Tag Archives: Roy Orbison

April 8, 2022 – The Ice Princess Is Found, Soap History, Co-Star Chat, Jill Whines, Teresazilla, Joining In, Unsure, Caroline In Dubai, Shah Bummer, Pets (!), a Heptad Of Quotes & Anything

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Jennifer says she guesses she’ll have to dry herself off, as Valentin fiddles with the safe one more time. She says she’s going to slip into something he can easily slip her out of. He finally gets it open and she asks if they should order champagne. He says, voila! Absolutement. Champagne is a necessity; he’s parched. She says she can quench his thirst, and comes out  She asks what he thinks he’s doing, and he says he dropped this, showing her his phone. She says, he seems flustered, but he says he doesn’t want her thinking he cannot handle delicate objects. She says, what if she has her doubts, and he says, then he would prove her wrong, and kisses her.

Anna is at the tiki bar, when Felicia comes along, and asks if she’s seen anything of note. Anna says, Felicia looks like she just stepped out of The Real Housewives of Port Charles, and Felicia says, can Anna believe they wanted her for that show? Anna says, it’s not too late to call the producer. She can step in for Felicia at the auction. Felicia says, they’ve been over this. There are bound to be a few ex-spies here, bidding for the Ice Princess and providing security. Anna is too recognizable. Anna says, and Felicia’s not, and Felicia says, Luke was her friend, and don’t forget, she’s descended from royalty. Anna says, a shame she couldn’t wear some of that Aztec jewelry, but Felicia says, don’t worry. She can still convince people that she has the funds to bid on the Ice Princess. Anna says, they’ll play it Felicia’s way; she’ll just sit on the sidelines. She hopes this whole black market thing pans out, and they find Luke’s killer. She really wants to prove Victor’s behind all this.

Harmony looks at the text on her phone: It’s Brendon. We meet or next I call your daughter. Willow asks if something is wrong, but Harmony says, no, nothing. Willow says, she’s looking at the text like she’s seen a ghost, and Harmony says, she thought she’d blocked it already. There; deleted. Harmony’s phone dings again, and Willow asks if it’s the same person. It’s another text from Brandon: I think Willow may be very interested in what I have to say. Then I call her real mother.

On the phone, Nina tells Scotty, about dinner. She wanted to run some things by him regarding the petition for visitation with Wiley. She wants to do it before Britt and Aunt Liesl get back. He says, no can do. He has to run a few errands for her case. She says, what errands? and he walks into Pozzulo’s. He says he has to get his ducks in a row. Goodbye.

Marshall says, he takes it Trina and her friend are still on good terms, and she says, absolutely. Joss has her back. Portia comes in yelling that she said, no comment. And get off her property or she’ll have them arrested for trespassing. We hear the click of cameras, but I wonder, do cameras still make that sound in 2022? She sees Marshall and Trina, and says, that looks good. Did Trina make Marshall one of those mango smoothies she loves? Trina asks if the reporters are still out there, but Portia says, they’re leaving; don’t even give it a second thought. Is Curtis upstairs with Aunt Stella? Marshall says, Stella is sleeping. Curtis took off for The Savoy. Portia says, really? After everything that just happened to Aunt Stella, it must be something big for him to leave now.

N’neka says, they’re all set; how about Curtis? Curtis is staring off into space, and she asks if he’s okay. He says, it’s just been a long day, when Selena walks in and says, the day’s almost over, and the night is rife with opportunity.

Valentin says, my love, the champagne, and Jennifer says, they don’t need champagne. He says, she’s speaking to a Frenchman. There will always be a need for champagne. It will make their moment together so much sweeter. She says she doesn’t like to wait, and he says, all good things come to those who wait, and makes a call.

Felicia says, while Anna was scoping out the hotel, she was observing the clientele. Anna asks if she found anything, and Felicia says, that bartender, Kai, said there were some potential buyers on site. He overheard this dark-haired woman talking about the auction. Apparently, she was so engrossed in her phone call, she didn’t even know he was listening. Anna asks if he got a name, but Felicia says, negative, but he did see her getting friendly with a mustachioed Frenchman. Anna laughs, and says, okay. She sees a man walking nearby, says, oh bloody hell, and ducks. Felicia says, what? and Anna says she knows that man.

Harmony puts her phone in her bag, and tells Willow, it’s Spring Ridge, and they want to change her schedule, so she needs to call them, but she and Willow will talk later. They hug, and Harmony says she loves Willow so much, and jets. Michael passes her coming in, and asks Willow, what’s that about? Willow tells him, Harmony said it was work, but she hopes everything is okay. She gets the feeling there’s something her mother isn’t telling her.

In the elevator, Harmony’s phone rings, and she answers, saying, stop calling. Stop texting. She’ll meet him. Just tell her where and when.

Marshall thanks Trina for the smoothie and the conversation. It’s been great getting to know her. She says, him too, and tells him to have a good night. She goes over to the fireplace, and Marshall tells Portia, on second thought, he’d like to hang out here a little longer. In case Curtis comes back. If it’s all right with her. She says, of course (🍷). He’s more than welcome. She’s going to check on Stella. She goes upstairs, and Marshall says he’s sure glad Stella’s okay. Trina says, her too. She’s glad it wasn’t another stroke or something. He says, thankfully it wasn’t anything more serious, and she asks if he’s ever had a panic attack. He says, yeah. It’s scary in the moment, but it’s no big deal. Trina says, Stella must be feeling so much stress, and having reporters around can’t be good for her. He says, she doesn’t think she had anything to do with Stella’s panic attack, does she?

Scotty says he comes in peace, and Sonny says, Frank, holding up his hand. Frank heads for the door, and Scotty suggests he go do some squats. Sonny says, well, this is an unwelcome surprise. What can he do for Scotty? Scotty says he thought he’d do Sonny a favor, since he pulled the rug out from under Sonny in Pennsylvania at Nina’s hearing. Sonny says he hasn’t forgot that, and Scotty says, she’s filed a petition with the court for visitation with Wiley. Sonny says, Nina already told him; is that it? Scotty says, no. He’s going to call Sonny as a character reference for Nina.

N’neka tells Selena, sorry, they’re not open just yet, but Curtis says, it’s okay. He’s got this covered. In fact, he’s expecting a delivery any minute. Can N’neka meet them out back? N’neka says, yeah, and leaves. Selena says she was glad to hear Curtis wanted to revisit her proposition. Just so they’re clear on the terms, he provides her with the use of his back room for a high stakes poker game twice a month; she provides her players with a credible venue; and he avails himself of their lucrative connections – all above board. Curtis says, so she claims, and she says, she’s not naïve, and since he expressed his disinterest, if he’s reconsidering now, his circumstances must have changed. That’s his business, and is of no concern to her. She’s only interested in finalizing their transaction. So what does he want from her?

Anna asks if Felicia sees the man in the reddish tropical shirt; a WSB agent. Felicia looks behind herself with a mirror, and says she didn’t know Anna called for WSB back-up. Anna says she didn’t, and Felicia wonders what he’s doing here. Anna says she’ll find out. Hang tight. She goes over to the guy and says, Leeman. What’s he doing in this neck of the woods? He says he could ask the same of her, and she says she’s running a sting. Trying to flush out the parties to the auction of the Ice Princess. Leeman says he’s there because they got a tip about the Ice Princess, and the auction isn’t happening because they know who stole it, and where it is. She asks to tag along, saying, he’d really be helping her out. He hesitates, and she says, okay, it will only take her two phone calls to get clearance. Does he want to be the cause of unnecessary delay and bureaucratic red tape? He says, all right. Is she armed? She says, yeah.

Harmony meets Brendon at Pier 54, since Pier 55 fell into the river because of the traffic being too heavy, and he says, Harmony Miller. He thought he recognized her name. After he met her at Alexis Davis’s office last night, he went back to his room, and sure enough, he was right. She was one of his late brother’s patients. One of the inmates Neil counseled. He’s seen her file. She says, he had no right reading it, but he says he couldn’t help himself. It was full of all kinds of interesting information about her and her daughter Willow Tate.

