Tag Archives: One Life to Live

Sep23

September 22, 2015 — GH, Queens, Tyler Perry & Tequila

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

General Hospital

You’d think after all she’s been though, on top of being a Cassadine, Alexis could control her freak out when hearing a gunshot better. Too bad it was Julian who got shot instead of Morgan, although both of them could disappear and I’d be okay with that. Julian is down, but not out yet.

I need some kind of chart or graph to keep what kids are whose straight. Hey, you watch the same show for literally 50 years and let’s see how well you do.

Is Sonny hallucinating or does he know something about Jake being Jason? That would be a real twist, giving Sonny the reveal. Oh, why not? I’d actually hoped for Laura to return and get that job, but since it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, they can draw straws at this point for all I care. Just, please, let’s get to it already.

Commercial break. Oh crap. Once Upon a Time is premiering this weekend. While right now it won’t throw a wrench into Sundays, it will eventually. There always seems to be one day in the week where I have to stay up half the night to catch everything. I still have the finale from last season’s Once in the black hole that is my DVR. Pope Francis is also headed this way, which should make for some stellar traffic jams in the city.

Ha-ha! Elizabeth looks like she’s about to pass out. Good. And seriously, “Jake” doesn’t seem like an idiot. Has it never once crossed his mind that he might be Jason? Or even anyone else from Port Charles?

What the blip is Michael doing, showing up there with no weapon? Even wounded, Julian could probably get away, since Michael and Morgan are so busy blabbing. Michael thinks logic is going to work here. Really? He tells Morgan that Sonny sent him to stop Morgan throwing his life away. We’ll see if Morgan buys it.

Ric (whose name I’ve been spelling wrong) is trying to talk his way back into the good graces of the PC court system. (That would be Port Charles. These days, I realize that might need clarification.) While I don’t like his character all that much, I love the acting skills of Rick Lansing. (Rick playing Ric!) He does a great annoyed and flustered. Paul has replaced Ric as District Attorney. That was quick! My favorite soap character job switch was when Bo from One Life to Live went from being a radio DJ to being Police Commissioner overnight. At least Paul was a lawyer already.

Dillon…Maxie…Dillon’s movie… These are the kinds of storylines I used to fast forward through in the old days, when we taped things on the VCR.

This is pretty good, with Carly playing along with Sonny that “Jake” is Jason. I’m rooting for Elizabeth to have a heart attack. At least she’s already at the hospital.

Holy! Michael’s blathering worked! I want Alexis to stop making those cartoonish soap faces though. Her hair always reminds me of Cruella de Vil as it is. Even though Morgan has packed up his pistol, Michael tells Julian it’s not over because he agrees that Julian had Sonny shot. Boy, would he be surprised to know the truth.

Paul should have been a salesman. I’m ready to throw in with him. “Jake” wants to help out in stopping Morgan (a day late and a dollar short), and Elizabeth is trying to boss him around. Go away already.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FREAKIN’ KIDDING ME. They just broke in to the last 2 minutes of the show to report on the Pope’s plane landing in Washington DC. I mean we’re looking at the plane sitting there and that’s it. He’s probably still sitting in his seat, iPad in hand, not believing that they just cut in to the end of General Hospital. This is almost, but not quite, as bad as when they broke in the day we were finally seeing what happened in Luke’s past. ABC had to make all kinds of apologies that time. Did they learn nothing?

Scream Queens

I’m taking a chance on DVR’ing this, but it’s the finale of The Haves & the Have Nots, so I’m only watching the first hour.

It revolves around a sorority, Kappa something (KKT), and a stalker/killer in a devil outfit. One that looks hot and uncomfortable. Jamie Lee Curtis (always worth watching) is Dean Munch, which leads to jokes that I’m sure shouldn’t be aired before 10 pm. Jamie Lee reminds me of Dean Wormer in Animal House. She hates sororities. Somebody has to put their foot down, and that foot is her. She makes some rule that the sorority has to open its membership to everyone, and brings in a bunch of “misfits,” again reminding me of Animal House.

