s on the downlow?

Britt asks if Jason is okay, and says he looks like hell. They’re friends now, so tell her the truth. He looks like he hasn’t slept in 48 hours. He says he has a lot on his mind, and she says, that makes two of them. She heard Sam and Lucas had to identify their father’s body. He needs to be straight with her. Should Julian’s death be on her conscience?

Carly opens the door to Chase and a uniformed officer. She says she knows he wouldn’t be interrupting on Christmas Eve if it wasn’t important. How can she help him? Chase says he’s sorry to bother her on a holiday, but he needs to speak to her husband.  

Cameron say, it’s nice to see Terry before she leaves for her holiday travels, and she says it’s nice to see him too. He makes a beeline for the kitchen table, and puts earplugs in, sitting down to play his game. Elizabeth tells Terry, it’s the most social he’s been in the past few days. Terry says, she gets it. His friend died. That’s hard anytime, let alone close to the holidays. Elizabeth says, Cameron saw Trina for a few minutes, but that was it. He hasn’t picked up his guitar in over a month, and Franco being sick isn’t helping. Terry says it’s the first time they’ve been alone and could talk. She hopes Elizabeth knows how much she hated lying, but Elizabeth says, walk back. She didn’t lie. She’s ethically bound not to tell, and Elizabeth doesn’t blame her. Terry is glad Franco finally let her in, and let her weigh in on the diagnosis, but she’s concerned that he left the country before he started radiation. She can’t imagine what would be more important.

Obrecht says, it’s imperative that she keep a low profile, but Franco says, the charges were dropped. She says, it won’t matter to Anna and her petty vendetta. She sure Anna will make an attempt to slap another charge on her. She needs to stay focused on treating him. He says it’s a huge relief that she wasn’t behind the attack on his life at GH. He doesn’t have a lot of friends, so it’s nice to know he didn’t lose one, but that does make him question who did want him dead.

Peter says he knows how much Maxie misses Lulu, and she says, it doesn’t seem right to have a wedding and a baby and not have her be part of it. He says she doesn’t need to feel guilty. Accepting their gifts isn’t insulting to those who have less; it’s honoring them. She says he’s absolutely right. And he gave her the best idea.

Willow tells Michael, she was hoping to put off talking until after Christmas, but they said the same thing at Thanksgiving, and they’re no closer to figuring out their situation. Michael says, there are unresolved feelings with Chase, Sasha, and the two of them. Willow says, part of her is afraid if they don’t sort that out first, before they figure out what’s going on between them, they’ll end up hurting each other.

TJ tells Molly, it’s not funny, and she says, she’s not joking. He says they’ve been together every night; it’s not even possible. She says, it happened months ago, and he asks, when? She says, it was after they had the enormous fight, when he proposed then disappeared. Of course (🍷) she learned later that he’d been kidnapped, but at the time, all she had were vague texts that he needed time to think. She tried to get his mom to talk to him, but Jordan said she wouldn’t, and even read her the riot act. Jordan said her actions had hurt TJ, and she had to accept the fact it was over. She thought he wanted nothing to do with her. She thought they were done. He says, what exactly did his mother say?

Curtis says he’d like nothing more than to go home, and Jordan says she hopes TJ and Molly are still there. He says they still have things they need to sort out, and she asks if they can’t sort them out under the same roof. He says it might be a new song to her, but to him, it’s the same replay. If they go home, and he forgives her like always, nothing will ever change. She says they love each other and they’re faithful. Nothing else matters. He says, really? How about honesty?

Carly suggests Chase contact Diane if he wants to speak to Sonny. The point is moot anyway, since he’s not home. He asks if she’s expecting him home, and she says, it’s Christmas. Of course (🍷) she’s expecting him. She asks if there’s a reason for his visit, and he says, there was a bridge collapse in Secaucus. A body was recovered that had two bullet holes in it, and was ID’d as Julian Jerome.  