Willow says she’s glad her mother showed up, so Michael and Smoltz could talk alone. She would have been so nervous. How’d it go? Michael says, he took the deal. He’ll drop the charges in exchange for a five-part feature article series on Nina. Willow wishes it didn’t have to come to this, and he says, him too, but it did. They’ve been more than fair with Nina, and every single time, she’s taken advantage. Willow agrees, and says, she tried to convince herself that Nina was acting out of love, but she’s crossed the line so many times. In the end, it’s their job to protect their son. Who knows? Maybe Nina will back off when the feature is published. He says, that’s the goal. The series might prove useful in more ways than one. It will damage Nina’s image, but it might neutralize some of the tricks Nina and her lawyer might try to pull at the hearing.

Marshall says, Stella’s panic attack wasn’t Trina’s fault. He knows for a fact her mom and Curtis are happy to have her out of that jail and back home. Nobody wants her punished for something she didn’t do. She says she knows that, but she doesn’t want to punish them either. The more this goes on, the more it affects the people she cares about. She wonders if it’s not too late to plead guilty.

Curtis tells Selena, his motives are his own. This is a one-time transaction. She says he misunderstands. Let her be clear. She’s offering a business opportunity that’s mutually beneficial. Rest assured, he’ll profit from this arrangement. As a gesture of good faith, here’s the down payment – she puts two rolls of bills on the table – to make use of his premises. He tells her, as he said, it’s not money he’s after, and she says, what then? He says he needs to acquire information he has no access to, and perhaps she does. She asks, what is this information? and he says, a Witness Protection file, along with sealed arrest records attached to it. She says, the subject being? and he says, Marshall Ashford. She says she’ll do her best. Then we have a deal? She holds out her hand.

Valentin gives Jennifer a glass of champagne, and says, pour vous. He babbles something in French, and she says, damn. Why didn’t she work harder to learn French? He says he can teach her a few key phrases, and she says, that would be nice, moving closer to him. There’s a knock at the door, and he says, what is this? She says, probably just some drunk guests; ignore them. The knock continues, and Anna says, WSB. Open up.

Harmony tells Brendon, leave Willow out of this. Stay the hell away from her daughter. He says, she means, Nina Reeves’s daughter.

Jennifer says, she’ll get rid of them. She hasn’t done anything. She opens the door, and sees Anna, Leeman, and a couple of other guys. She asks, what is the meaning of this? and Anna says, Jennifer Smith? She asks Leeman if this is her, and he says, right where intel told them she’d be. They start to walk in, and Jennifer says, they’ve got the wrong person. They can double-check their intel. They walk past her, and she asks what they’re doing. She’s entertaining a friend. She looks around, but Valentin is gone, and she says, he was just here. Where did he go? Anna says, it would appear her friend had to leave. We see Valentin outside on the patio, and Anna says, perhaps he’s allergic to the Bureau. It’s been known to happen. Valentin walks off, and Jennifer says, now that they’ve ruined her afternoon, what do they want? Leeman says, they have evidence tying her to stolen property, and the murder of Luke Spencer. Jennifer says, that’s outrageous. Luke was her ex-husband; she loved him. Leeman tells the hotel manager to open the safe, and Jennifer says, they can’t do that. They can’t barge in here and search. He opens it, and Anna takes out Valentin’s velvet pouch. Jennifer says she’s never seen that before. She has no idea how it got in there. Anna takes out the Ice Princess, and says she supposes Jennifer’s never seen this before either. Does she recognize it? The legendary Ice Princess.

Sonny asks, what makes Scotty think he’d agree to be his character witness? and Scotty says, he’s not really asking Sonny; he’s going to subpoena him. He needs all the character witnesses he can get for Nina. Since Sonny already testified for Nina in Pennsylvania, and did such a good job, thanks to him, Scotty was able to get Nina off the hook. So he thought they might go two for two. Sonny says, Scotty asked him questions, he was under oath, and he answered truthfully. Scotty says, because Sonny is such a law abiding citizen. He can’t complain because it all did work out in Nina’s favor. He understands things are getting complicated with Sonny and Nina’s second go-around, and Sonny says, his life is his business. Scotty can go now. Scotty says, hold on a second, because no matter how this turns out, Sonny loses.

Michael says, they have to anticipate and be ready to defend anything Nina and her counsel throw against them, and Willow says, at least they don’t have Michael’s assault charge to worry about anymore. Michael says, yeah, but Nina could drag in their parents, and taint them by association. Diane assured him that’s not an argument Nina could make, but he has enough experience with the legal system to know, you have to expect the unexpected. They have to be ready. She says, and it can get ugly, and he says, absolutely. By Nina attacking their parents, she could assert that she has as much legal right to be in his life as they do. She could paint herself as a better influence. His dad would be an obvious target, but since he’s probably siding with Nina, they won’t be after him. She says she’s sorry, and he says, him too, but his dad made his choice. He can’t waste energy thinking about it. Unfortunately, her mom is probably going to be a likely target; Nina could bring up her criminal past. Willow says, they could counter with how she’s worked hard to rehabilitate her life, and he says, they could also cite that Harmony got to know Wiley gradually over time. She didn’t overwhelm him, or take control the way Nina did. Willow’s mother is the model of how to build a respectful relationship with Wiley, which Nina hasn’t shown the ability to do. She says, wow. Their relationship with her mother might actually work in their favor.

Harmony says, her medical files are confidential, and protected by HIPPA law. She could have Brendon brought up on criminal charges. He says, it’s interesting that she brought that up. His brother took notes about the crimes she confessed to during their sessions. He kept Harmony’s file in a lockbox, probably wondering whether he should turn her into the cops. When Neil died, he inherited that lockbox. He had no idea he’d find incriminating information. Such as, her daughter Willow isn’t actually her daughter. Harmony stole her.

Trina tells Marshall, they offered her a deal; plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge, and probably avoid jail time, but that’s not guaranteed. He says, but she didn’t take it, and she says, because she didn’t do anything wrong. It was a set-up, but how does she convince the jury that she didn’t do that, when Spencer didn’t believe her, and he knows her? At least she thought he did. Marshall says, forget him. That boy’s not worth her time. She has to focus on what’s best for her now. She asks if it isn’t selfish. She’s seen what it’s costing everyone. Her mom and Curtis should be enjoying their new home and their new life, not dealing with all of this. And then there’s Joss and Cam. She knows they’ll defend her, but that brings the spotlight back on them; it brings the spotlight back on the sex tape. How can she do that to them? If she pleads guilty, this is all over. Isn’t that worth it for the people she loves?

Curtis tells Selena that their deal isn’t done. He has a few more terms. She says, so the negotiation continues? and he says, two games a month is too much. She says, how about one monthly game to start? but he says he’s afraid any set schedule will bring too much attention. She says, she can have the games on an as needed basis. She’ll call him with a week’s notice, and he’ll make his club available to her. He says, providing there’s no booking conflicts, and he’ll need her to provide the costs for additional security, as well as some assurances that her players will be discreet. There will be no guns and no drugs in his club. She says, these are all reasonable requests. He has her word. He asks if her word is enough, and she says, have a little faith. He says, none of this will work if he ends up in a battle with Sonny Corinthos, but she says she’s done her due diligence with the necessary parties. She’ll begin arrangements for the first game. He says, no, and she says, more? She’s been more than fair. He says his last term is non-negotiable. There will be no games unless he gets the information he’s asking for. She says, then they have a deal. They shake hands as Nina walks in.

Selena says, it’s good to see Nina again, and Nina says, likewise. It seems like she’s always interrupting them. Selena says, they were just discussing a private party, and Nina says, that’s fun. What’s the occasion? Selena says, a family reunion, and tells Curtis that he has his down payment. She’ll be in touch. She leaves, and Nina says, Selena doesn’t strike her as a family reunion kinda gal. Curtis says, if the woman wants to host a party, it’s her business, especially if she’s paying top dollar. He picks up the wads of cash, and she says, my God. Didn’t he tell her that Miss Wu was trouble? He mumbles, did he say that? and she asks, why change his mind about people in that line of business at The Savoy? This is fishy. He says, don’t, but she says she knows him, and she knows when he’s in trouble. He’s always been there when she needed help. Let her be there for him.

Marshall tells Trina that he thinks he can relate. He found himself in a situation that would bring trouble on his wife and sons. It’s not comparable to what she’s facing; she’s innocent. But he found himself grappling with a similar situation. Ultimately, he chose to take himself out of the equation, for his family’s sake. She tells him, he’d said it had caused them pain anyway, and he says, it did. But it would have caused more pain if he’d stayed too. He had to make a choice, so he asked himself a question. He said, self, which would bring the least amount of harm their way? She asks if he thinks he caused his family less harm, and he laughs and says, who knows? We can never be certain. For a long time, he didn’t even know what harm it caused him. But now that he’s back, he sees what it cost them now back see what cost them, and it cost them too much.

