Tag Archives: Ray Charles

Nov21

November 20, 2024 – Lulu Takes Her First Step (Almost), A Thought, Salty Talk, Boss Lady Boz, Slaying It, Runaways & Sweet

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Outside Bobbie’s, Lucky says, what Elizabeth told him about looking deeper, he could stand to do that more often. Putting one foot in the front of the other and moving forward without looking back is his M.O. She asks if that’s what he’s going to do now, but he says he’s not sure. It’s easier said than done. He doesn’t want to give her or Aiden false hope.

Alexis goes through a box of papers, and Molly asks if she needs help, but Alexis says, Diane might take issue with her being the ADA. She’s not going home without Sam’s will. She needs to know Sam’s wishes and see them through.

Danny puts a flower on Sam’s grave and looks at the headstone that says Baby Girl McCall. He asks Jason if he thinks Sam is at peace.

Dante comes home, and Kristina comes downstairs. She says she was going through Sam’s things so Dante and Rocco didn’t have to, but she can do it later. He tells her to stay. He’d been looking forward to taking time off and waiting on Sam hand and foot. She says, Sam would have been up and going on day one, and he says, they were going to knock out their Christmas list and maybe go somewhere for the holiday break. She says, they made plans, and he says he guesses they were for nothing.

Lulu rubs her eyes and sees she’s wearing a hospital bracelet. Things come into focus, and she looks under the bandage at her incision.

Jason says he thinks Danny’s mom is at peace. She missed Baby Lila every day. Danny asks if Jason believes in heaven, and Jason says he wants to. He’d like to think Sam is there with her daughter. Danny says, him too. She never talked about Baby Lila that much. Jason says, his sister died before she was born, so she and Sam never met, and Danny says, it would be cool if they know each other now. Mom loved all her kids. Jason says, more than anything, and Danny says, family was the most important thing to her. Jason asks, what’s going on? and Danny says he feels bad about something he did. Jason asks if he wants to talk about it, and Danny says he hurt someone mom loved very much today.

Elizabeth says, Lucky doesn’t have to tiptoe around her, but he has to make a decision and stick with what he’s decided. He seemed to be leaning toward going back to Africa. He says, in Africa, he knows he’s helping people and not hurting them. Does that sound like a cop out? She says, a little, but she understands, and he asks how he gets Aiden to understand. She says, be honest and direct. Aiden loves him and he’ll try to support whatever Lucky decides. He says, what about her support? and she looks inside Bobbie’s, seeing Lucas. She says, oh no. Lucas wasn’t at the service. She should check on him. She goes inside and Lucky follows.

Kristina asks Dante, what’s that saying? If you want to make God laugh, make plans. He says, God’s got a dark sense humor, and Kristina says, agreed. He says, they had a great life. He finally got the courage to ask her to marry him, and she said yes. Kristina says, of course (🍷), and he says, they had one day to think about the rest of their lives, then she was gone. Just like that. It’s not fair. She tells him that her mom said when Sam told her about the engagement, it was the happiest she’d seen her. He gave Sam that gift. He says he keeps thinking Sam died because of him.

Molly tells Alexis to please take a breath please, and Alexis says she knows one of Sam’s wishes without having looked. She would have been happy Molly and Kristina came together. Molly says, Sam’s death put things in perspective, and Alexis says, they don’t know what will happen from one minute to the next. Molly says, Sam’s funeral, then Ava’s trial tomorrow, and Alexis says she forgot. It’s terrible timing. How is Molly feeling? Molly says, nervous and helpless. She wants this for Irene, but her dad representing Ava, especially now that he’s… Alexis asks, what’s he done now? and Molly says, he added her as a witness to Ava’s defense.

At Bobbie’s, Elizabeth says, the service was beautiful, and Lucas says he’s glad Sam deserved something special. He’s been distracted. He could be the reason she’s gone.

Jason asks who Danny thinks he hurt, and Danny says, Uncle Lucas. He knows he hurt him. He’s the reason Lucas wasn’t at the funeral. He was at the church before the service, and Danny got angry with him. Jason says, he did Sam’s surgery, and Danny says he told Lucas that it was his fault. Mom loved him so much and she would have wanted him to be there. He wishes he could take it all back.

Alexis says, it’s bad enough Ric took the case. Now he roped Molly into it. It’s egregious. Ava is the woman responsible for her baby’s death. Molly says, Ric believes Ava’s not to blame. According to him, it was a tragic accident. Alexis says, it’s cold blooded, but Molly says, it’s legally smart. Alexis says, it’s cruel. Molly’s not advocating for Ava, is she? Molly says, no. It’s no secret she and Kristina had issues. In corroborating how volatile and unstable Kristina is, who’s more compelling than her own sister?