Britt tells Jason, Julian was found shot, and it’s interesting timing, since she just told him about Julian’s involvement with Brad and the baby switch, and that it might be the reason Cyrus tried to kill Brad. If what she told him caused Julian to get killed… He says she didn’t cause Julian’s death. He and Sonny wanted to bring Julian to the cops; he was more valuable to them alive, but Cyrus wanted the opposite. She says she feels like she’s being pulled into the middle of Sonny and Cyrus, and she’d rather watch from a safe distance. If she throws in with them, she needs to know if she’s choosing the right side.  

Franco says, he loves breaking and entering as much as the next guy, but he’d like to wrap it up so he can get home to Elizabeth. Scotty says, it’s not a three man job. Go home, and he’ll swing by later. Franco should be with Elizabeth and the boys. Franco says, thanks, and wishes them, merry Christmas. He slips out, sneaking some more, even though he doesn’t really have to. Obrecht asks why she gets the feeling Scotty wanted Franco to leave, and Scotty says he wanted to see how she’s doing. Franco doesn’t know their secret. She says it’s not her first rodeo. She’s kept low to the ground many times. He says he’s not talking about that. Dr. Kirk tried to kill her. She says, and now Kirk is dead. There’s only thing that matters to either of them.

Maxie tells Peter, she’s never going to give up hope that Lulu will recover and come back. She wants their daughter to carry a piece of her best friend always. What does he think of Louise? Peter says, they can call her Lu, and Maxie says, that’s what she was thinking. He says, it’s a splendid Idea.

Jason says, if Britt wants to watch from a safe distance, resign as Chief of Staff, and go back to Boston. She asks if she told him that she had been living there, and he says he had someone check. She says, Spinelli. What else did he dig up on her? He says, nothing useful, and she says, what a relief. If he wants her to keep helping him, he has to stop running checks on her. He asks if she just admitted she’s helping him, and she says, the alternative is helping Cyrus. He says, and that doesn’t appeal to her? Since when? She asks why she should trust him, and he says he thinks they both want the same thing. They want the hospital and the city free of Cyrus. She nods, and says, okay. She doesn’t want to help Cyrus. He’s developing a new pharmacology drug in the lab there. It will legitimately help people, but he’s going to exploit it for his own profit and benefit. Jason thanks her, and says she made the right choice. He leaves, and she says she sure hopes so.

Jordan says she and Curtis are honest with each other about the things that matter, but he says, sorry. Their relationship has always been one-sided. He tells her the truth, but she can’t lower the walls enough. Trina tore into him again, since she assumed he was in on the lie about Taggert. A teen has a better idea of what marriage means than she does. She says, it was a judgement call; it wasn’t meant to hurt him. He says she’s always been independent, and comfortable making decisions by herself for herself, and she says, he’s the same way. He says, that was before they got together. After they were married, he changed. He grew, and learned to be a team player, but she didn’t. It got worse after Cyrus came to town. Even when she claimed it was the truth, she always left something out. She make calls on how much he’s allowed to know. It’s not the kind of marriage he wants.

Molly tells TJ, his mother was giving her vague texts from someone pretending to be him. She thought he was gone; that she’d broken his heart. His mother said so, but she’s the one who lost faith. What happened is on her. He says, it happened months ago. Why didn’t she tell him? She says she should have. She wanted to. At first, she thought she should be honest, but he was so badly hurt at the hospital, and she knew he had a long recovery ahead, physically and emotionally. It felt selfish to pile on more bad news. She told herself that she would tell him eventually when he got stronger. Eventually got pushed further and further away. He asks, why come clean now? and she says, he saw their mothers tonight, and the pain keeping secrets causes. She didn’t want go through with the commitment ceremony keeping a secret, even if it means losing him. He asks, who was it? and she says, that’s not important. It was a one-time thing. As soon as he was back, and she realized they hadn’t broken up – it was a misunderstanding – she told him it never should have happened, and that she was completely devoted to TJ. TJ says, so she saw him afterward. It wasn’t someone random, but someone she knows. She says, it doesn’t matter. He’s not responsible. He didn’t know TJ when it happened. TJ says, but he does now. Tell him who it is. She says, Brando.