Jennifer says she was here to bid on the diamond, and Anna asks if she’s aware it was stolen from Luke Spencer. Jenifer says, no, and you never know with Luke; he might have sold it. Anna says, it’s unlikely though. Did Jennifer steal it? So she could get his attention. So he’d track her down and she could orchestrate a reunion. And when that didn’t work, did she kill him? Jennifer says she could never kill Luke. She swears, this wasn’t her. She’s never seen that… That man, he was in the French navy. His name was Françoise Olivier. He was standing in front of armoire when she came out of the shower. He must have put the Ice Princess in the safe. Anna says, that’s very convenient though, isn’t it? Jennifer tells Anna that she’s not saying another word until she speaks with a lawyer. She makes a locking-my-lips gesture, and Leeman says, cuff her. Random WSB guy puts the cuffs on her, and she says, she’s innocent, she swears. They’ve got the wrong person. She swears she didn’t do anything. Anna says, this is he Bureau’s jurisdiction; nevertheless she advises Jennifer to remain silent. Leeman says, get her out of here, and Jennifer says she swears she didn’t do anything. Anna tells Leeman, one more thing…

Valentin asks Kai, when is the boat to the main island? but before Kai can answer, he takes off. Felicia comes by.

Leeman tells Anna, they received information that connects Jennifer Smith to Kurt Markovich, the cable car inspector who orchestrated the accident that killed Luke Spencer. Once they found the Ice Princess in Jennifer’s possession, the motive is self-explanatory. She took the diamond, and killed him to stop him from taking it back. Case closed. They have their killer and their thief.  

Felicia says, you know the man you just met? and Kai says, that’s the French naval officer he was telling her about. Felicia sees the agents taking Jennifer away, and she tells Kai, that’s Jennifer Smith. Is that the woman he saw with the French naval officer? He says, yes. She’s the woman who was talking about the auction. She says, the officer left? and Kai says, he was talking about the next boat to the main island. Then he just took off.

Willow says, they haven’t talked about Michael’s mom. Does he think Nina will try to smear Carly? He says, Nina still thinks his mom is somehow involved in Nelle’s death, but the investigation cleared his mom of any wrong-doing. Besides, should Nina bring up that issue, it will leave her wide open for them to bring up that Nina retaliated against his mother by keeping his father away from his family. So, even though a judge didn’t think it was a crime, they’ll see what a family court judge has to say about it. Willow says, and whether Nina’s behavior makes it appropriate for her to be around a child. He says, and this might not come up in court, but Smoltz’s article will have run by then. And after that, he doesn’t think anyone will think Nina should be allowed in Wiley’s life. All this experience he has, and he really doesn’t know how court works.

Harmony tells Brendon, she didn’t steal her daughter. If he read her file, he knows she was given to Harmony. He says, by Madeline Reeves. He read the whole sordid story. His brother Neil recorded every detail. How she struggled to make ends meet as a health aid for the city, where she was fortunate enough to meet Madeline, Willow’s grandmother. Harmony says, she was so young, but he says, not so young she couldn’t tell the difference between right and wrong. Nina Reeves was pregnant and in a coma. She couldn’t consent to an adoption. Madeline was a greedy woman, who needed to get rid of any potential heirs to Nina’s fortune. But there wasn’t just one baby, there were two; twins. One little girl went to a black market adoption, and the other little girl went to her. It’s time to pay up, or the truth will come out.

Curtis says he loves Nina and appreciates her, and if he needs her help, he’ll let her know. He pulls out a chair, and asks why she came to see him. They sit down, and Nina says she doesn’t like it, but she needs a character reference, because she’s filing a petition with the courts for visitation rights with Wiley. He says, that’s a big step, and she says she did everything in her power to try to avoid this, but she kept hitting walls with Willow and Michael at every turn. Wiley is getting older, and she can’t keep waiting for things to get better, when clearly that’s not happening. He says he gets it, but she’s going to be going up against Sonny’s son. She says, Sonny knows where she’s coming from, better than most people, and he says, it sounds like they’ve gotten close. She says, it’s not about that; she’s torn up to put Sonny in this position. He says, sometimes they have to make the tough decision about who to put first. She says, so he’ll be her character reference? and he says, she can count on it. He’s glad to help a friend. She thanks him, and says, likewise. She knows he and Portia are going through it right now. How’s Trina? He says, hanging in. It’s hard, but Portia is really a wreck. The whole situation brought home how much they’ve become a part of his life. So he totally understands why she’s fighting so hard for Wiley. Because people like them will go to any lengths for the people they care about.

Harmony asks why Brendon is just coming to her now, and he says, because he didn’t know what he had. He went through Neil’s lockbox looking for bank statements, stock and bonds, cash. It wasn’t until he met her that he put it together, and realized how valuable that file was. Harmony laughs, and says, if he’s looking for a shakedown, he’s got the wrong woman. She’s one step away from living in her car, and looking for a second job on top of her first. He says, lucky for her, her dear friend Alexis has money, and her stolen daughter Willow is the mother of a Quartermaine heir. He’s not asking her for money, but he wonders how much Nina would pay for this information. She says, he’s not taking this to anyone. He’ll open himself up to blackmail charges and accessing private medical records. He asks if she really wants to take that chance, and she says she’s survived worse men than him. She’s not afraid of him or his threats. He says, she should be, because unlike her, he has nothing to lose. Get his money or he blows up her world. He starts to leave, and says, oh, and he doesn’t bluff.

Sonny says if Scotty’s got something to say, say it or get out, and Scotty says, the way he sees it, Sonny has two choices. Save Nina or Michael. Either he betrays his son, or throws Nina under the bus, Now, a lot of people are saying he’s a changed man. Scotty’s money is still on the old Sonny, who’s only looking out for number one, and Nina will just be collateral damage. Sonny asks if that’s what Scotty thinks of him, and Scotty says he thinks Nina will too. She’ll wise up and realize she’s better off without him, and Nina’s aunt, his girlfriend Liesl, will see Scotty as a hero. And poor Nina will just be another girl in Sonny’s path of destruction. Sonny says he underestimated Scotty.

Anna meets Felicia at the bar, and Felicia asks, what just happened? The Bureau just took Jennifer Smith away in custody. Anna says, she knows. She had the Ice Princess in a safe in her room, and Leeman can connect her to Kurt Markovich, the cable car inspector who, in part, orchestrated Luke’s death. They think she’s to blame for all of this. Felicia says, but Anna’s not convinced, and Anna says, is Felicia? Felicia says, no, and she’ll tell Anna why. They go to a table, and Felicia says, after Luke’s memorial service, Jennifer told them she was harboring feelings for Luke. Anna says, she reiterated that over and over again in the room. It could be a cover, but it seemed kind of real to her. Felicia tells her, Kai said he overheard Jennifer talking about the auction. Why stick around if she had the diamond? Anna says, Jennifer claimed she was with a French navy captain, and claimed he’s the one who put the diamond in the safe. It seems to Anna that maybe they were romantically involved, or maybe they were working together, and he double-crossed her or stood her up. Felicia says, Kai saw guy the before they brought Jennifer through. He was asking about a boat. Maybe they’re not working together at all. She asks what Anna is thinking, and Anna says, the whole thing is just too tidy. There’s definitely more going on than meets the eye.

Felicia asks why the Bureau would accept it at face value, and Anna says, because they got what they wanted. They’ve got the Ice Princess; it’s not worth it to keep the case open. She and Felicia are the only ones concerned with Luke’s murder. This has Victor’s handwriting all over it. He must have realized they were closing in, and set someone up to take the fall. Valentin listens from behind a partition, and Anna says, so if Jennifer was framed, their next move is to find this man she brought to her room. Once they find Françoise Olivier, then they should get the truth. Valentin takes off the moustache, and tosses it aside.   

Trina says, gin, and Marshall says, she did not. Girl, you a card shark. Curtis comes in, and Marshall asks if everything is all right at the club. Curtis says he worked it out. He’s going to look in on Aunt Stella. Portia comes out, and says, that’s perfect timing. She’s resting comfortably. Is he good? He says, yeah, and asks if Marshall stayed here. Portia says, he did, and she’s glad. It seems as if he was a real help to Trina. Marshall says, your deal, card shark.

