Brynn was moving to a bigger place, since she’d gotten a puppy, and I could identify with her feeling that moving in the city was its own hell. But 16 boxes of thongs? Brynn does laundry less than I do. A lot of the episode revolved around things said about Jenna. Are these women jealous or something. Jenna is the least likely to say anything about anybody. Why are the playing telephone using her name? Rebecca Minkoff made an appearance, and I really like her. That makes two out of the whole cast. It’s not that I dislike them, but I can’t imagine being friends with any of them, even if I had the money to travel in the same circles. And I find Brynn especially annoying, right down to her tween hairbows. Although, TBH, I did go through a butterfly clip phase – and I don’t mean the clip style, I mean little butterflies – for a while when I was probably too old for it. Right now, I’m liking new Housewife Racquel, but the jury is still out. Jessel might not have been too keen on husband Pavit’s trip to Chinatown for his food influencing side gig, but where else are you going to get a decent dumpling? That’s another thing. Most of this group takes snobbery to a new level.
Warning: spoilers. I haven’t actually seen this yet. I was doing something else or watching something else, maybe both, and then ran out of time. So I spoiled it for myself, but I don’t care. If you haven’t seen it yet and you do care, don’t read this.
Join me tomorrow for baseball a dip into Salt Lake and who knows what else. Until then, stay safe, stay respecting those who don’t celebrate Halloween, and stay not being a restaurant snob. The best food is found in the most unlikely places.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Nina and Sonny walk into the MetroCourt Garden, where there’s a large photo of Brando on display. Sonny says, Nina made the place look great; she even found a great photo of Brando. She says, planning the post funeral reception is the least she can do for Sasha. He kisses her and they hug. Michael and Willow walk in, and Willow says she sees the way Michael is looking at his dad. Keep telling himself, this day is about Brando, and they’re here to help Sasha and Gladys any way they can. He tells her that she’s right.
Maxie comes in with Dante and Sam, and thanks them for the ride. Austin is still at the hospital, and she didn’t want to be alone. Olivia leads Gladys and Sasha in, saying, she knew the Garden would be the perfect place for the reception; they got a perfect Autumn morning. Sonny asks how Sasha is doing, hugging her, and she says she’s okay. She thanks him and Nina for coming, and Nina says, they woudn’t be anyplace else. She hugs Sasha and says, the funeral was very touching. No matter what Sasha and Gladys think, they’re all here for them. Sasha thanks her, and says, everything looks beautiful. Looking bottles on one table, Sasha says, of course (🍷) Brando would be the first person to say they shouldn’t have gone to so much fuss. She can just hear him. She walks over to the photo, and touches it.
Funeral program in hand, Josslyn knocks on Dex’s door. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says she could ask him the same thing.
Curtis goes to Jordan’s office, and says he got her message. It sounded important. She says, it is, and he asks if there’s a break in whoever attacked Diane and Ava, and killed Brando Corbin. She says she was just at Brando’s funeral, and after Diane telling them the attacker was a woman, they don’t have very much. That’s not why she asked him to come by. She hands him a large envelope, and asks him to read what’s in it. His future depends on it.
In an exam room, Ava tells Portia that she has a very busy day ahead. She has to figure out what she’s going to do now that she’s closing the gallery. She’d appreciate it if they can wrap this up. Portia is talking to Amy, and Ava says she’s feeling really good. Her wound is almost healed now, so is there something else wrong with her? Portia thanks Amy, who leaves, and Ava says, whatever it is, she can take it.
Nikolas closes the secret safe in the bookcase, and Victor says, counting his blessings? Nikolas says he was just adding some documents, and Victor says he assumes Nikolas will soon be adding another important document to that safe of his; his finalized divorce decree. But of course (🍷) Nikolas insisted on hiring his own lawyer, so Victor hopes he’s filed all the paperwork correctly. Nikolas tells Victor, he said he would handle it, didn’t he? and Victor says, he’s seen how Nikolas handles Ava, signing a false confession to a murdering Esme. That little mea culpa of his could have sent him to prison for life if Valentin hadn’t gotten it away from Ava. Fortunately, his ridiculous romantic gesture won’t be coming back to haunt them, and neither will Esme Prince, may she rest in peace.