Brando tells Michael, there are squad cars in the driveway. Does he know why the cops are there?

Carly says Sam told her about Julian’s death, but what does it have to do with Sonny? Chase asks when they last spoke, and Carly says, yesterday afternoon. He asks if Sonny said where he was going, and she says, he went on a business trip; he doesn’t discuss them with her. What’s going on? Chase says, there was an anonymous tip that Julian wasn’t alone on the bridge. The security footage showed Sonny pursuing him, so they assume he was the other person on the bridge. Carly says, so they think the bridge collapsed with Sonny on it? What are they doing to find him?

Chase tells Carly, the local PD are doing a search and rescue in the surrounding area. They sent him to confirm if Sonny is missing, and it appears he is. Michael and Brando walk in, and Michael asks, what’s going on? Chase says he’s so sorry, but Michael’s father may have been in a serous accident. They’re not sure if he survived.

TJ tells Molly, it makes sense. He was so stupid. No wonder she was so standoffish with Brando. She says he’s not stupid, but it wasn’t Brando’s fault. He didn’t know. It was her mistake. She was hurt and angry, and lost faith in what they had. She’s so sorry about what happened, and especially sorry for not telling him months ago. None of it changes the fact that she loves him, and wants to spend her life with him. He says he needs time by himself (which I find somewhat ironic, since that’s what started this), and Molly says she understands. She tells him that she loves him, and leaves. He looks steamed, and sits down.

Jordan tells Curtis, don’t say that. They have a good marriage. She admits that she didn’t handle the Taggert situation well, but she promises there will be no more secrets. He has to believe her. Curtis says, the thing is, he wants to believe her, but he doesn’t think he can anymore. She should see TJ. It’s a holiday; she should be with family. She says, he’s her family. If he changes his mind, she’ll save a seat at the table for him.

Elizabeth tells Terry, Franco thought it would be a good idea to see a specialist; a neuropsychologist. Terry says, it makes sense, and Elizabeth thanks her for not saying everything will be fine. She’s been getting a lot of that lately. Terry says she can’t promise certainty, but she can promise faith and not giving up on Franco. Franco walks in, laden with gifts, and Elizabeth she throws herself at him and hugs him.

Cameron comes out, and says his mom told him Franco wasn’t going to be back until after the new year. Franco says he changed his plans. He wanted to spend Christmas with his family. Cameron says, merry Christmas, and Franco says, that’s his welcome? He got Cameron a righteous gift in the duty-free shop. Cameron says he’s super excited and happy to see Franco. He was worried that Franco was spending his last… Jake and Aiden are super psyched for tomorrow morning, and he’s sure Franco and his mom have a lot to catch up on. He jets back to the kitchen, and Terry goes with him. Franco asks how Cameron is doing, and Elizabeth says, better, but it’s been a rough couple of weeks. Dev’s death hit Cameron hard, and he won’t talk about it. She knows he’s happy to have Franco back, like she is. Tell her everything. Did he get the answers to what was up with the voice in his head? He says the specialist he was supposed to see was indisposed, but he’s confident someone is there who can help him out.

Britt’s hand begins to shake, and she hides it. Peter and Maxie come to the desk, and Peter asks if she’s okay.

Jordan gets home, and asks TJ, where’s Molly? He says, she slept with another man, and Jordan says, Molly did what? When? He says, when he was abducted, and he thought she’d turned down his proposal. Jordan says she’s so sorry. She can’t imagine how he’s feeling. He says he thinks she can. The night it happened, Jordan told Molly that he wanted nothing to do with her anymore. He’s been thinking about the last few months. His adduction and recovery, struggling to make sense of the trauma. She showed Molly alleged texts. How could she believe they were from him? How could she not check? He wondered what else she lied about, then it hit him. She knew the whole time that he was abducted, didn’t she?