Dante says, Sam was a problem solver, and Kristina says, Sam fixed things for her. Not just in her apartment, but in her life. Dante says, Sam saw his and Rocco’s pain and sadness at potentially losing Lulu and jumped at the chance to relieve it. Kristina says, she did, but how does he equate that to it being his fault? Sam wasn’t forced. It was a choice she made. He says, but how much of that choice was to protect him and Rocco?

Outside Lulu’s room, a doctor says, Lulu’s vitals have improved. The difference between now and before her transplant is striking. Cyrus says, that’s wonderful news. He’s glad Laura decided to move her to Turning Woods. The doctor says he assumes Cyrus is volunteering here, and Cyrus says he recommended Turning Woods because of his spiritual work here. He’s grateful he suggested it and he’s honored that he’s been asked to represent the family at Lulu’s bedside. (Note that he never quite answered the doctor’s question.) Lulu wisely keeps her eyes closed, and flashes back to Cyrus approaching her at GH years ago. She says she assumes he wants to discuss her recent article, but she’s here to see a friend. Unless he forgot it’s a hospital and not his personal, private office. Cyrus says, it would be in her best interest to make time for him. He’s in a position to make her life very difficult. In the present, Cyrus says he’d like to sit with his niece and pray for her continued recovery. (Show of hands. Who thinks it’s something Cyrus did that caused Sam’s death? Just asking.)

Cyrus tells a pretending-to-still-be-comatose Lulu that the staff says she’s improving. She’s stabilized and getting better. Good. Don’t worry. He’s going to take care of her just as he promised.

Kristina tells Dante, Sam didn’t do what she didn’t want to. At her funeral service, people used words like thoughtful, generous, and deliberate. That’s who she was. She looked at the risks and the options and made a choice. Dante says, a choice that killed her, and she says, it’s devastating, but it’s not his fault. He says, Danny and Scout lost their mom because Sam wanted to protect him and Rocco. It’s unfair. She says, life’s not fair. No one knows that better than she does after losing Sam and Adela.  

Alexis says, after everything Molly has been through, is she prepared to testify against her sister? Molly says she has no choice, and Alexis says, she risks destroying the progress she and Kristina have made and her not being able to handle one more thing. Molly asks, what’s the alternative? Letting Ava go scot-free? That’s not an option. Alexis says she doesn’t understand how Molly’s father can put her in the position of irrevocable harm, and Molly says, he thinks if she gets to see how Ava’s not at fault, she can let go of her resentment and move forward.  Alexis says, he’s doing her a favor. How Ric of him. Other people can give a testimony. It doesn’t have to be her. She finds the folder she’s looking for and says, Sam’s last will and testament. She looks through it, and says, Sam’s wish for Scout and Danny is that she’s named Drew legal guardian.

Jason says he’s sure Lucas understands why Danny asked him to leave. He just lost his mom, and he’s hurt and angry. He’s looking for answers, and so far, there are none. Danny says, there’s nothing he do change or fix it. He has no control over anything. Jason says, Lucas did the surgery and had control. Maybe he did something wrong or missed something. Danny says, or maybe he did everything right. He loved mom and didn’t want any of this. Jason says he knows Danny wants the reason, but one of the hardest things to accept is that there may not be one.

Lucas tells Elizabeth, Danny lost his mom. He didn’t mean it. She says, he needed someone blame, and Lucas was the easiest fall guy. He says he gets that, and she says, but it still hurts. He says, it’s selfish, but she says, it’s human. She’s sorry he felt he couldn’t go to the service. He says he was having second thoughts before Danny. He didn’t want the focus to be on anything but remembering and saying goodbye to his sister. She says she hopes they get the autopsy report soon, but in the meantime, he can’t blame himself. Lucky says, there’s no proof he did anything wrong, and Lucas says, not yet. Elizabeth says she was there, and he did everything he could. Lucas’s phone rings, and Portia asks if he would mind stopping by her office. He asks if there’s something wrong, and she says, they have the results of his sister’s autopsy.

Lucas leaves, and Elizabeth says she prays the autopsy exonerates Lucas. Lucky says he gets it. If Lulu hadn’t made it, he would have blamed himself. She says, he’d be wrong, and he says he feels for Lucas. He thought Elizabeth said Sam was fine. Elizabeth says, she seemed to be. It still hasn’t sunk in that she’s gone. He says, it’ll take a while, when Jack walks in. He says, what luck that he’s run into Lucky again.

Jason says, it’s good that Danny feels bad. He doesn’t want to take his anger and pain out on other people. Danny asks if he has any tips, and Jason says he struggles too. To manage his emotions, he struggles every day, but he doesn’t always get it right. Danny asks if that’s what happened with him and Drew.