Sonny says, for a long time, he didn’t give Scotty a thought; Scotty was like nothing in his world. Then in Pennsylvania, Scotty surprised him, and he said to himself, wow, but he thought it was a fluke. But now Scotty’s coming in here, showing Sonny what a contender he is. Congratulations. He’s going to get exactly what he deserves.

Harmony looks at a picture of Willow on her phone, and cries. 

Willow yawns, and tells Michael, sorry; it’s been a long day. He agrees, but knows what would make it better – cuddling with Wiley and a bedtime story. She says, that makes everything better. Just be prepared to carry her to bed too. He tells her, then be prepared for him to wake her up. Nina comes in, and they glare at one another. Then Brendon walks in, and stands behind Nina.

On Monday, Ava says, she and Trina need to discuss ground rules; Alexis says, Nikolas is full of surprises; and Carly wonders who Nina is going to go after next.

🧼 On This Day In Soap…

What happened in soaps on this day.

🍵 Dishing the Soap…

The GH stars talk about their co-workers. I can’t believe Roger Howarth isn’t considered Most Likely to Ad-Lib.

🗽 A Given…

Doesn’t everyone wish they’d made more at every job?

👹 Beyond Flipping  Tables…

This looked like literal insanity.

👠 Gia In the House…

Does this make her a friend of the Housewives now?

https://screenrant.com/gia-giudice-reportedly-filming-rhonj-season-12-reunion/

👰🏻 Uncertainty In New Jersey…

I’m guessing she’ll make a decision as soon as the paycheck is big enough. (See article on Jill Zarin.)

💳 Exchanging London For Dubai…

I can’t wait to see this one. I loved Ladies of London, Caroline in particular. And I always enjoy seeing Dubai, since I will never, ever be able to afford to go there. Unless that guy with the balloons visits me, and I don’t mean Pennywise.

I hate to say it, but the house isn’t that interesting. It’s very sterile-looking. Even the closet was a disappointment.

https://www.bravotv.com/ladies-of-london/photos/take-a-look-inside-caroline-stanburys-finished-dubai-home#10858792

💰 Well, That Stinks…

I’ll miss them. I hope Reza gets some kind of spin-off show.

https://people.com/tv/bravo-cancels-shahs-of-sunset-after-9-seasons/

🐶 Ending On an Aww…

Please feel free to squee.

https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/20_celebrity_pets_that_will_make_you_say_aw/s1__34563662

🥂 Quotes of the Week

Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.Mark Twain

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.B. B. King (Or integrity.)

All dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving towards them. – Viola Davis

Equality may perhaps be a right, but no power on earth can ever turn it into a fact. – Honore de Balzac

I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book. – Groucho Marx

When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure. – Peter Marshall

I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition. – Martha Washington

🛌🏽 Going To My Happy Place…

Meet me here when the Dead Walk again. Until then, stay safe, stay exercising your body and mind, and stay not being so engrossed in a phone call that you don’t know who’s listening.

July 26, 2021 – Two People Find Out the Truth About Peter, Lexi Gets Out Of Control & Got It

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny/Mike asks Nina how long she’s staying, and she says, as long as she’s needed. He says, that could be a long time, and she says, could be. She doesn’t want to cramp his style or anything, so she could just go. She starts to walk away, setting her beer bottle on a table, and he says if she takes another step toward the door, he might have to do something drastic. She says she wouldn’t want that, and sits down, pushing the chair across from her out with her foot. She suggests he bring them some more beer. They’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

At the pool, Sam – who’s wearing the most gorgeous cover-up ever – hands Shawn a drink, saying, she hopes he doesn’t mind a splash of rum. He says, cheers to her new job, and she says, and a broad-minded parole officer. They clink glasses, and Sam leans back in the chair, putting on her sunglasses. She says she does her best thinking on a lounge, but he says, no justification needed. She’s not slacking on the job. In fact, here comes their target now. Sam lowers her sunglasses, and they watch Jax go to the bar.   

Alexis says, oh my God. Ryan? She stands in front of his chair, and says, fancy meeting you here.

Monica tells Britt and Terry, they’ve narrowed down the candidates to the two of them. It is imperative they turn the page on Cyrus Renault. He nearly ran this hospital right into the ground. Britt says, agreed. So who better to do that than the woman who led the covert effort against him? Terry says, the woman he didn’t hand pick in the first place?

As they walk through the park, Jason asks Elizabeth to just tell him what happened with Peter, but she says she has a lot going on. She’s trying to get her family back to some semblance of normalcy. Cameron is starting PCU, Jake is taking a summer animation class, and Aiden signed up for a baking competition. He says he doesn’t want to push her, and she says, then don’t, but he says he can’t ignore what he just heard. It wasn’t just the words; it was the tone of her voice. He’s pretty sure she’s in trouble. Let him help her.

Finn says, Anna told him that she had a lead on Peter, and she says, it’s more of a theory. The evidence is inconclusive, but it’s the best they have right now. He says, everything starts with a hypothesis. Does she think it will bring her closer to Peter? She tells him, it’s difficult to say. She hopes not.

Sam hugs Jax, asking, how’s it going? It’s been a while. He says, the last he heard, they’re part of the same exclusive club. He ex and his ex, together at last. She says she’s not looking forward to that bridal shower. She was thinking of making plans that coincide with visiting days at Spring Ridge, depending on when her mother is or isn’t available. He asks how Alexis is. He heard she got a reprieve because she’d exposed a bias judge. Sam says she wouldn’t exactly call it a reprieve. Just because she’s not in a maximum security prison, it’s still a prison, just with less dangerous convicts.

Alexis asks, how the hell Ryan got assigned to this facility. She looks into his eyes, and asks if he’s even in there. She waves her hand in front of his face, and says, there you are. I see you. She wasn’t expecting that this place would have such a variety if inmates. She knows it’s minimum security, and was expecting to see white collar criminals, maybe some drunken ragers, but not the likes of him. She didn’t see that coming. She looks closer, and says, just how recovered is he? digging her nail into his hand. Someone comes up behind her, and touches her. She whips around, startled.   

Britt says she had nothing to do with Cyrus bringing her in as Chief, but when she discovered what he was up to, she risked her life to stop his corruption. Not just for the hospital, but for Port Charles. When she saw what his drugs were doing to this town, she wanted to take him down. And what she was doing was a hell of a lot more significant than gossiping at the reception desk with Nurse Baldwin. Terry says she doesn’t dispute Britt’s dedication. They were all very worried when she went into hiding. Thank goodness she had Jason Morgan to satisfy her needs… for safety. This hospital is trying to salvage its reputation. Cyrus was running drugs out of GH under Britt’s watch. One has to wonder if she didn’t look the other way. The Board could hardly be faulted for wanting to change that perception with a clean break. Monica says, excuse me, doctors. The lobbying has been done. They’ve made their decision. Would they like to hear what it is? Britt says, all ears, and Terry says she’s sorry. Monica says they’re both eminently qualified doctors. Any hospital would be privileged to have them as Chief of Staff. Britt says, what about this one? and Monica says, especially this one. So congratulations, Dr. Westbourne. Britt breathes a sigh of relief, and Monica says, and congratulations, Dr. Randolph. They’re both Chief of Staff. I smelled that one coming.

Sonny brings Nina another beer, and she wonders what his smile is about. He says he can’t smile? and she says she loves it when he smiles, preferably in her direction, but what’s prompting this smile? He says she’s happy she’s there. He’s happy to see her. She says she’s happy to see him too. Stubble never looked so good. He says he was going to shave, but she says, the rugged look suits him. He says, maybe in Nixon Falls, but it wouldn’t go over well in a big city like Port Charles. She doesn’t know how close he came to driving out there and bringing her back to him.

Finn says, Anna went to New York to find Peter. She was hellbent on finding him, and now she’s dragging her feet. What happened? Did Valentin get in her head? She says, not in her head, and Finn says, Valentin’s not without guilt. He shaped Peter into the man he became. She says, Valentin regrets his actions when Peter was a baby. He’s as motivated as she is to make amends, and protect the people they love. He says, if Valentin is all in, what has her dragging her feet? She said she would do whatever it took to bring Peter to justice. She says she meant that, but when she said those things, she didn’t know where the hunt would lead her, or what it might cost when she got there.