Brando says, Sonny might be dead? and Michael says, Chase said there was an accident. What kind? Chase says, a bridge collapsed, and they think Sonny was on the bridge at the time. Michael asks what makes him think that, and Chase says, Julian’s body was recovered there. The security footage shows him heading there with Sonny pursuing him. Jason walks in, and asks if everything is okay, which is a really stupid question since two cops are there, obviously in official capacity. Chase says he’s glad Jason is there. He needs to asks him a few questions. Jason says, about? and Chase says, Julian Jerome.   

Terry asks if Cameron minds if she gives it a shot. She used to be a kick ass gamer. He asks if she’s an ancient side-scroller, and she tells him, don’t say he wasn’t warned. She starts to play, and he says she’s pretty decent. She says she told him. How many people have asked if he’s okay? He says, too many, and she says she figured. It sucks losing a friend. He watches her work the game, and says, awesome play, and she thanks him. She says, between them and the game, he doesn’t have to tell everyone what they want to hear. He’s allowed not be okay. He tells her, if she says so, and she says she knows so. She’s been there. When she was first ready to transition, she moved. She made new friends from different backgrounds. Some of them had the means and support systems to back them up. They were fortunate. She was too, but others, not so much. She had one friend, Abby. Abby was targeted by horrible, horrible people… and died. Terry was angry and sad, and stayed in her apartment for weeks because she was scared. He asks, what changed? and she says, not a whole lot. She’s still angry a lot, sad even more, but she realized Abby wouldn’t want her give up living because she lost her. Abby wouldn’t want her staying home, and living vicariously through a video game that was safer than the real world. She doubts Dev would want that for him either. She shows him the game that she’s been playing while talking, and says, she told him.  

Britt tells Peter, it’s Christmas Eve and she’s still working. She asks how Maxie is feeling. Is everything okay with her niece or nephew? Maxie says they’ve gotten clarity on that issue, and asks if Peter would like to do the honors. Peter says, they’re having a baby girl. She’s healthy and they’ve found the perfect name. Maxie says they’re not ready for that announcement, and Britt says, congratulations, especially on the healthy. He asks if she has plans, and if there’s any chance she could join them at Mac and Felicia’s. She says, there’s no rest for the Chief of Staff, but Maxie says she should come. Britt says, she’s not Mac and Felicia’s favorite person, but Maxie says, it’s the perfect opportunity. A chance for everyone to put the past behind them. They’re about to be a family again.   

Scotty arrives at Elizabeth’s and says he was afraid he’d miss Santa. Elizabeth says she’s glad he’s there. Franco said he was going to get answers from someone local. Has he found a neuropsychologist in Port Charles? Scotty says he has some leads, and Franco tells her, what he said. Scotty asks, where’s the mulled wine? There it is! He goes to the kitchen, and Elizabeth asks Franco if his dad seems jumpier than usual. Franco says, nothing is usual for that guy. She says she knows it’s hard. He didn’t get a definitive answer to the voices in his head, but she hopes that hasn’t changed his commitment to fighting the tumor, and fighting for their family.

Chase knows Jason was involved in another incident in the area, and asks if he has any insight. Jason tells Chase, Diane already handled it and he was released on his own recognizance. If he has any questions, Chase can speak to his attorney. Carly says Chase has over stayed his welcome, and can contact Diane if he wants to speak with Sonny. He says he intends to, and for what it’s worth (🍷), he’s truly sorry. He leaves, and Michael asks, what the hell happened to his dad?   

TJ says, Cyrus was behind his kidnapping, wasn’t he? and Jordan says, she suspected he had something to do with it. That’s why she needed Molly to stop asking questions. The more noise she made, the more danger TJ cold be in. There was shootout, and Taggert was murdered. TJ says, Taggert’s death wasn’t real, but she says she was keeping Molly safe. She didn’t know Molly would sleep with someone else, and he can’t blame her for Molly keeping it a secret. He says, supposing that’s true, can she look him in the eye, and promise she’s telling him everything he needs to know about his abduction? Jordan says she wishes she could, but she can’t. She takes his hand, but he shakes her off. He says, merry Christmas, mom, and walks out. She cries alone.