I’d kill for main (evil) character Chanel #1’s closet. The main (good) character, Liz, wants to join KKT because it’s her dead mother’s legacy. Her dad tells her sororities are like Game of Thrones. Since I had the brilliant idea to go to acting school instead of college, I have no clue about them, but my sister and her peers decided to rebel by ignoring pledge week and sororities. This was in the hippie days when being a non-conformist meant something.

Commercial break. The 5th Wave looks like an incredible movie, but if it’s not even rated yet, this means I could be watching this commercial for the next year. I like Good Day New York, but there’s really nothing they can do to make my mornings “fun.” Just give me coffee.

At the end of the first hour, Chanel #1 has killed Miss Bean, the house maid whom she calls “White Mammy.” The first of Chanel’s “minons” (all named “Chanel” and called by number) is killed by the devil stalker. The dialogue is done by texts between the murderer and the victim, culminating with the victim calling for help via Facebook, rather than calling 911. I’m not sure if this is a comment on the stupidity of people today or their dependence on social media or something else.

This looks like a fun show, although a little risqué to be on at 8. I’m not a prude by any stretch of the imagination, but I am appropriate. And nobody wants to answer kids’ questions before their time.

Tyler Perry’s Temptation Tuesday

This is comprised of his nighttime dramas, The Haves & the Have Nots, and If Loving You is Wrong. Both shows are over-the-top old school style of soap. The main difference being that the latter is totally focused on middle-class families. Most of the characters are doing all right, but there are no real “haves.”

Obviously, I’m not alone in feeling that Tyler Perry has fulfilled a need left by the departure of shows such as Dallas and Dynasty, and given them a fresh spin. They might not be up for any Emmys, but people are tuning in and enjoying these updates on the classics.

Tonight was unusual in that both shows were on back to back. While The Haves & the Have Nots was having its finale, If Loving You is Wrong was starting its new season. Even the beginning credits are reminiscent of the daytime soaps in the 80s and I love it!  It starts the way it ended last season, with a scene that was the height of pure soapiness.

Alex has just had her baby. It’s hanging in the balance whether the father is her Caucasian husband, Brad, or her married African American neighbor, Randall, with whom she was having an affair. (This was all exposed prior to her going into labor.) All of her girlfriends are at the window where you stare at the newborns. They gasp and stare in silence. One of them says the baby is black. Another says, “How are we going to tell Brad”?

“Tell me what?” Brad says, having just walked in behind them.

DUN-DUN-DUNNN!

Below Deck

Leon turns out to be kind of a lazy cook, which I can totally identify with, but I don’t work on a yacht.

It’s not starting off well. Some kind of tequila, that most of the guests have put on their preference sheets, isn’t in stock. Kate explains that a lot of the time, guests list things they never ask for and when something is particularly hard to get, it’s not a priority. She realizes now that it is a priority.

On top of it, the weather is not cooperating, so the guests’ requested water activities won’t be happening. I think I would be just fine, lazing around the yacht, top-of-the-line alcohol, food and service at my beck and call, but apparently some people get bored with that. This makes me take note that I’ve never once seen anyone reading while on these charters. I’ve always taken reading material on vacation.

Does it bother anyone else when, while watching an episode of a show, they air a commercial for next week’s episode of the same show? And add that it’s an “all new episode” when it’s only the third one of the season?

A new deckhand is coming to replace dickweed Don. (Ha-ha! Spell check tried to change that to duckweed. Fie on you, spell check, and I trump your correction.) Rocky is still insane, crying one minute and making up Broadway tunes about laundry the next. I don’t think this girl belongs at this job. Or maybe any job. Hope she can find a rich guy to marry. New guy Dane is too young, surfer dude looking for me, but the girls all think he’s hot.

Kate says it’s not a good sign when the guests go to bed early and would rather sleep than hang out on the boat. A couple of the lady guests try to entice Dane and Emile into the hot tub. Emile plays by the rules of no fraternization, but Dane almost gets in the tub and needs a mini-lecture on how to draw the line between having fun with the guests and having too much fun with the guests.