Oz is zipped into a body bag at the docks, and I’m disappointed, since I thought his character would have made an interesting addition to the canvas. An officer tells the paramedics that they can take him, and radios, a dead John Doe found on Pier 55, apparent stab wound, no driver’s license or ID. They leave, and Esme comes down the stairs.
Sasha says she’s so grateful to Nina; all the trouble she’s gone to. Nina says, it’s no trouble at all, and Sonny says, she thought of everything, right? Like Brando’s favorite drink, beer; root beer. Gladys says, it was always his favorite, ever since he was a little boy. Michael – who I like less every time I see him – says he can’t watch this anymore, and asks if Willow would like a drink, but she says she’s good. He goes over to the bar, and Dante asks if he’s all right. Michael says, no, he’s not.
TJ brings Willow a club soda, and tells her, drink up; doctor’s orders. She raises her glass to him and takes a sip. Nina glances at them, and Sonny asks if everyone can gather around. Raise their glasses. They’re going to make a toast to Brando. Brando was an incredible son, a kind and loving husband. He left them way too soon. He had a big laugh, but most important, he had a big heart. To Brando, he’ll never be forgotten. Everyone raises their glasses or bottles, and takes a drink.
Josslyn asks why Dex isn’t at the hospital, and he says, then he wouldn’t be here to let her in. She says, he knows what she means. He’s covered in bruises from what Sonny did to him. He says he is a little sore, and she says, a little. He says, okay, he hurts everywhere, especially his wrists, but it could have been a lot worse if she hadn’t shown up. He never really got the chance to thank her for that.
Curtis says, it looks like the divorce papers are ready to go, and Jordan says, he can see it proves she submitted them to the court. She wants him to keep that. He says he doesn’t need proof. He takes her at her word that they were filed. Now they just need the court to sign off, and they’ll officially be divorced. She says she’d feel better if he held on to the receipt. It’s something he can show Portia, since she botched things the first time around. He says, this is what doesn’t make sense to him. She’s one of the most organized people he’s ever known, so it just doesn’t add up that she misplaced the original papers. She tells him, what can she say? Nobody’s perfect. She thinks she proved that during their marriage, right? He says, it takes two people to make a marriage, and two people to mess it up. Let’s be honest. They both knew their marriage was over long before they signed those papers. She says, maybe for him, but not for her.
Portia says, physically, Ava is recovering just fine. But as her doctor, it’s Portia’s job to treat the whole patient, and she wants Ava to take care of herself. To be honest, she’s a little worried about Ava’s well-being. Trina told her that Ava closed her gallery, and she knows it was far more than just a business deal. Ava says, it’s Portia’s fiancé’s fault really, and Portia asks, how that is exactly? Ava says, Curtis came to her and said he was worried about Trina working at the gallery with some serial slasher roaming around, and he was right. As much as she hates it that she won’t be working with Trina for now, she has to do whatever she can to protect Trina from any future attack. Portia says she thinks Ava did the right thing for Trina and for herself, but she needs Ava to know that working at the gallery was far more than just a job to Trina. And she never got a chance to thank Ava for arranging the Fellowship at The Chuck for her. Ava says, that was Curtis’s idea exactly. She just made a couple of phone calls, and gave Trina a sterling recommendation, which is well-earned. She’s just sorry Trina is upset with Curtis for setting it in motion. She said she already has one protective father looking out for her. If there isn’t anything else, she’s really spent more than her fair share of time at GH. Portia says, there’s just one more thing. She wants Ava to focus on keeping herself out of harm’s way, and since the gallery is already off-limits, at least Ava knows she’s going to be safe at Windymere, right?
Victor tells Nikolas, Esme is lying at the bottom of the harbor, thanks to Nikolas’s wife. And no one need be any the wiser, despite Nikolas’s ridiculous attempt to take the blame for the murder, in an attempt to woo Ava. So just proceed with this divorce as planned, and no more confessions in the name of love. Are they clear on that? Nikolas flashes back to making the videoed confession on Ava’s phone, and Victor says, Nikolas. He was always a poor judge of women, and a fool for their charms. So tell him the truth. What else has Ava got on him?
Esme says, bad for you, Oz, but good for me. She goes into her bag, and takes out her wallet, looking at how much money is in it. She says, this won’t get me through the day. Windymere, here I come.