Scotty officially wishes Elizabeth and Franco a merry Christmas, and Franco asks, who wants more mulled wine? Terry says, unfortunately, not her. She has to take off before she turns into a pumpkin. Elizabeth asks if she remembers how they would stay up late and sing carols, and Terry says she loves Elizabeth, but no one wants to hear her belt out Mariah Carey. Elizabeth says she won’t subject them to a sing-along, but Cameron says, it sounds kind of nice, and picks up his guitar.

Britt says if they’re sure it’s not an imposition, but Maxie says, she’s family. She’ll call and have Mac and Felicia set an extra place. She leaves, and Britt says Peter is really getting into the family thing. He says she is his sister, and she says, it’s nice to know, now that Nathan is gone, her mom is in the Hague, and her best friend is going back to prison, she has someone to celebrate with. Obrecht peeks out, and says, even Britt is close to Peter. it’s unacceptable. Enjoy a merry Christmas, Peter, because the new year will bring your downfall.

TJ sees Molly in the park, and she asks how he found her. He reminds her that they downloaded a tracker app after… She says she doesn’t know what else to say except to tell him again, she’s so, so sorry. He says he knows. Just like he knows she’d never cheat under normal circumstances. She thanks him for knowing that, and knowing her. She just wishes she’d trusted him to tell him a lot sooner. He says she wishes that too, but the important thing is, she did. She respected him enough to be honest. It means more than she knows. She asks what it means for them. Where do they go from here? TJ says he honestly doesn’t know. They have so much to sort out. It feels like everything is different. She asks if that means they’re done, but he says he doesn’t want to be done. Does she? She says, absolutely not. She loves him and always will. He says he loves her too, and suggests they take it day by day, and see where they go next.

Jordan looks at the tree, and shakes her head.

Jason says, Sonny was on the bridge when it collapsed. He jumped in after Sonny, and searched, but couldn’t find him. They have a crew searching, and so are the cops. Michael says he’ll call the New Jersey authorities, and coordinate. He’ll throw the family name around, and make sure it’s done right. Willow goes upstairs to check on the kids, and Jason looks stressed. Carly says, when the guard told her the police were there, she thought they were going to tell her that they found Sonny’s… She cries and Jason holds her. He says he’s sorry he doesn’t have more answers, but she says the only answer she wants is that Sonny is alive and coming home.

Tomorrow, a midnight swim in the cold, Laura says Jackie gave her an idea, Cyrus wonders why someone’s family didn’t tell them something, and Carly says she knew Sonny would come back.

Below Deck

Nonsuch Bay, Antigua. Francesca wants to get rid of Elizabeth, but Captain Lee says, sometimes the devil you know is better than the one you don’t. She tells the captain that she can’t have Elizabeth as second stew, and he tells her to do what she has to. In Francesca’s interview, she says Elizabeth isn’t doing a good job, but she doesn’t know anyone available that would be up to the standard she needs. There’s pressure on her to make the right decision.

Rachel curses out the food processor. On the beach, Izzy tells Elizabeth about Francesca and Ashling going swimming. She suggests they have a tiki torch swim when they’re alone. As soon as the guests leave, they get into their underwear, and into the water. Elizabeth says, this makes it worth it. In Izzy’s interview, she compares Elizabeth to a prisoner, and says Francesca is the evil sheriff. She tells Elizabeth that she understands.

The guests return for French night, and Eddie asks Rob to help pick up the stuff from the beach. The captain says, viva la France, as he walks by. The guests do a jigsaw puzzle, and Izzy and Eddie curse the slide while they bring it back in, as everyone does. In Rob’s interview, he says, when he was around 17, he went through a period where he was very involved with Dungeons and Dragons, and didn’t have a huge friend circle, but it gave way to other creative things. He shows us his Pegasus tattoo, saying, he’s a big nerd. In Rachel’s interview, she says she has to nail this charter. She’s done well in the past with overcoming sh*tty situations. Pulling off Mardi Gras was a feat in itself, and homemade marshmallows. A ten-course tasting menu – bring it. The stews put on berets.