The weather still sucks, and Kate creates a party for the guests where they play a slightly rude, seafaring version of Twister. Lo and behold, here comes a boat bearing the liquor the guests could so desperately not live without. (The bottle cost $350, but there’s no mention of what the delivery must have cost.) I think these guests are bored because they’re boring. All is well once the booze gets on board. I hate tequila, so I’m failing to see how this was a make or break factor on the charter. I can’t wait to see what the tip is.

Whoa — 25 large! Having to entertain bored, boring people is totally worth it. Captain Lee gives Eddie some advice while they lounge in the hot tub. Eddie needs to get it together with his girlfriend because his mind isn’t totally on his work. The main thing I hear is that Captain Lee is married. Yep. All the good ones are married or gay.

Sep9

September 8, 2015 — GH, a Yacht & a Party

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

General Hospital

The big question is — who is the mystery shooter? Franco, Nina and company are all busy right now. Julian? Too obvious. I believe Morgan would do just about anything at this point, but we know where he is. Ditto Michael. One of those generic mob guys who were at the round table? Maybe. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Everyone’s rocking their looks at the wedding that’s not going to happen. Even Bobbie’s fillers are fitting her face better. Fillers fitting face. Say that 3 times real fast. Haven’t all of Sonny’s weddings been postponed because of a shooting accompanied by an Italian aria? No music this time. Not even an Ave Maria. I feel cheated.

Yeah, I didn’t think that headband was going to stay on Avery’s head for long. How old is she supposed to be? She sure is chomping on a humongous cracker when I figured she’d still be being bottle fed.

Hayden apparently woke up a genius, since she can read an awful lot into remembering a few seconds of something.

Oh, I see. It’s the expendable stranger that was the shooter. No surprise and not much fun to try and guess either. Good for “Jake” shooting Charlie while he was babbling about shooting TJ. Tuco said it best in The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, “When you have to shoot, shoot; don’t talk.”

Good job in derailing your love life nuSloane. I am so not feeling this guy.

Will someone untie TJ already? Since he hasn’t figured out that the ropes are so loose, he could have slipped out of them two days ago. Probably brought to you by the same people who won’t tell the actors that, when they’re handed a cup of coffee, at least make it look like it’s full.

Did somebody call 911 or are they just going to stand around Sonny as he bleeds out? Doesn’t everyone carry cell phones now? That reminds me of a funny scene on One Life To Live years ago. Todd was holding a small crowd hostage and asked them to hand over their phones. About 50 phones were produced and it looked like an SNL skit.

Below Deck

I don’t know what’s up with some of these kids who sign on for this job. They don’t seem to grasp that it’s actually work. Hard work. Guests pay a lot of money to charter this yacht. They’re the ones who get to have the fun, not the employees. Not to mention the fat tips they get for the work. A couple of this season’s new people don’t even seem to grasp that there are rules when you’re on the water. Rocky annoys the hell out of me. She seems like a lazy ignoramus. She was in charge of laundry, so now everyone can’t find their uniform pieces and the ones they are finding aren’t laundered properly. She claims not to have any experience in laundry. Really? I’ve been doing my own laundry since I was 13. Has she ever even had a job before? Kate reminds Rocky to turn the iron off and Rocky gets offended. Another really? I’m surprised she hasn’t already burned the yacht down, or made it capsize, or something.

The dude is back that Kate designed the towel like a rocket ship for last season. She has “some ideas” for new towel art and wants to have a Greek themed party, with togas, gods and a mermaid. Chef Leon says he hates theme parties. Why he even cares, since it’s not like he has to do anything but cook, is beyond me. Where is Chef Ben when I need him? He was so much more fun & had emotions other than annoyance.

Ha-ha! This time Kate made him a palm tree. With balls coconuts of course.

New guy Don is a freakin’ idiot who thinks he knows everything better than everyone else. Oh that’s right, I forgot, he’s an engineer. When the first officer tells you to do something, you do it. Man, I feel sorry for Eddie and Dan (the first officer) this season.

The guests are going to catch their own food – lobster and conch – this ought to be good. Connie is in her element alongside them. She told us in the first episode that one of the things that can get her to drop her pants is “Let’s go fishing.” Apparently, she’s easy to please. Or just easy.