Molly says, Sam wanted Drew to have custody of both? and Alexis tells her, that’s what it says. Molly says, Scout, she understands, of course (🍷), and Alexis says, she wanted to ensure the kids stayed together. Molly asks when Sam last updated her will, and Alexis says, a few years ago. Molly says, Jason was presumed dead, and Alexis says she doesn’t think Sam and Dante were together then. Molly wonders if it was intentional or an oversight. Jason came back. Alexis asks if Sam said anything to her, but Molly says, never. Alexis says she bets Sam never thought it would be an issue, and Molly says, maybe she didn’t change it on purpose. She and Jason were at odds since he came back, and she thinks Sam had concerns about Jason keeping Danny safe. Alexis says, they all did. She still does. Molly says, so maybe the will is exactly as Sam intended.

Kristina says she’s sorry. Dante shared his grief, and she made it about herself. He says, her grief shouldn’t take a backseat. Her pain is just as valid as anyone’s. She says, Sam was so selfless, and not reckless with people’s feelings. Sam was giving in a way she admired. He says he agrees. He wishes Sam had been more selfish. She’d still be here. Kristina says, then what? He and Rocco would be burying Lulu instead. Is that what he would have preferred?

The doctor knocks on Lulu’s door and asks if he can have a word with Cyrus. Cyrus says, of course (🍷), and steps out in the hallway. The doctor says he wants to inform the family that since Lulu’s transfer, her improvement has been beyond their anticipation. Cyrus says he’d love to inform his sister personally. It’s important that he manage her expectations about his niece’s condition. The news is positive, but he doesn’t want her having false hopes that Lulu will come out of her coma and regain consciousness.

Portia thanks Lucas for coming. She didn’t want him to wait. The findings show that there was no surgical error that contributed to Sam’s cause of death. Nothing he did led to Sam’s heart attack. She thanks him for being so open during the process. She knows it’s not easy. He says, there was no surgical error, but what did cause Sam’s heart attack? She shows him the results, and he looks at them. He frowns, then looks at Portia.

Elizabeth’s phone rings, and she says she has to get to the hospital. She’s been called in. She leaves, and Jack takes her seat. Lucky says, by all means have a seat, and Jack asks if Lucky has put further thought into his offer.

Alexis tells Molly, Sam was the primary caretaker in the custody agreement about Danny. Jason isn’t going to want Drew to have custody. Molly says, even if it’s what Sam wanted?… Right. Not happening.

Jason asks how Danny knows about him and Drew, and Danny says, it wasn’t hard to figure out. Drew’s face was bruised and cut, and Jason wasn’t looking much better. He put two and two together. Jason asks if anyone has told him that he’s too smart for his own good, and Danny says, mom, all the time. What happened? Jason says he got angry and lost control, and Danny asks why he was mad. Jason says, that’s not important, and Danny says, what if he’d gotten arrested? Jason says, Drew’s not pressing charges. What happened between him and Drew stays between him and Drew. Danny says, the argument was between him and Drew, but they aren’t the ones who got hurt.

Lucas runs into Elizabeth coming out of the elevator, He says he thought she was done for the night, but she says, Portia wanted to see her. She assumes it’s about the autopsy. Has he met with Portia yet? He says, nothing he did caused Sam’s heart attack, and she says she’s glad. Now he can start to heal. He says, there’s something he thinks she should know… Portia comes by and thanks Elizabeth for coming. She asks Elizabeth to join her in her office, and Elizabeth follows her.

Dante tells Kristina that he’s grateful Sam gave his son’s mother a chance, but in no version of any reality would he want that at Sam’s expense. She says, it’s not up to him. He’s not God. He asks, but why one or the other? and she says she doesn’t know, but he’s allowed to be grateful Lulu is alive and okay. It’s not on him. He says he thinks deep down he knows that, and she says, dig deeper and find grace for himself.

An orderly checks on Lulu and when he leaves, she sits up. She grips her side, obviously in pain, and puts her feet on the floor. She carefully tries to stand, and almost takes a step, but she falls.

Danny tells Jason, Scout saw her dad’s face and asked what happened. He told her a story about walking into a door. He and Rocco didn’t believe it and he doesn’t think she did either. She was scared. Jason says he never meant for that to happen, and Danny says, but it did. Drew is Scout’s only parent. Jason says he could have handled it differently. They should never have to suffer for their parents’ choices. Danny thanks him for saying that, and Jason thanks Danny for challenging him to do better. Keep it up. Danny says he will, and they hug.

Alexis says, Sam wanted the children to stay together, and Molly says, Drew will want Scout. Where does that leave Danny? Alexis says, he needs to stay with his sister, and Molly asks if she realizes that Jason or Drew or both of them might want to fight in court to legally force the issue. Alexis says she’s aware, and Molly asks how far she’s willing to go. Alexis says, as far as she needs to, to make sure her daughter’s wishes are honored.