Elisabeth says she can’t talk about Peter, and Jason says, if she can’t talk to him, how soon before she thinks she’ll be talking to the cops? He’s thinking of the boys; they need her. Whatever she’s mixed up in, let him help. She says if she tells him, it will make him responsible too, but he says he accepts the risk. She says, the truth is, she’s been wanting tell him since the beginning. She knows she can trust him and knows he’ll understand. Peter August is dead.

Nina says, Sonny/Mike was on his way to Port Charles? He says he got very close, but restrained himself. He didn’t want to interrupt her time with her grandson. He knows how important it was to her. Did they have a good time? She says, they had a great time. Wiley has doubled in size, and tripled his vocabulary. He loves the pool, but hates the ocean. He prefers jam over jelly on his toast. And the world stops if we see a dump truck, or a dog, or anything construction… Is she going on too much? He asks what she’s talking about; he likes to see her happy like this. So it was a success with Wiley. How about the family? Did they get in her way again? She says, Wiley’s father is being very accommodating, and he asks, what about the other grandmother? Did she get in the way too, or not? Nina says she was expecting pushback, but the other grandmother has found compassion for the situation. He says, that’s a switch, and she says, they’re doing it. They’re getting along. Nina will give her credit where credit is due, and he asks if that extends to her ex. He paved the way, right? She says, he did, and he asks if her ex is in her good graces now. Are they working it out?

Jax says he’d love to see Alexis, and asks if Sam thinks she’s up for a visit. Sam says, sure, and he says he tried to visit when Alexis was at Pentenville, but he was turned away. She says, don’t take it personally. Alexis kept them all at bay. Alexis didn’t want to see her, Kristina, or Molly. Thankfully, Alexis found a purpose. She’s helping other inmates with their paroles and appeals. He says, although some of her prison clients leave a lot to be desired, and Shawn says, he’s glad he made the cut or he’d still be behind bars. Maybe that’s where Jax thinks he should be. Jax says, abuse of power by a bigot judge is wrong, but he also believes the person who shot Hayden deserves the appropriate punishment. Shawn says then they’re in complete agreement, and Sam says, what if she told Jax that Shawn isn’t that person? 

Alexis hugs Nikolas, and says she’s glad to see him. But don’t ever sneak up on her again. This place is not conducive to surprises, and she just got big one. She steps aside, and he sees Ryan.

Britt says they can’t both be Chief of Staff. How would that work? Terry is Chief of Staff on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and she is the rest of the week? Terry says, so four days to her three? and Monica says she’s offering them the position of Co-Chief of staff. They need someone with institutional, organizational, and leadership skills, but they also need someone with a fresh perspective. Someone who can rally an already demoralized staff. Terry says, it’s an unconventional leadership framework, and Monica says she’s sure they’ll make a good team. She can’t imagine a better duo. Britt walks out, and Terry sits back down. Monica says, maybe she spoke too soon.

Elizabeth tells Jason, there was a helicopter circling above, and Peter had a vial of the antidote that was keeping Chase alive. He wouldn’t give it to Finn. Instead, he threw it off the roof and turned around to go back downstairs, and Finn just lost it. He pushed Peter down the stairs, and when she got there, Peter was on the ground, bleeding, with no pulse. Finn wanted to confess, but Chase would have died if Finn hadn’t been around to save him. So they did the only thing they could. Jason says, got rid of the body, and Elizabeth says she thought about telling him a million times, but not because she feels guilty. Peter August was a monster, and God forgive her, she feels no remorse for what happened to him. But she feels terrible that Maxie is terrified Peter is out there and might come back. If they go to the police and confess, at the very least there will be an investigation. He says, the fact that they initially tried to cover it up, might work against them, and she says, Finn has Violet to think about, and she has her boys, and they don’t know what happened to Maxie’s baby. Obviously, she’s not with Peter, but she’s out there somewhere. He asks where Peter’s body is, and she says, Helena’s lab in the subbasement. There’s a freezer there, and Peter’s inside.

Anna says they located the pilot in New York, in hopes he would lead them to Peter, the baby, or both. He asks if there’s any news on the baby at least, and she asks, why not Peter? but he says he figured she didn’t have any news on Peter, since she said she didn’t want to find him. She says, in regard to the baby, the pilot had little to offer before they arrested him, other than the original plan was to kidnap Maxie and the baby, and the plan fell through. He says, the police had cell phone records that the fake nurse met with somebody in the woods. Was the baby given to the pilot? She says, no. If the pilot knew where the baby was, he’d have given it up in heartbeat to mitigate the trouble he was in. The irony is, if he had picked Peter up, he would be dead by now, because they both know Peter didn’t like loose ends. Not landing was the best thing that could have happened to him. Finn says he supposes, and she says, he was denied clearance to land, and was circling. He saw Peter on the roof, but Peter wasn’t alone.

Jason tells Elizabeth to get back to work. If anybody questions her about seeing them together, tell them they were talking about the animation class Jake is taking this summer. She asks what he’s going to do, and he says, make this go away.

Terry thanks Monica for the wonderful opportunity, but she has to ask. Since Britt didn’t take the deal, is it off the table for her as well? Monica says, Britt didn’t turn it down, she just hasn’t accepted yet. Terry asks if Monica thinks she will, and Monica says Britt is Obrecht’s daughter, and Obrecht is nothing if not pragmatic. She thinks Britt will see the wisdom in their choice. Terry says, if she doesn’t? and Monica says, it really is in her best interest to. Cards on the table, she presented this as a package deal. Either they both accept it, or neither one of them gets it. She’ll go looking for another candidate. Terry says she won’t have to. She’ll put her superpower people skills to work. Monica tells her to think of it as her first test to use her diplomatic abilities as Chief. And if diplomacy doesn’t work, she can always go for flattery. It ain’t pretty, but it gets the job done.

Nina tells Sonny/Mike that Jax went all out, and she’s greatly appreciative. He made her remember how she fell in love with him, but she’s not that woman anymore. When she’s away from Port Charles, she doesn’t think of Jax. He says, and when she’s there? She says she thinks about him, and he asks if that’s a bad thing? She says she should know better, and he says, than to get together with a man like him? She says she knows better than to think she can make it work there. She dreams about it. She thinks about him all the time. When he called and said, come home, it seemed so right, but how could she possibly stay and make a life there? He says, how could she not?

Finn says he can’t be certain about what Anna knows, but he can be certain that he woudn’t be good at lying to her, nor would he want to. So here we go. She tells him, don’t say a word; let her speak. Peter was supposed to be picked up on the roof, and he wasn’t. The helicopter pilot backed up, but not before registering Peter’s companion; tall man, dark hair, wearing a suit. No one fitting that description has come forward, and no one has admitted to being on the roof with Peter, so she and Valentin threw around a couple of theories. The first theory is, that the person was an accomplice. If that’s the case, Peter would have insisted the pilot land, and he would be gone. That didn’t happen. The second theory is that they’re looking for an adversary; someone who went to the roof to confront Peter, stop him from escaping. Then why didn’t that person come forward? Have law enforcement drag him down? Perhaps there was an altercation. Perhaps things got out of hand. Perhaps something happened to Peter, something unintended, that put the witness in an impossible situation. Perhaps he can’t come forward, or it will put his future is at risk, and the future of those rely on him. Elizabeth comes in, and says, she just spoke to… She sees Anna there, and they all freeze.

Jason walks into the hospital on the phone, saying, he needs them down for about an hour, starting now. Can Spinelli hack it? He says, thanks, and sees Britt. They soap stare at each other.

Sonny says he knows Nina has her whole life back in Port Charles. If she doesn’t want to walk away from that, he understands. That’s not what he’s asking. She can visit Wiley all she wants. It’s just a couple hours’ drive. She wonders if he’s making a case for her to stay there, and he asks how he’s doing. She says he’s doing great, but it’s not necessary. She’s not concerned about maintaining her life in Port Charles. She’s really worried that her life in Port Charles is going to come there, and taint what she has with him. He says he knows the feeling, wondering when the old him is going to show up. To be honest with her, he doesn’t want it to. When he grabbed that gun, it was a feeling he had inside that was very uncomfortable. It scared him. He’ll risk losing his old life if it means having her in his life.