Pausing to ogle the Kraft Mac & Cheese commercial. I know it’s probably about one of the worst things you can eat, but I nearly got addicted to it when I was a mother’s helper for 6 years. One for you, one for me. And there were 3 kids.

A conch is harder to open than a coconut. Amy wonders why Chef Leon is mystified with this task because he’s never done it before, yet he was a chef in the Bahamas. I wonder too. Kate better come up with some even better towel concoctions, since primary guest, Dean, is a stickler for time and this is taking forever. Luckily, Dean thinks it’s “ridiculously good” when the meal is finally served. Ohhh, wait a second, what he served is what they caught. What a loser.

This week’s gem of wisdom from Kate: “Cruise ships are K-Mart and yachts are Neiman Marcus.” She added “everyone knows that,” but I didn’t know that, so she’s wrong on that point.

Don is an arrogant pr*ck. He’s basically arguing with Captain Lee about – what difference does it make? He’s arguing with the Captain. And in his talking heads segment, he says Captain Lee hardly works. Huh? Then he quits! Mid charter! He trumps Chef Leon as a double-loser.

Can’t wait for next week and the Greek party.

My Fab 40th

This is sort of like My Sweet 16th for older people, and instead of whining teens, we have anxious adults. The best part about the show is the fabulousness of the parties and the amount spent on them. The food! The drink! The outfits! The decorations! The cake! Theme parties with costumes are the best. (Phooey on you, Chef Leon.) Tonight, Carmine has chosen a Hunger Games party and the costumes are to die for. Even his mother is going with the flow.

Carmine thought his problem would be mixing his gay and straight friends, but IMO, the much bigger issue is running low on food. Throughout the first forty minutes of the show, he fretted about combining his social spheres, concerned that his straight friends have never been surrounded by so much “gayness.” I’m wondering how his friends can be that sheltered. Even growing up in Ohio, I went to the clubs in downtown Cleveland and wasn’t the least bit shocked when I moved to NYC (I could also read!). Only his mom really has difficulty with the atmosphere, but it’s more a question of polite conversation, people using words like “b*tch” and “queen,” terms of endearment to them, but understandably not to his mom.

All ends up well though. Carmine’s mom tells him that he’s blessed with the friends he has, and he’s happy with them too.

Total cost: $26,525 – Holy!

Aug28

August 27, 2015 — GH, NYC & Real Time TV

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

 

General Hospital

Love Carly’s lowlights! I see everyone is wandering around the jail unattended now.  If I ever decide to commit a crime, I’m doing it in Port Charles.  I actually like Ava.  I barely even remember Connie Falconeri, so who cares? I thought Sonny was pretty nasty to Ava regarding Avery too. Did he make that baby all by himself? One thing I do remember is that scene in the mausoleum, and he was definitely on board (and on a few other things) there.

As you already know, I’m more about the action stuff than the romantic stuff, but I do think Nathan and Maxi are super cute(not to be confused with Hello Kitty). Whatever happened to “super couples” anyway? I’m still disappointed over Luke and Tracy parting ways. I really liked them together. Dammit, Tony Geary! You ruined everything and shattered all my dreams.

Lots of exposition today.  Did they get an influx of new viewers?  I know all this; let’s move on.

I’m hoping Wile E. Coyote makes a jail appearance and drops an anvil from ACME on Morgan’s head. He’s soooo whiny. But I’m getting the feeling not a whole lot is going to happen today. Yeah, it’s Thursday. …zzzzzz…..

William DeVry is really a good actor, but I’ve never been able get into Julian in any way, shape or form. Not even when he’s doing push-ups.

Since not much is happening, here’s a story.

Many years ago, there was a fantasy camp called Daytime Encounters in Manhattan.  You spent the day with several soap actors and other people in the business.  They did Q&A panels, but even better, you got to work with them.  There was a soap scene written for the event, they had auditions for the parts, provided lunch, and had a hair and makeup team to get you ready. After the scene was filmed, everyone watched it and got a copy. Since I went to acting school and had dabbled in a few show bizzy things, this sounded like a lot of fun. I checked out their website, and unfortunately, it cost a bundle. Somewhere around 500 bucks. So I signed up for future information, just in case I won LOTTO.