Ava tells Portia, she’s no longer living at Windymere. She’s happy Nina’s offered her a place to stay; she’s staying with Nina. She’s grateful for that, and plus, there’s the added benefit that Sonny is looking out for Nina. Portia says, which means Sonny will be looking out for Ava, and Ava says, as Avery’s mother, Sonny wants to keep her safe. Portia says, she’s glad Ava has someplace to go but… Ava says, but what? and Portia says, Ava knows she has no love for Nikolas or his son, but she knows Ava is still in love with her husband. But for Ava’s sake, she hopes Ava finally leaves Nikolas and never looks back.
Curtis says he’s surprised to hear Jordan say that, but he’s with Portia now, and she says she knows. All she’s saying is, she never made it a secret about how she felt. She was ready to fight for their marriage if he had been. He says he couldn’t. By that point, there was too much damage for him to try again; too many secrets, too many lies. He’s a former cop, so he knows some of the deception comes with the job, but not all of it. She says, no, not all of it, and he’s a man who values honesty above everything else in a relationship. He tells her, he’s not saying he’s holier than thou, but in his book, if you can’t trust the person you love, who can you trust? She says, and he’s found what he’s look for in Portia? and he asks if that’s a question or a statement. She says she wants him to be happy. She hopes he knows that. He says, then why does she make it sound like there’s a reason they won’t be?
Josslyn points to Dex’s open shirt, and asks if it’s his look for the day, or is he going to button that? He tries to button it, obviously in pain, and he says, his wrists. He’ll just grab a T-shirt. She says she’ll do it, and she buttons it for him. He thanks her, and she says, he can thank her by making sure that Sonny never does this to anyone again.
Olivia asks Nina for a word, but Nina says, not today, for Sasha’s sake, please. Olivia tells her that she just wanted to say the set-up is really beautiful. It’s tasteful, it’s lovely, it’s well done. Nina thanks her, and says she appreciates that.
TJ asks how Willow is feeling, and she says she’s hanging in there. She tells him, don’t look now, but Nina is watching them as if they’re stealing the silverware. He asks what Nina’s problem is with them, and she says, Nina saw them hug the other day at the hospital, and has it in her head they’re having an affair. He says, what? and she says, don’t let it get to him; she doesn’t. It seems Nina judges everyone by her own shabby standards.
Michael hugs Sasha, and says he’s here for her, whatever she needs. She says, he may regret making that offer, but he says, never.
Sam tells Dante, she keeps trying to remind herself that Brando’s not alone; he’s got Mike. It’s just still really sad. He says, Brando was too young to die, but he sees Sasha is handling it so well; he admires her courage. It makes him more determined than ever to find out who did this. Maxie asks if she can borrow Sam for a second, and Sam says, sure. They leave, and Michael tells Dante that he hopes the investigation leads to the actual perp. Unlike their father. Dante asks what he’s talking about. Sonny?
Sonny sits with Gladys, and asks how she’s doing. She says she can’t do it. She can’t be brave like Sasha. He says, it’s normal. Brando was her only child; nothing hurts like that. She says she can’t fill up her mind with other things and forget, and he says he doesn’t think that’s what Sasha is doing. He thinks she’s holding it together for Brando’s sake. It’s what he would have wanted. She says she keeps thinking about when she came to town to see Mike. She told everyone Brando was dead. She couldn’t stand to admit she was ashamed of him and his addiction. Then one day, he showed up. She was given a second chance. She and her son had a chance for the kind of life their cousin Sonny had; picture perfect marriage, beautiful, loving children. He had it all. Sonny says, looks can be deceiving; time has proven that. He takes her hand, and says, nothing in life is guaranteed. He and Michael look at each other, and Gladys says she made a decision this morning. The best thing to do going forward is for her to pack up and go back to Bridgeport. Sonny says, he’s known her to be a lot of things over the years; a little greedy, a little selfish. But one thing he’s never known her to be is a coward.
Sasha thanks TJ and Willow for coming, and TJ says, of course (🍷). Molly had to stay at the courthouse, but asked him to pass along her condolences. Sasha asks him to thank Molly, and says she knows he and Brando had a little falling out, but it meant a lot to Brando that they patched things back up. She wishes they’d had more years of being friends. Nothing lasts forever. Willow asks TJ to give them a minute, and he steps away. Sasha says she’s okay, but Willow says, it’s the day of her husband’s funeral. No one expects her to be okay. She’s just sorry she hasn’t been around more for Sasha. Sasha says she understands why Willow stayed away, and Willow says, she does? Sasha says, Willow didn’t think she could handle her having Michael, and Wiley, and a baby on the way. Sasha is happy for her. Willow’s life is pretty perfect.