Jax says, so Shawn refused a plea bargain because he refused to give the state evidence against Sonny? He chose prison so Sonny could stay out of it? Shawn says he still came out ahead of the game, and Jax says, Sonny got to enjoy his life while Shawn was behind bars. Shawn says Sonny wasn’t the only one walking around free while he was in Pentenville. He didn’t shoot Hayden; somebody else wanted her dead. And that person was never charged; never even investigated. He wants to find them. Sam says that’s where Jax comes in. Hayden knows who did the shooting. Can Jax help them find her? If they can find Hayden, they can finally put the right man behind bars.

Nikolas turns Ryan’s chair to the wall, and says, enjoy the view, you son of a bitch. Alexis says, that’s mature. Just so Nikolas knows, Ryan didn’t approach her; she approached him. He leads her away to a table, and says he was relieved that she was transferred from Pentenville. Had he known this is where she would land, sharing quarters with Ryan, he’d have broken her out, and been done with it. She says he should probably know that talk about jailbreaks is not a good idea in there. Not even in jest. He says he wasn’t joking, and she says he’s already done enough for her, and she appreciates it. He says he may have one more string to pull. He doesn’t like her in close proximity with Ryan. She says, look at him. He can’t move, he can’t speak. He’s probably not going to be able to murder anybody. Anyway, she doesn’t want to talk about him; she wants to talk about Nikolas. How’s he doing? He says he’s up and down. Spencer’s home. She says, that’s great, and he says he was so happy to have Spencer home. Unfortunately, he might be losing his wife.

Britt says Jason is still here, and he says, something came up, pressing the elevator button. She says, like a conversation with her boss? He said he was going to see her. He didn’t say something about her, did he? Because it would be really crappy of him to interfere with her work life. He says he didn’t talk to Monica about Britt; why would he? She says she doesn’t know. She doesn’t get why he does half the things he does. The elevator doors open, and he says he has to go. She says, of course (🍷) he does, and Jason gets into the elevator, heaving a sigh. As the doors close, Britt dashes to keep them from closing. She says he owes her $19.97. For the head on her electric toothbrush. She bought a pack of four when she thought he might stay over. Give her five dollars, since it was a pack of four, and one was for him. She didn’t need a replacement head yet. She was trying to think of his comfort. He digs in his pocket, and says, will she take a twenty? She says, just send it to her, and jets. He stands there looking bewildered as the doors close. Terry steps out from around the corner, and looks puzzled.

Elizabeth says she needs Finn for a consult, but he tells her to consult with the doctor on duty. He’s dealing with something right now. She asks if everything’s okay, and he says it is, walking her to the door. He tells her, don’t worry, and closes it. He asks Anna, now what? She says she doesn’t know what happened on that roof, but if Peter was trying to escape, and he was somehow prevented from doing so, she thinks the person who prevented it would be given a great deal of consideration. That is, if an accident occurred during that encounter. He says it’s too bad she’s not in charge of doling out considerations. There’s not telling what the police or a judge might do. She says she knows. What she also knows is, if she followed Peter’s trail here, the police won’t be far behind. They have the pilot in custody, and he’s going to give them the same description of the man on the roof that he gave her. Whoever encountered Peter that day, has one chance to get out in front of this, and one chance to have her by his side.

Sam says, if she remembers correctly, when Hayden first came to town, she and Jax were close. He says she used to try and make Finn jealous, but they were never more than business associates. Shawn asks if Jax talked to Harden after she took off? Did she contact him? Jax says he tried. All communication was cut off. Hayden wasn’t his favorite person, but she was trying to create a better life for her and her child. They seemed really close. She’d just met Finn, and suddenly, Finn was Violet’s only parent. He tried everything to find Hayden and bring her back. Sam says, it doesn’t make any sense. Wouldn’t Hayden at least try to contact her daughter? Jax says, or maybe by staying away, it somehow protects Violet.

Alexis tells Nikolas that she’s sorry about Ava. She had no idea things had gotten so bad. Is there any hope? He says Ava’s adamant about going through with the divorce. Ryan listens (I think), and Alexis says, what about a compromise? A legal separation? He says, Ava won’t consider it, and how can he blame her? The stalker got into Windymere, their hotel room, Ava’s gallery. He even targeted little Avery. That was the deal breaker. She asks if the police have any leads, and he says, they’re working on something, but the refuse to keep him in the loop. The only thing he knows for sure is, the stalker is exploiting Ryan’s obsession with Ava. She says, Ryan? It can’t be him. Nikolas says, so it would appear. What if it’s a fan, or a wannabe, or a familiar, someone trying to impress Ryan by following in his footsteps and doing his dirty work? He needs to find this bastard before it becomes to late for him and Ava. She says he’s not going to get anywhere until he rules out the connection to Ryan. It’s too bad he doesn’t have somebody close enough to this to figure it out. Oh wait.

Elizabeth leaves Jason a voicemail, telling him that she went to Finn to tell him that they’d talked, and Anna was there. She has a really bad feeling Anna knows. She goes back to reception, and Terry approaches. She says, crazy question. Is it possible that Dr. Westbourne doesn’t entirely deserve her reputation? Elizabeth says, that is crazy, and Terry says, it goes against conventional wisdom maybe, but maybe beneath her snarky exterior there lurks a woman who’s desperate for companionship and compassion, hoping someone will hear her cry. Elizabeth says, she once made flambé out of a little girl’s doll, and Terry says, no coming back from that, huh? Elizabeth says there are better things to talk about than Britt. Why is Terry trying to unearth compassion for her anyway? Terry says she’s just looking for a way to charm and disarm her, but Elizabeth is right. There are better things to talk about, like what’s going on with her?

Anna tells Finn that she knows her word counts for little these days, and she wouldn’t blame anyone for being reluctant to put their fate in her hands. She’s broken a lot of people’s trust, and she can’t apologize enough for that. He says she doesn’t have to do this, but she says she does, because she can’t let Peter, or whatever’s happened to him, ruin another person’s life. It was Finn. Finn was on the roof with Peter. Then what happened? Finn says it would be better if he showed her.

Jason moves toward the freezer in the dark, using a flashlight to navigate.

Nina says, there’s that smile again, and Sonny/Mike says he’s just happy to see her. The last time she left, he did everything he could to memorize her face, and she says, too bad phones don’t have cameras. He says, that’s a nice little way to kill a mood, and she says, sorry, she couldn’t help it. Forgive her, but he doesn’t have to memorize her face; she’s going to be around. He says he’s happy for that, and suggests they take a selfie. She says, let’s do it, and he messes with the phone. She asks if he knows how to use it, and he says he does. They pose, Nina says, cheese, and Sonny snaps the photo. He tells her that she looks great, and she thanks him. She says she should have had some coffee instead of the beer; she’s getting tired. It was the drive back there. Maybe she should go and settles in before they have to take Lenny to his treatment tomorrow. He says, it’s not going to be fun, right? She should go; she’s probably tired. He goes over to the jukebox, puts on some music, and says, this is better than coffee. Does she remember the last time she left, they made a deal? He said he’d give her his special sauce in exchange for her giving him a dance when she got back. She says she remembers, and he says he’s ready to collect. He holds out his hand, and she says, how can she resist? They dance.

Nina tells Sonny that she thinks he’s kind of a natural. One of his many, many talents. He moves slowly toward her, takes her face in his hands, and kisses her. She says she should go, and he kisses her again. She says, now she should go, and he says, she should go. She takes her bag, and says she’ll see him tomorrow. She heads for the door, but stops and takes the empty sauce jar out of her bag. She says, hey, Mike! and tosses it to him. She says she let it simmer until it was hot. Best sauce she’s ever had.

Jax says if they pick up Hayden’s trail again, his resources are at their disposal, and Shawn says they appreciate it. Sam says they know it’s a long shot with Hayden, but they have to take it. Jax asks if they’ve tried Elizabeth, Hayden’s sister. If there was anybody Hayden was going to communicate with, it would be her. They start to leave, and Jax says, there is one more thing. He and Hayden were working together with Nikolas. He brought them in on some scheme to regain his family fortune. They might want to start with him.