Maybe about 6 months later, I got an email from the Fine Living Network (which I don’t think exists anymore). They told me that if I’d allow them to interview me for a show called Fantasy Camps, they’d pay my way to the event. This time, Daytime Encounters would be using actors from One Life To Live, which had always been my favorite of the soaps. They didn’t have to ask twice.

The night before, a cameraman and sound guy came out to my house for an at home interview. They knew I’d once done some acting and asked me if I had any scrapbooks (of course!) and wanted to film me looking at them. I seriously hoped I wouldn’t come off like Miss Havisham, covered in cobwebs, still waiting for the right part to come along after 30 years. At the time we had three dogs – a Golden Retriever (the totally misnamed Einstein), a German Shepherd (Madison) and a Pekingese (Juliet). My husband had taken them outside so they wouldn’t disrupt things, but the cameraman thought it would be cool to include them. This is it! I thought. Juliet’s chance to be my shining star. She was (and still is) the smartest and funniest dog I know, and I was sure she’d be amazing on camera.

Well, you know how pets can make a liar out of you. The two big dogs just stood there, acting like they’d never seen toys, sticks, or even people before, while Juliet barked incessantly at the cameraman. “Pick her up and give her a kiss,” the cameraman said. I did, and she tried to bite me on the nose. Some best friend and some shining star. Through the magic of editing, somehow it didn’t end up looking like the fiasco it was.

HA…HA…HA!  Something finally happened. Rick the weasel has been arrested for Silas’s murder. Huh. I hadn’t even considered him.

The event was fantastic and I learned quite a bit about the soap world, especially from Ilene Kristen, who pulled no punches in telling us what a nightmare it could be. There were about 20-25 “civilian” participants, with 3 of us being there on Fine Living’s dime. Throughout the day, they would pull us aside for mini-interviews, asking us various questions regarding our interest in soaps and how we were feeling about what was going on. I didn’t get a huge part in the scene (that seemed to be reserved for those who had done this before), but it was a funny one, and I managed to milk it for all it was worth. I must have done something right with the interviews too, because when I got a copy of the show later, it looked like I was the only one interviewed. It was an exhausting day – at one point, I swear I wanted to say “No more pictures! Please!” – but an experience I’ll never forget. And won’t have to, since I have the tapes. It also set me on the straight and narrow with my eating plan, since I saw the tapes.

Oooh, what “truth” is Franco going to reveal?

The Real Housewives of New York

Ha! They tried to fool me by sticking in another episode on a Thursday, but since I’ve been out-of-sync with the day of the week all week, I checked the guide early.

Backing up for just a moment. It’s no wonder Bethenny’s boob fell out of her dress when Sonja told her about spitting out her tooth. She was pulling and tugging at that dress all night. Please. You can afford to buy something that fits and is both stylish and comfortable.

While I too, wondered for a long time if Sonja’s collection would ever materialize, and I understand the skepticism of the ladies, Heather hasn’t exactly been the support system she claims to have been. All of the Wives always think we have short term memory loss and none of this is on film. What sticks out in my mind was how she asked Sonja if her clothing was going to be sold in K-Mart. Not that I think there’s anything wrong with K-Mart (well, there’s something wrong with my K-Mart, but it has nothing to do with the merchandise). It has a lot of fine brands like Martha Stewart, but in this instance, I thought it was a put-down. Heather, you know damn well that Sonja Morgan, of the Whatever Morgans she says she’s from, is not going to sell her clothing line in K-Mart and she’s going to find that remark insulting. You’ve been on this show for a couple of seasons now.

I wouldn’t go anywhere without Dorina. I like Dorinda. Even if she does get overly sensitive when she’s had too many martinis. That was a great episode when she took the trip to England with Carole. I like Carole a lot too.

WAKE UP, RAMONA! No, really, she fell asleep. Can’t say as I blame her. I’ve heard these reunions are a 12-hour day that starts very early. It must feel weird to wear a ball gown first thing in the morning.