The guests dress in various supposed French outfits; berets paired with striped shirts, and one dressed like Napoleon. One of the guests says another one looks like the Hamburglar, and I agree. In Eddie’s interview, he says he’s let it go for the most part, but he hasn’t forgotten Rachel left them high and dry before a charter. If he was Captain Lee, he would fire Rachel as soon as he could. Ashling helps Rachel plate, and in the captain’s interview, he says he wants to fire Rachel. He doesn’t know if she’ll get a wild hair up her ass, and take off on them again, but the guests requested a 10-course tasting menu, which means 60 effing plates. He’ll see how she does. She has no room for error.

James asks if the Rob if the guests are still eating dinner, and Rob says, they’re on course 483. In Izzy’s interview, she says, if she was cooking, the courses would be very basic. She can’t even fry an egg. If someone wants a housewife, don’t pick her. Primary Bryan says, the egg course is the perfect consistency. Francesca tells Ashling to do cabins. In Rachel’s interview, she says, it’s an arduous process, the timing and execution of the food. The Chilean sea bass is deemed buttery and delightful, and the guests wonder what planet Rachel is from. James and Rob discuss Keanu Reeves movies, and in James’s interview, he says Rob is everything he wants in a dinner partner. Rachel gets applause, and in her interview, she says, at the risk of sounding like a narcissistic f***, she thinks she nailed it.

Bryan gets in the hot tub with another guest. Something I will never be able to unsee. Everyone heads to bed, and Francesca discusses new deckhand Rob with Rachel. She says she’s finding him more attractive as time goes on. In the crew mess, Elizabeth tells James that she keeps getting thrown in the doghouse, so she’s just rolling with it. James says she’s worked on boats for a while, and asks if she’s ever had a boatmance. She says she has, and it can be cool when people who wouldn’t meet otherwise, find out they really have a connection. In her interview, she says, James is an escape. When you’re working in this type of environment, it’s nice to have someone to connect with. He asks what she wants to do with her day off, and she says, drink

It’s morning, and Francesca serves coffee and croissants outside. Captain Lee heads out to Falmouth Harbour. He tells Eddie, the docking is going to be a procedure; two anchors out, and the stern in. In his interview, the captain says the dock is extremely challenging. During the high season, every spot is spoken for, and there are very expensive boats docked there. Make a mistake, and you can spend a hundred thousand dollars without batting an eye. The guests get omelets, and Bryan says, as demanding as he is, his standards have now grown more. Eddie draws a picture on the whiteboard to show the deckhands how the docking is going to happen. He says, it’s the Super Bowl of docking maneuvers. They’ll be backing in with no lines to help guide them, and he’s nervous.

The crew waves to Laura on another boat, and in Francesca’s interview, she says, the crews end up being like family, but this crew doesn’t see her as a person. They see her as a bitchy, mean chief stew. She cries a little, and while I feel badly, I can’t help thinking, if you’re the common denominator, maybe you should look in the mirror. The captain says he hates this. There’s are so many ways to get in trouble. He tells the crew that he wants radio silence. If you’re not part of the docking team, be quiet. The guests watch, and Bryan says, amazing. Seeing the crowd on shore, James wonders why people want to watch, and Rob says, they hope someone f***s up. Alarms go off, but it ends well, and Bryan goes to the galley to tell Rachel that her food was amazing. She says reading a preference sheet is different from meeting the person, and his enthusiasm and appreciation helped her want to step it up.