Nikolas tells Alexis, forget it. He doesn’t want her putting herself in Ryan’s sites. She says she’s just going to keep an eye on him. What’s the big deal? Nikolas says, he’s a psychopath, and she says, look at him. He’s just staring at the corner, and he’s going to continue to stare at the corner until someone comes in and wheels him out of here. Nikolas says she was fortunate to be transferred out of Pentenville. Quit while she’s ahead. Don’t go looking for more trouble. She says she’s not, so don’t worry. She thinks she can handle a deactivated serial killer. We see Ryan’s face, and there’s just the hint of a smile.

Elizabeth tells Terry, sorry; she’s just distracted. Terry says, distracted or upset? There’s a difference. Britt comes by and says, Nurse Baldwin; Dr. Randolph. She deposits some folders on the desk, and Elizabeth says she has to pick up some labs. She leaves, and Britt asks if Terry and her bestie were catching up on the hot gossip. Terry says, actually, she was asking Elizabeth a question about dental hygiene. How often does Britt change her toothbrush? Manufacturers do recommend between three and four months, but she can only go one. Call her extravagant, but nothing more than a good stiff bristle will do. Are these the people skills she was talking about? Britt asks if Terry was eavesdropping, and Terry says when she was choosing to go to med school, she almost turned down her first choice because her ex was going there too. The thought of taking gross anatomy with that cretin was almost more than she could bear. But then she got a grip. Hell if she was going to turn down one of the best med schools in the country, and let her ex think she was floundering because of him. Britt says, if she turns down a demotion, it won’t be because of Jason, and Terry says, one, it’s not a demotion, and two, is she sure?

There’s a knock at Monica’s office door, and security guy Robert says, she knows the security cameras Cyrus had turned off to cover his illegal comings and goings? She says he reinstalled them, and he says they also installed software to alert them to future tampering. An alarm’s been sent. Someone’s trying to get in.

Elizabeth makes a call, and says she needs someone’s help.

Finn turns on the light in Helena’s lab, and Anna says she hasn’t been down there since Olivia took Griffin. He says, for a long time, the hospital tried to keep it sealed off without much success, and she asks if this is where Peter went? Did he hide out here before he tried to make his escape? Finn looks at the freezer, and says, he’s in there.

Tomorrow, Jordan tells Stella that she might have found the answer she’s looking for, Anna says Finn couldn’t have done it alone, and Jason says there’s something else he needs to do.

✂️ I see the hairdresser was there. A lot of people got fresh cuts.

Below Deck Mediterranean

When we left, a very drunk Roy Orbison Jr. was trying to jump off the boat during a tough docking procedure. Captain Sandy was like, WTF is going on? and his wife Asa was telling him, go to bed.

Roy Jr.’s friend manages to talk him down, and in Malia’s interview, she says, the docking was nerve-wracking, but Zee secured the line quickly. Captain Sandy tells the deckhands, nice work. Roy Jr. is now out of his shirt, and it’s not a pretty sight. Asa tells him to go to bed before he embarrasses himself more, and he says, they’re all embarrassing themselves. And then says, srwoenb whioernwe. Asa wisely goes to their cabin, and he wisely follows, telling everyone something unintelligible that I translate to mean, see you tomorrow, and blowing a kiss to the camera before closing the door. Malia tells the other girls that Lexi has a legit burn list like Mean Girls. Lexi says that she’s made a list of people who have wronged her in life. Seriously, there is something wrong with this girl, unless she’s a very mature looking 14.  

David tells the deckhands, it usually takes a couple of months to know if he likes the people on a boat. In Lloyd’s interview, he says he’s usually reserved, but on this boat, the barriers were pulled down quickly. David says Malia is amazing, and Courtney clears the table. One of the guests says, they would rather jump into the ocean with sharks than be in the room with Roy Jr. and Asa. Katie tells Courtney that she’s owning it, and in Courtney’s interview, she says it’s nice that Katie recognizes how hard she’s trying. Everyone goes to bed, and in Katie’s interview, she says the hardest shift is the night shift. She remembers it being 5 am, and crying while vacuuming the sky lounge. That’s why she rotates stews, so they don’t feel the same way.

It’s the final day of the short charter, and the breakfast table is set. In her interview, Lexi babbles about having a biology degree, but not being able to travel because, when she had money, she bought great cars instead. I am so over this woman child. Lexi tells Mathew that they’re waiting for the primary to get up, but the others want to eat. He asks her to get Katie, but she tells him that she’s on breakfast, and that’s not happening. He gives her a basket of muffins to take, and she asks if she should take something else. He says, sure, but puts away his knives before handing her more baskets of baked goods.. Since she has to wait a whole ten seconds, she says, effing moron, under her breath. On her way she calls him an effing idiot. In her interview, she says, he’s not even a man; he’s a childish boy wielding power over her. In Mathew’s interview, he says he realized there was a communication problem with Lexi on the first charter, so he was trying to just deal with Katie. But maybe he can make Lexi not want to work with him, or even be around him. Annoying people is his super power. Lexi tells Katie not to put her on breakfast or she’ll strangle Mathew, and Katie says, that’s not going to happen. Lexi stomps off, and Katie tells Courtney, that was a hectic thing to walk into first thing. In Lexi’s interview, she says, Katie isn’t dealing with the situation. Managing is not her strong suit. (I could have sworn Lexi has said those exact words before, but maybe vocabulary isn’t Lexi’s strong suit.) She says, Katie is nice, but nice doesn’t always meet the criteria for the industry.

Roy Jr. manages to make it to breakfast. Lexi is still bitching about Mathew, and in Katie’s interview, she says, the way things work is the easy part. It’s managing people and their emotions that’s hard. They need to work through their differences. She still has a job to do. The fire alarm goes off, and Mathew radios the captain that it’s non-galley. Lexi says the sound is so annoying, and various crew members look around. Malia finds David messing with the alarm, and he tells her that he sprayed too much deodorant. In his interview, says, it was him, but it was tough to explain in front of a girl. Malia radios Captain Sandy that it’s a false alarm; too much deodorant. Lexi continues to complain, and in her interview, she says, Katie is good at playing innocent. She says she has no idea what’s going on, then chooses Matt’s side, while she’s pretending to have both of their backs. Paranoia – check. Roy III wants to play hide and seek, and asks Captain Sandy if it’s cool. She’s game, and he ends up finding her under a desk, and finds mom Asa in the crib. The captain tells the crew to get in their whites, and the guests pack.

Everyone says goodbye, and Roy Jr. says the boat trip was everything they’d wished for. He says Mathew was surprising, but I’m not sure what he means by that. He gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope, and says, time to split.  The captain tells Matt to make lunch for the crew, and he gripes that he thought he’d have a day to organize and prep. The captain calls the crew for the tip meeting, and says she doesn’t know where to start first. It’s the only charter season she’s done where not one guest complained… other than when the crew did the cooking. The tip is $21,000 or $1450 euros each. She tells them to enjoy their night. Mathew tells them that they suck, and in his interview, he says he thought he’d have the chance to plan menus and do prep. That’s what needs to be done when you run your own department with no support. It’s not sustainable if there’s no time off between trips. He complains to David that he has no days off, no rest, and everyone on his team sucks. Malia says, it’s part of the job, but Mathew doesn’t want to talk about it. She asks what they can do to help; they’re part of a team, whether he likes it or not. In her interview, Malia says she’s definitely had experience coddling chefs, and we flash back to Tom. She wants to shake them, and say, this is your job. Mathew admits he’s just being a baby, and Malia says she thought he’d be a crier, but he says, only during sex. Malia makes paninis, and the deckhands clean. Courtney comes to lunch and makes a fuss over the polenta, but can’t seem to call it by the right name, saying placenta, then plimenta, which isn’t even a word. In David’s interview, he says, when Mathew spirals, he needs reassurance, and a kick in the ass. Courtney calls her parents, and in her interview, she says her mom is a superwoman. Her dad is amazing, but has Alzheimer’s; he’s seven years in. She tears up, and says, seeing him deteriorate so quickly makes her scared when she goes away.

Someone suggests the get the party started, and the crew gets dressed. The deckhands talk girls, and everyone piles in the taxis. They go to a restaurant in Sibenik, where they have a table on a terrace. Mathew says he’s getting schwasted, and orders a bottle of rosé. Malia asks if everyone remembers the kiss Courtney gave Zee on his birthday, and Courtney says, when you dance with someone, that’s just what you do. I’ll have to remember that… On second thought, maybe not. Mathew wants a hooker and starts talking about sex parties to the point where everyone is telling him, STFU. David tells him, no drama, and Mathew gets up and leaves. He talks to himself, saying he prides himself on how clean he is; f*** you people. He worked hard to get where he is. He wanders around, then finds a taxi, and puts his hand over the camera. Malia suggest they keep things on a superficial level with Mathew.  