Make a note: The 100th episode special is on September 17th.

The burning issue of the season, or at least Turks and Caicos: the naked man incident or what is girl code cool? I totally understand the point of not leaving strangers wander around a house full of your friends and their belongings. (Apparently, there was staff at the house though, which hadn’t occurred to me before.) No one wants to wake up as a headline. However, Heather totally overreacted. I’ve done it myself, once screaming at a neighbor/friend who left their key in my mailbox and failed to tell me. I get safety and security, but it wasn’t necessary to bounce LuAnn out of bed after the fact, especially since Ramona played innocent and sent her there. Really? You believe something that woman has to say? It did give the Countess the quote of the season, as well as a chance to show off her slammin’ body. I don’t get this girl code business either. A lot of rules must have been added since I was single. Back in my day (gather ‘round as I sit in my rocker), girl code basically meant that you didn’t date a friend’s ex or move in on the man she already had her eye on. Ah, for simpler times.

Travel advice from Princess Carole: Do not leave your luggage, or your men, unattended.

Oh man, they are still arguing about this. Aww, they’re hugging and making up now. Applause all around. Now everyone is hugging. Is the show over?

Nope. Andy is back, patting everyone on the back for acting like adults. Somewhat.

Heather has just redeemed herself by saying 50 isn’t old.

See ya next time, girls!

I’m looking forward to Ladies of London, if only to stop seeing the commercial. I love Fergie, but I’m tired of the earworm that is “London Bridge.”

Real Time TV

Not sure what I’ll talk about over the weekend – although I’m sure I’ll think of something – since there’s never anything on TV. Do they think everyone has a life? I just don’t understand why they can’t spread the wealth instead of saving it all for Sunday night. Remember when the most exciting thing on Sunday night was 60 Minutes? I haven’t worked in an office for over 20 years, but I still get a knot in my stomach when I hear that clock ticking, because, Monday morning.  Sunday night periodically becomes the cluster of shows I have to untangle, and figure out how to watch all of them. Then, the nerve, they have to stick in a season of Once Upon A Time occasionally to really make it complicated. As it’s on ABC, it has to be watched in real time because they only show it once. Or DVR’d, meaning it will fall into the black hole never to be seen again. I do sometimes use On Demand. It’s come in really handy when there’s a regular network show I want to see, like Zoo, which I’m embarrassed to say is trumped on Tuesday by whichever Wives are on.

So just remember – be cool.

Aug26

August 25, 2015 — PC, NYC, a Ship at Sea & Some Maids

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

 

Devious Maids

It’s not that I don’t have a DVR, but I prefer to watch shows in real time, so I watched this at midnight last night. My DVR fear is that if I start recording things, it will end up like the black hole that was once my VHS tape collection. I already have General Hospital episodes that are 2 years old on there.

Kind of like Murder She Wrote, but grislier with a more youthful vibe, I really like this show. One of the reasons is the friendship between the women. While they have their ups and downs, they always come together to support one another. Although I liked it at the beginning, I drifted away from Desperate Housewives before the series ended. Maybe that’s why. The women were just too cruel to each other.

I know, I know. Says the one who’s addicted to The Real Housewives.

Not that I thought she would ever have trouble finding work, it’s great to see Susan Lucci back on the small screen. She’s a natural in the role of Genevieve, whose over-the-topness is not too far from Erica Kane, who, if you remember, once shouted down a bear. I loved seeing her paired with John O’Hurley, and was sorry that he only stuck around for a few episodes. Johnny, we hardly knew ye.

Right now, since it’s the finale, all the murders have been confessed to and they’ve blown the place up in cliffhanger fashion. I hope I don’t have to wait too long for the next season. The last time, it was so long, I practically forgot what the show was about. I long for the old days of a September to May season, with summer reruns and the occasional new show in the off-time. Now, it seems like they use a dart board to decide on air dates. Seasons could be at any time of the year, or split in half to get more play, with sometimes an entire year in between. (Thanks, Mad Men!) I am, however, grateful for the repeat episodes. There was a time when they were annoying, but with all the great TV to choose from, it’s made it easier to catch everything.