It’s time to say goodbye, and Bryan says, it was an absolute pleasure. He tells the captain that he has an amazing crew, and he was overjoyed with Rachel’s talent. She’s one of the best chefs he’s encountered. He’s emotional beyond words. He gives Captain Lee the tip envelope, and Eddie tells the deckhands to cover up. Francesca tells Rachel, well done. No other chef has nailed it like that. The captain tells the crew to come to the crew mess immediately. Eddie says, it’s the only time when the crew actually shows up immediately.

Captain Lee tells the crew, they did a really god job, and he’s proud of all of them. The tip is $25K or $2,250 each. In Rob’s interview, he says, that’s a big number for three days of not working too hard. The captain says, the charter was successful, but they didn’t know if they’d have a chef. In his interview, he says, once you’ve touched something hot and get burned, you approach it cautiously the second time. He tells them that he doesn’t have the luxury of holding their hands, and Rachel says, sorry; she had a moment. He says, everybody has a moment, and she says, she’ll never let it happen again. In Captain Lee’s interview, he says Rachel is possibly the talented chef he’s come across in his 35 years of yachting. He tells the crew that they can visit a donkey sanctuary after this, and he might tag along. It’s not mandatory, but a reward for an outstanding job. They can stay if they want, and scrub their asses off. I just have to mention, for all the wailing about how demanding these guests were going to be, they were more appreciative than anything else. They weren’t obnoxious in the least, and polite to the crew.

Rachel wants to relax, but most of the crew opts to see the donkeys. Eddie says he’d rather take a nap. In the captain’s interview, he says, there are a lot of donkeys in Antigua, and someone has to take care of the donkeys who can’t take care of themselves. He thinks it will be a good experience for the crew. He’s taking his jackasses to see their jackasses, and they’ll see who has top jackass. They take a limo bus to the sanctuary, where the director explains that they have over 150 donkeys that they protect. All of their names have to do with their stories. She introduces them to Stevie, who was hit and became blind, so he was named after Stevie Wonder. In Izzy’s interview, she says she’s in heaven. She loves the smell of horse manure. It reminds her of her youth, before she was old and jaded like she is now. They brush the donkeys, and hold baby goats.   

Back at the boat, party pooper Eddie scrubs, while Francesca meditates. In her interview, she says she doesn’t know what to do about Elizabeth. She doesn’t want to be mean and fire her, but she needs to do something to light a fire under Elizabeth’s ass so there’s an improvement, or she’ll explode. The rest of the crew returns, and the captain says, donkey time’s over; back to work. Francesca radios Elizabeth to meet her in the Sky Lounge. Izzy asks Rob how his first charter was, and he says, the easiest $2,000 he ever made. Francesca says she feels Elizabeth’s priorities are in the wrong spot. James walks past the window, distracting Elizabeth, and proving Francesca’s point. Francesca says Elizabeth takes one step forward, then two steps back. She still has to check on her. Elizabeth asks if she wasn’t happy with this charter, and Francesca says, a little bit, but not enough. Elizabeth says, sometimes she feels Francesca is hard to please. Francesca says she doesn’t have to explain it any further. The bottom line is that she’ll keep Elizabeth on board, but not as third stew. She’s dropping Elizabeth down. In Elizabeth’s interview, she says she can’t believe this is happening. She tries her hardest every day, and believes the demotion is personal, not business. Clearly there’s no pleasing her. She’s in shock.

The deckhands clink beer bottles, and Eddie says he loves pre-drink drinks. Elizabeth tells Izzy and Ashling about her demotion. In Ashling’s interview, she says, Elizabeth will have to suck it up, and pull her weight. She leaves, and Izzy tells Elizabeth that the captain probably wanted to keep her, since he can manage a team better. Francesca hears them, and asks if they don’t want to involve her if they’re going to be talking about her. I’d say that’s probably a hard no.