The drinking continues, and Zee gives Courtney a lap dance. She calls him a cutie, and says it’s not even her birthday. On the boat, Mathew gets all Top Chef and packs his knives. Zee calls his brother Josh, who’s a Chief Officer on a super yacht. In his interview, he says, Josh is his inspiration. Malia and Courtney get in on the call, and Katie calls her mom, who’s in bed half-asleep. Everyone starts calling home and talking to everyone else’s relatives. Courtney starts crying, and goes to the restroom. Lexi asks if she’s okay, and she says she gets sad when everyone is calling home. She’s been grieving her dad for years, but he’s still alive. Lexi says, it’s hard. Her dad died four months ago, and she has to deal with that sh*t every day. Courtney tells her, let’s go, because if she keeps talking about it, she’s going to cry some more. Malia explains to Lexi that they each have to pay for their dinner, and Courtney gives the cashier a high-five. Why? I have no idea. For some reason, Lexi is offended that she has to pay for her dinner, since she has a physics degree. Courtney pays for Lexi, and Malia wonders what just happened. Lexi says she’s turning evil. On the boat, Mathew packs all of his belongings.    

Mathew tells one of the officers that he’s quitting. On the way to the taxi, Courtney rides piggyback on Zee. She drops one of her sandals, he reaches for it, and they both fall. Mathew smacks a camera, and says they can go find another bleepity-bleep. He hits another camera, cursing the yachting world, and a dude named Jake tells him to go before he breaks something else. Lexi says she hates everybody. Zee got the worst of the fall, and has blood all over his mouth, but insists he’s fine. David checks Zee’s teeth, and pronounces them intact. Zee says he’s closest to his brother Josh, and Malia says it was fun talking to everyone’s family. Zee tells them that he’s adopted, and the only Black sibling. Malia says she’s also adopted, and asks if he knows his birth parents. He says had a super close relationship with his mom, and spent weekends with his grandma. She worked for the couple who adopted him after his parents passed away when he was three. Talk about bittersweet.

In the other taxi, Katie asks if Lexi is okay, and Lexi says she has a lot of issues. Courtney says the both do, and Katie says, they all have their stories. Lexi says, did Katie’s dad die? Because she’s the only one on earth who’s ever experienced the death of a parent. Courtney says she thinks it’s her fault for bringing up her own father, and in Katie’s interview, she’s glad she’s getting some understanding. She tells Lexi, there’s no timeline for feeling okay. How you deal with it is how you deal with it. In Katie’s interview, she gets misty, and says she wants to be there for them. David says he doesn’t think Mathew handles booze well, and Courtney wonders if there’s going to be a hot tub party.

They get back on the boat, and Katie says she has a headache, but the hot tub will get rid of it. They look for Mathew, but they’re quickly distracted, and abandon the search. Malia asks if Lexi is planning on spending any money at the hot tub (burn!) and Lexi says, she’s Satan now; she doesn’t want to deal. Malia asks why she’s referring to herself as Satan, and Lexi says she has a life to go back to, and Malia doesn’t. She has an $8000 a month condo, and has every right. Malia says, people in high rises reserve the right to be bleepity-bleeps? Everyone gets into the hot tub, and Courtney shakes up some champagne, spraying it all over, and pouring the rest into their glasses or mouths. She wants to play truth or dare, and asks Katie is she’s ever had sex in a guest area. Answer: she has. Courtney dares David to run around the boat naked (which isn’t how the game is played, but okay), and he does, while discreetly covering his weenie. In Malia’s interview, she says she’s impressed… Not with David’s body, but that he took the dare. He puts his swim trunks back on, and gets back in the tub. He lowers his voice, and asks Malia if she could ever look at him, and see more than just someone she works with. Lexi shouts that David is kissing Malia’s ass, and Malia tells him, it’s a hard question. Lloyd tells Lexi, STFU, and Lexi tells Courtney to attack Lloyd. Courtney jumps on him, and dunks him, but that’s not good enough for Lexi. She calls him a p*ssy, and holds his head by her boobs. He gets out of the tub, and Courtney asks him to come back. In his interview, he says, they have no understanding of what’s acceptable to say. Lexi called him a p*ssy, and he didn’t want to be touched. He just wanted out. Zee tells Lexi, STFU, and she says he’s being a deckhand. Huh? He is a deckhand. WTF? She tells him to grow TF up, and Courtney says if Lexi doesn’t STFU, she’s going to lose her sh*t. She tells Malia that Lexi doesn’t mean anything by it, and Malia says, she doesn’t mean anything she says to be offensive, but it is. Lexi says Malia doesn’t know her. Malia hugs Lloyd, and Courtney tells Lexi, that’s not the way to handle sh*t. In Katie’s interview, she says it doesn’t feel great being the bad guy. An adult disciplining another adult isn’t fun. Lexi tells David to f*** off, and Malia tells Katie what’s going on. Katie comes back to the tub, and says, no one is in trouble, but she wants to know why such bullsh*t and animosity is going on. Malia tells her that Lexi said inappropriate things to Lloyd. Lexi gets out of the tub, and says Malia is being inappropriate. Malia says, she’s not the one offending people, and Lexi puts her finger in David’s face, and calls him a fake ass. She tells Katie, STFU (which should have been the title of this episode), and we hear snoring behind Captain Sandy’s door. Lexi goes totally apesh*t, and says she can be a bitch. Katie sits on the steps, and in her interview, she says she’s sympathetic, but it doesn’t excuse the behavior.

Lexi and Courtney are back in the tub, and Katie says that if Lexi f***s up, it’s on her. She can’t be lashing out. Katie will even swap cabins if that makes it easier, but she needs to know WTF happened? The deckhands have a group hug in the crew mess, and Malia says she’s draining the hot tub. In her interview, she says she’s not going to let Lexi drown on her watch. Get TF out of her hot tub. Katie says she’s not angry, but Lexi needs to reign it in. Lexi starts crying, and Malia tells them to get out of the hot tub. They do, and Courtney says she understands. Malia tells everyone, get out; get TF off her deck. Lexi turns around, and tells Malia, STFU. Katie tells Lexi to stop fighting, but Lexi gets in Malia’s face, and says she’s an effing bosun. Stand TF down. Again, huh? Malia says, get out, and Katie pushes Lexi out, while Lexi yells she’s going to f*** Malia up. She tells Katie that she’s failing at her job, and throws her clothes on the floor, as she walks through the pantry. Malia tells Katie that Lexi is a sh*t human, and in Katie’s interview, she says she knows Lexi is having a hard time, but that’s not an excuse for her behavior. Malia says Lexi is like this with just about everything, and Lloyd says he doesn’t want to be part of it. In his interview, he says the only opinions he cares about are the deckhands. He doesn’t give a sh*t about Lexi’s opinion. Courtney cries in the bathroom, and tells herself to stop. Zee asks her if she’s all right, and she says Lexi is crying about who’s fake, while her father doesn’t remember what’s going on. Lexi continues bitching, and Zee hugs Courtney. David tells Malia that she was amazing, defending everyone, and she says she hates this side of yachting.

In the galley, Malia tells Zee that she’s sorry, and he says, Lexi came in came in argumentative. Lexi puts on a hoodie as a cover-up, since, by the way, her boobs have been falling out of her bathing suit throughout this whole thing, and babbles about her money. She stomps to the galley, and says they’ve been talking sh*t about her. She adds that Katie is a Capricorn and understands her. She saw Katie smirking. Katie is like, WTF? and Zee tries to calm Lexi down, telling her that he understands too. This is apparently the wrong move, since Lexi gets in his face, and tells him to take his Afrikaans ass, and get away from her. He’s a fake ass bitch. She shoves him pretty hard, and tells him to f*** off.

To be continued…

👑 Wow. Can the Miss Bahamas people take her crown back?  

😴 Someday My Sleep Will Come…

And so to bed. Tomorrow, the cast of HAHN reunites, and perhaps a little tea and Wives. Until then, stay safe, stay selective, and stay not discussing delicate matters in front of a psychopathic serial killer, even if he’s deactivated.

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

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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.