General Hospital

I managed to tear myself away from BRAVO’s Below Deck marathon. Can’t wait for the new season starting tonight! Since it comes on after The Real Housewives of New York – part 2 of the reunion –my head could very well explode.

Glad to see Tracy today – another one of my favorites! Jane Elliot has it right too, with the way she’s keeping it real as she ages. She looks good and she looks like herself. Now that we all know that Denise is really Ava, I’ll miss Denise. She was a load of fun! I hope Ava keeps Denise’s dark hair – it looks absolutely stunning with her light eyes. You might think me superficial, commenting on a character or actor’s appearance, but these are some of the thoughts that go through my head as I watch. Don’t tell me you don’t have them too. If you’re looking for a real recap, go to the site for the show. Or Vulture. I love their recaps; they often make me literally LOL. That’s right. This Macy’s Santa is sending you to Gimbel’s if they have what you want and I don’t. But, my friends do say they enjoy watching TV with me.

Roger Howarth (now known as Franco) has been my favorite soap actor ever since he came on the One Life to Live scene. Apparently, a lot of fans felt that way, since his character was originally supposed to have a limited run, and Todd ended up running all the way to Port Charles many years later, even though ABC made a mess of the crossover. One of my fondest soap memories was Todd stalking blind Nora. It was Christmastime and I’d just brought a neighbor’s dog back from our daily walk. She had a huge box of chocolate truffles on the coffee table (my neighbor, not the dog), and had told me to help myself. (She was a literal size 0 and only drank half a can of soda at a time, so who was I not to help her here?) I put the TV on, and actually ate some bonbons while I was watching a soap. I thought, it doesn’t get any better than this.

Moving on. For a place that’s rife with criminals, Port Charles certainly has a lax jail system, along with keeping both men and women in the same holding area. Come to think of it, the hospital isn’t exactly on top of security either. Remind me never to get sick there if someone is trying to murder me.

That’s right, Morgan. It doesn’t matter that Denise is really Ava. It doesn’t make you any less of a cheater. So please quit whining.

The Real Housewives of New York

Having lived a good portion of my life in the city, these girls are high on my must watch list.

Oh, Countess, can you take a clue from Princess Elsa and let it go? Why is she still hanging on to being angry about Carole seeing her niece’s ex? The weirdest thing about this is that the Countess seems to be okay with an older woman and a younger man together if they’re just having sex, but she frowns on them having a relationship. Huh? So now that Carole has been seeing 28-year-old Adam for some time, she’s gotten more annoyed. I even doubt the niece is hanging on this hard. Although the LuAnn does get the prize for the classic line of the decade, “Be cool. Don’t be all like, uncool.” That has to be one of the best things I’ve ever heard on any Wives show ever. I want that on a T-shirt.

WHAT ARE YA DOIN’ HERE WITHOUT DORINDA? Hahahahaha! I just had to say that.

I go back and forth with Sonja. On one hand, I adore her. She lives the way she wants to, and often reminds me of one of the Edies (Beale) in her eccentric way of presenting herself. On the other hand, I can understand the frustration of the other ladies in dealing with her. In some ways, she lives in another time, and she has to get it through her head that it’s a bad idea for a woman alone to get blackout drunk at a bar. Please, stop doing that before something bad happens. I was proud of her for finally getting her clothing collection off the ground though. For getting anything off the ground actually. And the clothes are gorgeous. Brava, Sonja! Now about that toaster oven….

I’ve met Kristen and although underused on the show, she’s a lovely person. She’s one of those people who, when you talk to her, make you feel like you’re the most important person in the room. I don’t think Bethenny has always given her a fair shake, and I also don’t believe that printed quotes are always accurate. (Really, Bethenny? Did you really say they were? SMH) Throughout the season, we saw Kristen struggle with her husband, Josh, over priorities, as his seemed to be more about work than family. I was very sad to hear he was one of those outed in the Ashley Madison data breach. I sincerely hope they’re able to work it out. He’s another husband I’m not crazy about, but I didn’t marry him and I hate to see her hurt.