Dante asks when Kristina got so wise, and she says, maybe life is smacking the brat out of her. He says, Sam would be upset to miss that, when his phone dings. He looks at it and says, it’s reminding him that they have a big day tomorrow. She says, Ava’s trial, and he says he’s been called as a witness for the prosecution. She says her too. She thinks their family will finally get the justice they deserve. And Ava will be where she belongs, in prison. He says he’s going to do his part, and she says, and she’ll do hers. He says, Ava is going down, and Kristina says, she sure is.   

Jack says, Lucky can be on a WSB plane tonight if he accepts. What does he say? Lucky’s phone rings, and Lucas says, Elizabeth is in a meeting with Portia. Lucky might want to check on her. He thinks she might be in trouble.

Elizabeth says she assumes Portia wants to fill her in on Sam’s autopsy findings, and Portia says, that’s correct. Elizabeth asks if there were any direct answers, and Portia says, there were. The toxicology report attributed the cause of death to an overdose of digitalis. Elizabeth says, that can’t be right. Sam wasn’t prescribed digitalis. She led team and reviewed all of Sam’s meds. Portia says she reviewed Elizabeth’s filings. They need to go through all of her team’s movements from the time Sam was delivered into Elizabeth’s care. They need to figure out every med she was given and talk to every individual attending her. Elizabeth asks if Portia is suggesting she’s responsible for Sam’s death, and Portia says, they’re conducting an investigation to figure out exactly what happened. If Elizabeth likes, they can continue this conversation with a union rep on hand. (Rut-roh.)

Lulu groans and tries to pull herself up onto the bed. She finally gets on the bed in a sitting position. She breathes heavily as she massages her legs.

Tomorrow TJ says he and Alexis have something in common; Chase tells Dante that he’s not alone; Kristina tells Sonny that she wants justice; and Jason asks why he wasn’t told about this.

🧗‍♀️ They weren’t kidding about Lulu being tenacious. She’s going to be in NYC by the end of the week.

🧂 Passing the Salt…

On RHOSLC, Angie’s father came over for dinner, and Angie said how impressed she was about how he fed seven kids after working all day. In her interview, she explained that her mom had died when she was eight, and her dad raised them. I identified, also having a mother who died when I was eight and a dad who raised me. However, I only had one sister who was much older and had already moved out on her own. I’d like to say it was a lot easier for my father, but then again, it was me, so maybe it was like having seven kids.

Mary had a party with an Audrey Hepburn/Breakfast at Tiffany’s theme. In Bronwyn’s interview, she said, not wanting to upset Mary got her there on time and super awkward. When Heather came in, she deliberately bypassed Bronwyn when saying her hellos, and in her interview, Bronwyn said, you’d think she was covered in anthrax. Britani missed the memo on proper attire, and when Whitney said the bread was her favorite, Mary said, don’t put the bread in your purse. I’m not sure what epiphany Mary had, but she’s a lot more amusing this season. Heather brought up her hurt feelings at being left out of the Palm Springs trip, since it was a dinner party and the perfect place to air grievances. She also circled the drain on Bronwyn and Todd not having a prenup, and said Todd collected Starbuck’s mugs like it was an insult. Apparently, he gets one in every city he visits, and I think that’s the coolest thing ever, especially for a rich guy. Very quirky.

There was way too much discussion about the trip, and Heather demanded to know why Bronwyn and her husband flew first class and put the others in coach or whatever. Bronwyn said, because it was her goddam credit card, and she’s goddam right. She was good enough to buy everyone’s tickets in the first place. Then it got really weird. Within ten minutes, the group went from a kumbaya moment to a screaming match. Mary tried to calm the women, but finally had to tell Meredith that if she wouldn’t lower the volume and listen, she could leave. Meredith got all weepy, and all I could think was, what the servers must hear. How do they not react?

As of this posting, there was no full recap yet, but there was this.

https://people.com/rhoslc-recap-heather-gay-calls-bronwyn-newport-husband-an-asshole-8749114

How RHOSLC’s Lisa Barlow Is Coming Across as the Season 5 Villain

It looks like her son’s issues have really been weighing on her.

Mary Cosby Says Her Son Is ‘Steady’ After ‘Heavy’ Season of ‘RHOSLC’

👠 More Than a Housewife…

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more accomplished résumé.