Francesca asks, what’s going on; why is Izzy there? Izzy says, it’s not her department, but she was talking to a friend. Francesca moves on, and Elizabeth tells Izzy she hasn’t said anything offensive. The crew gets ready to go out, and Francesca tells Rachel about hearing Izzy and Elizabeth talking about her. Izzy tells James, in her opinion, the demotion was an ego trip. James asks Elizabeth if she gets paid any less, but Elizabeth says, no. She doesn’t care; maybe it will take some pressure off. He tells her, forget work. Drink and enjoy herself. Izzy tells Eddie and Rob that she had a breakdown last year, after she was sexually assaulted. She was drinking with work friends, and felt she was too drunk to go home, and passed out on the sofa. She wasn’t raped, but woke up with a guy’s hand down her pants. When she realized what was happening, she froze. She didn’t want to make a scene, but thinks she should have fought. Rob says, nobody deserves that sh*t, and in Izzy’s interview, she says she thought something like that would be a fight or flight situation, but she froze. She’s the type that can fend for herself, but felt she had the choice and control taken away from her. Eddie says she bounced back well, and she says she has a coping mechanism and can pull herself out of anything. He says, you got fight in you, kid. Eddie sounds like an old man sometimes.  

The crew goes to a restaurant, and do shots before the mean. Eddie says, let’s finish strong. In Rachel’s interview, she says, in retrospect, they did a good job, and she’s super stoked. Tonight, she wants to celebrate and get wasted. She sticks her tongue out at James, who asks, what’s wrong with her? She starts talking with the people at another table, and this pisses Eddie off. She comes back, and tells him, relax, but he says she’s bothering him a little. In his interview, he says, she’s wasted drunk, being rude, and embarrassing the crew. He has no respect for people like that. Funny. Since I recall a few huge blunders of Eddie’s in earlier seasons. He whines to Francesca that Rachel is acting like nothing happened, and it effing bothers him. Francesca doesn’t seem to care a whole lot, and in his interview, Eddie wonders if he’s the only one still pissed that Rachel abandoned them. Funny too, since it probably has the least to do with him, but a lot more with the interior.  

They head over to a club, and Francesca tells Ashling that she likes Rob. She likes Canadian. In her interview, she says she kind of likes him, but she doesn’t know, and laughs. The crew hits the dancefloor, and in Rob’s interview, he says he doesn’t know what to do with himself in social situations. He’s always been quite… aloof. He thinks Francesca is neat, but he feels awkward. Sometimes it takes a minute for him to expose himself. He realizes his word choice, and says, what am I saying? They go back to the boat, and Elizabeth wants to go in the hot tub. Rob talks to Eddie regarding his social skills, and Eddie tell him, it’s important to be open. Rob says he’s used to being in the woods, and looking at rocks.

Elizabeth and James get in the hot tub, and she asks if they’re the only ones up again. He says, at least they get alone time, and Elizabeth says she keeps getting into trouble. Then they make out. Rachel finds a half bagel in the toaster and eats it, saying it’s the best bagel she’s ever had. Elizabeth tells James she’s been waiting so long, and he says she’s so tasty. I really don’t want to know.

Later this season, turtles; Eddie talks to James about separating work and pleasure; a guest talks about her daughter passing away, causing Captain Lee to need a moment; Elizabeth doesn’t think it’s fair; Rachel gets on stage with a random band; the captain tells some charter guests that their charter is over; Elizabeth says, this is war; Francesca doesn’t want to work with Elizabeth; and Captain Lee tells the crew that they have a situation.

⛴ More Deck…

In keeping with my favorite reality theme, cast members watching episodes of their own shows and making comments, comes Below Deck Galley Talk. The deets:

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/below-deck-galley-talk-cast-premiere-date-trailer

The same thing, said differently:

https://decider.com/2020/12/28/below-deck-galley-talk-bravo/

A little extra from the captain:

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/12/10243794/below-deck-galley-talk-bravo-series-trailer

🥕 Crunch Time…

Running to finish an article for https://mupoentertainment.com/theresa-krakauskas/. All the shows are on at their regular times until Thursday, but I’ll have some tea to pour too. Until we meet again for Temptation Tuesday, stay safe, stay keeping it simple, and stay living la vida loca. While socially distanced of course.