Now we finally get to the Ramona dirt. Well, really the Mario dirt. As much as I dislike her – another pot stirrer who thinks saying “I’m sorry” makes everything all right – I wouldn’t wish a cheating spouse on anyone. And no woman should have to see the other woman in their kitchen. At first, it seemed like we were seeing a different Ramona this season, but it didn’t take long before her evil twin came back in full force. And hey, if you don’t want that gorgeous guy just because he’s a bartender (news flash: that’s not an awful career), I have plenty of single friends who will take him.

This is hysterical. The saga of the dress Ramona swiped from Bethenny. Apparently, she was given an expensive piece (Halston Heritage) to wear on Bethenny’s show and walked off with it. Despite many attempts to get it back, including giving her another pricey dress in the hopes of a trade, Ramona has managed to dodge the return. Now she claims she shouldn’t have to since Bethenny’s show was canceled. Ramona. It. Does. Not. Belong. To. You.

Why is Ramona drinking rosé instead of pinot? Did I miss something?

Below Deck

I’m so glad to see this show again! I love it so much. Maybe because I’d like to take up residence on that yacht and sail around for the rest of my life. And I adore Captain Lee. I was sad to see that most of the old crew have been replaced, especially Ben the Australian chef, but it’s TBD if I like this group as much. I’m keeping an open mind.

Chief Stew Kate has returned. I have a love/hate relationship with Kate. What she calls “stoic and professional” can often come off as cold and unfeeling, yet she has a great sense of humor at times. Like last season when one of the primary guests was being a real d*ck and she folded the towel on his bed accordingly. When called on it, she claimed it was a “rocketship,” but we all knew better, and the guest actually redeemed himself by finding it funny and tipping big.

Speaking of asshat guests, during the marathon, I caught my least favorite, Timothy Sykes. An entrepreneur who made a fortune in penny stocks, he was one of the rudest guests ever. Apparently his daughter girlfriend is a fan of “simple foods” (in other words, she has an uneducated palate) and wasn’t too appreciative of Chef Ben’s artistry. Timothy also acted like a big baby over the internet connection not being up to par. While the crew is no stranger to complaints, this idiot took it a step further. When it came time to give the tip, he showed Captain Lee a wad of bills and then dramatically took a quarter of the wad out, citing the above offenses and telling Lee that’s why he was reducing the tip.

Since I’d never heard of this guy before, after seeing him again, I googled him. The first link I saw was to a Tweet he’d just made, saying if anyone was watching Below Deck, it was all editing and he really had a great time. And then some buy-my-crap link. Normally, I avoid Twitter for the most part. The last thing I need is more anti-social social media in my life. I just couldn’t resist though. Unless immediately after his arrogant display with the money, he patted Captain Lee on the back and said, “Just kidding,” while handing him the rest of the tip, I fail to see how editing had anything to do with him being a d-bag. So I told him that. Not that I think he gives a flying, but he did bring it up. And Chef Ben did end up making his daughter girlfriend those casadias, so what was the big deal?

You can see my once-a-year tweet here: http://tinyurl.com/o6jp94q

OMG THE FOOD!!! I’ve never even been on a cruise, but I want to go straight to charter.

The first guests of the season want a “foam party.” One of the crews remarked that they hadn’t heard that since the 90s. I’ve never heard that. And I wasn’t even on drugs in the 90s. The primary guest (the guy who’s footing the bill), Steve, is already rip-roaring drunk and in the “I love all you guys” phase. Hope he doesn’t go into weepy before they get to the foam. Won’t they be slipping in foam? Okay, there are glow sticks involved. Those I know about.

OMG THE FOOD!!!

Oh Lord, Steve says this has been his dream. I’m sorry. This is possibly the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Now he’s hitting on the 2nd Stew. Yep, we should be getting to weepy or sleepy at any moment.

From the previews, it looks like Chef Ben is coming back.

OMG THE FOOD!!!

My Fab 40th

How can celebrating a 40th birthday be a series? I guess I’ll find out.

Well, we’re halfway through, and I’ll probably stick it out, but…rich people’s problems.