RHOBH Newbie Bozoma Saint John’s Incredible Career Explored: From Netflix to Uber and Beyond

👀 Surprise Watch…

After RHOSLC, this came on and I was like, what’s this and where did it come from? It didn’t take me long to get into this girl’s trip, and Vietnam is absolutely beautiful, so bonus. One of the reasons I like the 90 Day Fiancé franchise so much is seeing so many places. Love traveling, hate the hassle, so it’s the next best thing.

https://www.21alivenews.com/2024/11/20/peacocks-new-original-unscripted-series-eat-slay-love/

https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/eat-slay-love-eva-marcille/

🐍 Not Quite Snakes On a Plane…

🐹 Tiny hamsters escaping tiny cages. Someone is going to lose their job.

https://people.com/plane-grounded-for-4-days-after-more-than-130-hamsters-escape-from-cages-8747690

🦤 (< They didn’t have an emu.) If one of them lays an egg, can you imagine the omelet?

https://people.com/feral-emus-on-the-loose-south-carolina-named-thelma-and-louise-8746836

🥭 Out Of My Gourd…

Come back tomorrow for soap and wherever the roulette wheel falls. Until then, stay safe, stay always asking the host before bringing another guest to Thanksgiving dinner (or any party really), and stay making sure your will is updated, especially where children are concerned.

Nov25

November 24, 2019 – The Horde Is Discovered, Talk Tidbits, It’s Real, Saul Returns, Some 90 Updates & James Sings Ray

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

Dante flashes back to being with Alpha. She says she doesn’t care about his past; they all have a past. None of it matters now. He did well, but she needs something more; eyes inside the walls. He’s the kind of man she trusts. Practical, loyal, and smart. The kind of man her daughter should get to know. He asks where he should start, and she says, find some strangers and join them. We see him walking in the woods with the Whisperers. He moves ahead, takes off his mask, and for help. He acts like he’s fighting them off, and a group of people runs to his aid. We hear Alpha say, go to the gate. They won’t turn you away. We see him arrive at Alexandria with the people he’s hooked up with, and Siddiq examining him. Alpha’s voiceover tells him to make them think he’s one of them. We see him leave a message in a small box and hide it in a tree. Alpha says, exploit their weaknesses until they crumble. We see him messing with the water filtration system, and killing Cheryl. Alpha says, do all this, and they’ll welcome him home when they fall. He has a special place in her heart. She puts her palm on his chest.

In the present, Dante checks for Siddiq’s pulse, and closes Siddiq’s eyes. Rosita comes by, and asks if Siddiq is awake. She saw the light on. They make small talk in Spanish, and she asks, what’s happening? Dante jokes that he and Siddiq have a hot romance going on. Really, they were just hanging, and Siddiq got called out. Something about Andy and Donna’s kid throwing up. She just missed him. He asks if he can help with anything, and Siddiq opens his eyes. Coco cries, and Rosita sees that Dante has a knife. She puts Coco in the tub without taking her eyes off of him. She tries to go past Dante, into the room where Siddiq is, and  they struggle. Dante gets her down, and Siddiq comes out and walks toward the crying baby. Dante tries to strangle Rosita, but she stabs him in the leg. She jumps up, pikes Siddiq in the head, then beats the crap out of Dante. She picks up Coco, and tries to process Siddiq turning into a zombie.

Gamma meets Aaron, and he asks if she’s all right. She asks if the baby is still alive. He asks if she means the baby they rescued from Hilltop, and she says, yes; he’s her nephew. Did they name him? Her sister couldn’t do it. He says, the family who adopted him named him Adam. She asks if she can see him, and Aaron says, they left him to die. Why should he agree to that? She says they can trade. She has information for him. He asks, what information? If he sees it’s true, then they’ll talk, but he’s not promising anything. She says she’s not talking unless she can see him. He’s the only family she has left. He tells her to take off her mask. She does, and says, before all this, her name was Mary. He asks what she wants to tell him.

Daryl slugs Dante, and says he hopes it hurts. Dante says, it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. Seeing humans devour each other showed him it was ridiculous to attach yourself to anyone. The truth will set you free. Gabriel asks if that’s what he’s doing to Rosita. Setting her free. Why did he put Siddiq through all that torture just to kill him? Dante says he liked Siddiq. He wasn’t part of the plan, but he found out who Dante was. Carol asks what the plan is, and he says to increase their paranoia so they make bad decisions. People in places like this grumble, and he’ll enjoy seeing them rip each other apart making a decision about him, like they did with Negan. Gabriel asks if he wants his public reckoning, and Dante says that’s what they’re good at. Gabriel says Rosita helped him, but Dante says they got something from him too. They needed a doctor. Places like Alexandria are a cruel promise. People aren’t really kind, but he didn’t put Siddiq’s head on a spike. The Whisperers are selfish and brutal, but they’ve taught him what people are. Gabriel punches him in the face. Aaron walks in, and says Dante has been there for four months. How did they not know? Daryl says, none of them did, and Aaron says, they ate together, they talked about militia, he treated Gracie. Carol tells him not to do this to himself, and Daryl seconds that. Aaron says, the Whisperer he’s talking to, Mary, told him where Alpha is keeping the herd. Carol says they’ll leave after the funeral, and Daryl asks if they’re trusting a Whisperer now. Lydia is still gone, and it’s probably an ambush. Aaron says the baby the Whisperers left to die was apparently Mary’s nephew. He doesn’t think she’s lying. Daryl says they already sent a group to Hilltop, who’s ready to meet them there. On the side, he tells Carol that she should have said something to him about seeing Lydia. Her disappearing again is on Carol. She says they can push on the Whisperers’ wounds too. She doesn’t think Lydia wants to be found. Daryl asks if she’s talking about Lydia or herself.

Michonne, Judith, and Luke ride in a literally horse-powered car, while Scott checks the path ahead. He tells them he’s found fresh tracks, but it could just be a scout. Michonne says if there’s just one set, she likes their chances, but they have to be as quiet as possible. Luke says he knows that was meant for him. He tells Judith that he likes to whistle his favorite music by Rachmaninoff. The only time he gets to hear it is in his head these days. He asks Judith what she’s writing, and she tells him that she’s compiling a history of their people. He says if she’s writing personal histories, she should read more. There’s a library close by in Waterford, and she can pick up some inspiration. Michonne says they don’t have the time, but they stop there anyway.

Michonne picks up a Russian/English dictionary for Eugene, and Luke says, since they’re there, he’s going to check out the music section. Scott says he’ll look around, and see what’s worth taking. Michonne picks up a book, saying she’s always wanted to read it. Judith asks if they could read it together. Rosita calls Michonne on the radio, and Michonne asks, what’s happening?

Luke whistles as he looks through the books, and gets all happy when he sees some music by Rachmaninoff. He flips through it, and laughs, but a zombie is on the other side of the shelf, and grabs him. Another comes out from behind him, and he yells for help. A guy comes out of nowhere, and pikes the zombie. Luke asks what his name is, but he jets. Luke says, thank you, and stabs the other zombie in the head.

Michonne asks, what happened? and Luke says a guy came out of nowhere and saved his life. Then he ran off. Maybe they can still catch him. Scott goes back out, and Michonne loads her bag with books. Luke is like, what the hell? He tells Michonne he’s sorry, and asks if everything is all right. She says, Siddiq is dead, so everything is not all right.

Uh-oh. They announced a surprise cast member on Talking Dead. This usually means a dead character on Walking Dead.

Gabriel officiates at Siddiq’s funeral. He says a scholar who understood the importance of it, wrote, let me live if life is better, or take my life if that is better. He knew the world defied logic and justice, which is why he posed the sentiment. Gabriel tosses dirt on the grave, and says, you were taken from it, and are now brought back to it, and from it, will be raised a second time. Everyone is bummed. Rosita sits on the ground near Siddiq’s newly dug grave. Ezekiel has come to pay his respects, and Carol goes over to him. She says it’s good to see him, and he says, her too. He can’t believe Siddiq is gone. He was one of those people Ezekiel thought would live forever. There are too many things changing. She asks how long he’s staying, and he says, a day or two. She wishes they more time, and Ezekiel says he heard about them looking for the zombie hoard, and asks if they need help. She says, no, and asks if everything is okay. He tells her, good luck.

Outside the gate, Rosita sees some zombies, and takes out brass knuckles with spikes on them. She thinks of Siddiq and Coco, and stabs them, but the last one gets the better of her. Eugene runs over, and knocks it down. She tells him, thanks, but he says, no expression of gratitude is required. It was lucky he was crossing through. He gives her his deepest condolences about Siddiq’s passing. It was a tragedy, and he wishes there was more he could offer. He tells her, travel safe, and then realizes he’s the one who’s going to be traveling.

Gabriel watches the initial interview he did with Dante. He asks what Dante was before, and Dante says, a father just trying to get by. Gabriel asks how long he knew the people he came in with, and he says he lost track of time. They saved his life. Gabriel asks the standard, how many people has he killed? and he says, only one; the man who tried to hurt is son, but the walkers got Jimmy in the end anyway. Gabriel snaps the video camera shut. Rosita comes in. He sees she’s a mess, and asks, what happened?  She says she was helping Eugene with the walkers at the gate. She asks if Coco is sleeping, and Gabriel says she fell fast asleep. She tells him, the truth is that she wasn’t helping Eugene; he was helping her, but she should be able to handle the walkers. Gabriel says, it’s been a rough day. She says, it’s not that. She could die She used to think, if it happened, it happened, but now it would make Coco an orphan. She can’t die. She’s afraid, and the feeling isn’t going away. Gabriel says, feelings are not the future, and she says that sounds like a quote. She could freeze again, and won’t have Eugene to save her. Gabriel says he has to meet with the council. They need to figure out how this happened. They need to find Lydia, and find out why she didn’t know Dante. She says he’s not hearing her, and he tells her that he’s saying the feeling will pass. She says, maybe Dante was right about them. They’re not as strong as they think they are.

Aaron quizzes Gracie on state capitals, and she asks him about his travels. He says he once went hiking with a man he loved in California, and they went to Oakland. While they were hiking, the found some ruins that they explored. They listened to the sound of the waves crashing, and imagined what the people were like who were now lost to time. They had their own laws, beliefs, and hopes for the future. He was one of the first ones there when Alexandria started. When they thought they knew what it was going to be. He’s been thinking more and more about that village. Gracie asks, what happened to those people? but he says he doesn’t know.

Michonne and her group arrive at Oceanside. She tells them that Dante showed up before the fire, and whatever process they’ve been using to vet their newest people, they have to do it again. A few of the women drag a guy in, and Rachel asks how he got in there. Michonne asks who he is, and Jules says they caught him trying to steal a sail, and he was probably going to steal a boat. He struggles to get away, and Michonne takes out her sword. She says she’s not asking him again, and he says just trying to get home; to get back to his family. Luke says this is the guy who saved his life. Jules says he was also sneaking around, messing with their security, and Rachel says, they’ve hung men for less. Michonne says, he might be a Whisperer. Luke says he was taking books, and had pictures of his family. Does he look like a Whisperer? Michonne says she doesn’t know what they look like anymore. He tells them to let him go, and Michonne says, answer her question. Who are his people? They hear some zombies coming, and Michonne tells them to hold him, and slices the top off of a zombie’s head. She pikes a couple of them, but then looks panicked at seeing how many are appearing.

Gabriel goes to the cell where Dante is being kept. He asks if Dante even had a son, and Dante asks why it matters. Gabriel guesses it doesn’t, but it’s one of the things he liked about Dante. Dante says, that his son was killed? and Gabriel says, that he had a family. He supposes Dante would like it if he didn’t trust anyone again. Dante says, that was the idea. Gabriel opens the cell and goes in, leaving the door open. He asks if that’s why he was there. He says he was there to show them to look around look. Look at what people did to the world. Gabriel thinks people can be good, and deserve a second chance. Gabriel says he loved Siddiq like a brother. His family will never be the same. His daughter won’t know him. Maybe Rosita will blame Gabriel, and maybe she’s right. He didn’t protect them enough. He hasn’t always been brave. Dante asks if Gabriel thinks people deserve a second chance. Gabriel says he doesn’t know, but sometimes they get one anyway. He stabs Dante, and Dante pushes Gabriel up against the wall. Gabriel just keeps stabbing him, and yelling with every stab. I say, better stab his effing head, and Gabriel does, then stands there and cries. Apparently, no public reckoning for Dante.

At Oceanside, while they’re fighting the zombies, the guy tries to get away. A zombie comes after him, and knocks him down. Judith tells him, don’t move, and kills it. She calls to Michonne, and Michonne says, good girl.

Rosita walks around the house with Coco, saying reassuring words, probably more for herself than the baby. She looks outside, and sees Gabriel coming toward the house.

On his bike, Daryl leads Aaron and Carol, who are on horses. He parks, and they meet Jerry, Connie, Kelly, and Magna. Jerry asks how Rosita is, and Carol says, as you’d expect. Daryl thanks Connie for helping, and she writes, anything for us.

It’s starting to get dark out when they cross the border where the head stakes are. Daryl crosses last, and follows Carol. Carol takes out a sword, and snaps an animal trap. She says if they’re laying traps, it means they’re closer. Daryl tells her, stop this sh*t. She wants Alpha dead so bad, she doesn’t care  what happens to her. Carol says, not true, and he says she never came off the boat. It’s like talking to a goddam ghost. He’s the one she should talk to. Carol says she doesn’t know how, and Daryl says, try. He hugs her, and says, she’s not worth it. She’s a dead woman anyway. They have a future. Don’t let her take that too. He asks if she’s good, and she says yeah. He tells her that he’ll lead, and snaps another trap. A zombie comes along, and Carol kills it, barely breaking her stride.

Gabriel watches Dante’s body burn. Rosita joins him, and puts her head on his shoulder.

Unnamed guy wakes up with his wrists bound. Judith is sitting near him, reading, and he tells her, don’t go through his stuff. The book belongs to his daughter. Judith says it fell out, and she picked it up. It clearly belongs to the library. He says it’s for his daughter; put it back. She continues to read, and he tries lunging for the book. She changes position to be more out of reach, and tells him, be careful. He’s going to rip his stitches. Michonne joins them, and asks if he’s comfortable? He inches back to his original spot, and Michonne asks Judith to give them a minute. When she’s gone, Michonne ask what he’s really doing there. He says her daughter is a demon with a sword, and she says, like mother, like daughter. Only her swords won’t leave anything to heal. Answer her damn question. He says he didn’t mean it in a bad way. No way could they make it this long without being comfortable with violence. She asks how long he’s been watching Oceanside, but he says he wasn’t watching. He doesn’t want to hurt anybody. He left home for supplies, and now he’s trying to get back. She asks if him helping her friend was part of the play, but he says, there’s no play. He just did it. What if he needed help? The same thing might happen to him. He’s glad he did it. Mercy’s in short supply these days. He doesn’t expect it, and maybe he doesn’t deserve it. He asks if something is wrong, and Michonne says he reminded her of something a friend of hers used to say; my mercy prevails over my wrath. She looks off into the distance, and brushes a tear away. She asks him to just tell her where home is, but he says he can’t tell her where he lives. His family is there. She asks if that’s how he’s getting back to them or keeping them safe. They don’t know where he is, or even if he’s coming back. She tells him, don’t put them through that. He says he lives on Bloodsworth Island, south of Tangiers. It’s hard to find. He didn’t mean to break in and cause chaos, but he needed a boat. She says good intentions or not, he owes Oceanside for the damage. He’s not going anywhere until she figures it out. He says they have enemies to fight. Maybe they can help each other. She asks what he means.

Michonne goes to Judith, and Judith asks what he told her. Michonne says he lives on an island two days from there. It’s an old Naval base, and there could be enough weapons for them to destroy the horde. He’s going to let her have them, but she has to find a way to bring them back. Judith asks, what’s wrong? and Michonne says it has to be just her taking that risk. If anything happens, they shouldn’t be  together. She has to find out if he’s telling the truth. Is that okay? She holds Judith close.

Daryl’s group walks deeper into the woods. They see an empty clearing from the top of a cliff, and Daryl says, dammit, and Aaron says, that doesn’t mean she lied. They put traps around. The herd could have been there. They had an obligation to check it out. Daryl says they have time to find Lydia; let’s go. Aaron tells Carol that he knows it looks bad, but he wasn’t wrong about this. Carol looks out to the clearing.

Michonne tells nameless-so-far guy that whatever weapons are on his island will pay his debt. She’ll take him home, and bring them back. He says, it can’t be that simple, and she says, or thank you, you’re welcome. It’s up to him. He asks if he can have his stuff back, and she gives him his backpack. He holds out his hand, and says, he’s Virgil.

Michonne tells Luke, tell everyone back home that she’s only a couple days behind, and to radio if they need help. Keep her posted. Luke says, don’t worry. Judith will be looking after them. Michonne tells him, keep her safe, and tells Judith, it doesn’t have to be emergency to check in. Do it every day. She gives Judith a radio, and hugs her. She says she’ll see Judith soon. Be good for Uncle Daryl.

Michonne and Virgil sail out to sea.

Daryl’s group walks through the woods. Daryl suggests taking the river downstream. Carol loiters off to the side, and says she’ll meet them in a few minutes, but Daryl says they all stay together. Carol looks at the clearing, and sees Alpha staring at her. She takes off after Alpha, who runs, and the group all run after Carol. Alpha goes deeper into the woods, and the group continues to follow. Alpha runs into a cave, and some zombies appear. Daryl tells the group to get Carol’s ass out of there. He pikes the zombies, and walks toward the cave. It’s pitch black inside, and he walk holding knives out ahead of him. He quietly calls to Carol, then tumbles down into a hole. The others are there. It’s a ledge, and zombies reach up from beneath them. They’ve found the horde.

On February 23rd, 2020 – Gamma tells whoever’s left at Alexandria that their friends are in trouble, trapped in the cave where Alpha placed the horde; Alpha sets the cave on fire; Gamma is brought into Alexandria, and tries to see Coco;  Negan tells Alpha the spy she’s looking for is in her camp; Daryl can’t turn his back on Carol; and Daryl tells Carol they’re not fighting for revenge; they’re fighting for their future.

Good cliffhanger.

👹 On Talking Dead, my prediction was correct, and Dante (Juan Javier Cardenas) was the surprise guest. Chris Hardwick mentioned that the book Judith was reading was The World Before, which was also the title of the episode. We also found out that the cave set had once been used for the Sanctuary, and that a spin-off show, The World Beyond, is slated for 2020. You can read about it here:

https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-third-walking-dead-show-officially-has-a-title-and-1840024524

⚓ The Real Island…

Another thing we learned on Taking Dead was that Bloodsworth Island, and its old Naval base, is a real place in Chesapeake Bay.

Bloodsworth Island

☎ Better Call Saul will be back on February 23rd, 2020.

💍 In 90 News…

The Good.

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/11/90-day-fiance-star-jorge-nava-loses-125-pounds-in-prison/

The Bad.

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/11/90-day-fiance-star-larissa-dos-santos-lima-and-beau-bury-hatchet/

And the awkward.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1096281/how-awkward-can-this-90-day-fiance-dinner-get-for-michael-and-juliana-see-for-yourself

🍗 Coming This Week…

A bounty of delicious foods. This song is originally by Ray Charles, but this was the only version they had where you don’t have to stare at an album cover through the whole thing.