TJ says he appreciates Nina pulling out all the stops today for Sasha, but he’s not surprised, considering his Uncle Curtis is one of her biggest fans. She says she feels the same about him, and TJ says, what he doesn’t understand is why she’d stick her nose in, and suggest something is happening between Willow and him.
Jordan says she knows Curtis and Portia love each other. It’s plain to see when they’re together. They’ve done more than just buy a house together. They’ve done everything they can to create a family. Not just for the two of them, but his dad and Aunt Stella. He says, and don’t forget about Trina. Even though she’s away at college, living in the dorms, it’s her home as well. She says, of course (🍷), and it’s because of Trina that… He says, what about Trina? and Jordan’s phone rings. She says she needs to take this, and answers. She says, what?… When did this happen and where?… She’ll be right there. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says, we have another victim.
Amy asks if Ava and Portia have heard; it happened again. Portia says, they haven’t heard. She’s just trying to get her patient safely home. Ava asks, what happened again? and Amy says, a John Doe was just brought in. Another guy is dead after being stabbed. According to the coroner, it’s likely the same woman with a hook. They weren’t able to identify him, but she recognized him right away, because he’s been a patient here not too long ago. Ava asks, who is it? and Amy says, the bartender guy who testified at Trina’s trial. Portia says, Oz Haggerty? and Ava practically flies into the elevator, saying, she has to go.
Nikolas says, Victor just doesn’t get it. It’s not about what Ava has on him, or what he has on her. Victor says, tell that to the young lady Ava pushed over the parapet, and Nikolas says, Ava swears it was an accident. Victor says, fine. Say he believes that. Does Nikolas really think the police or a jury would? Ava had just discovered Nikolas had slept with his son’s girlfriend. They’ll think she was out for revenge, and to frame Nikolas for the crime. Nikolas says, it would be an act of love. Ava didn’t twist his arm; she didn’t threaten him. He proved she can trust him despite the terrible mistake he made with Esme. He earned Ava’s trust by putting his life in her hands. He did it willingly, with his eyes wide open. But Victor can’t understand that, can he? Victor says he can understand Nikolas acting like a damn fool, and Nikolas says, it’s sad. Despite all of Victor’s conquests, he’s never been in love.
Esme comes to the door at Windymere, and tells herself, who says you can’t go home again?
Sonny says, Gladys can’t cut and run. She has to be here for Sasha, and be strong for her, because Brando can’t be. Sasha has lost a child and a husband. No one knows that kind of pain, only Gladys does, because she’s lost a son and a grandchild. Gladys has got to be here for Sasha; they’ve got to be here for each other. Today, the next day, and the day after. Gladys says she wishes she was as strong as he thinks she is, and he says, she’s not going to have to do this alone. She doesn’t have to grieve alone; he’s going to be here for her. Brando used to come to him for advice, not for tuning up engines or business. Brando thought he had all the answers, but he told Brando he didn’t. Brando used to say, how can he be a better father, a better husband? and Sonny would say to him, there’s nothing more important than family – success, power, money. He just wants Gladys to know, she’ll always be a part of his family. They get up, and she says, of course (🍷) family’s the most important thing… A lot of money doesn’t hurt though, right? He says, that’s the Gladys he knows, and hugs her.
Willow says she knows her life looks perfect, but it’s not, and Sasha asks if there’s an issue with the baby. Willow says, no, the baby is fine, and Sasha asks if there’s an issue with Willow. Willow says, no, she’s fine. It’s just that it’s not all smooth sailing. Sasha says she gets it. Willow lost Harmony not long after she found out Harmony wasn’t her biological mother. That’s a lot. Willow says, if this year taught her anything, it’s that good and bad things can happen at the same time. Which is why she feels fortunate to have a friend like Sasha, and she hopes that never changes. Sasha says, never, and they hug.
Nina says, whatever is going on with TJ’s quote-unquote friendship with Willow, she’s just giving him a friendly warning. Take it from her. He does not want Michael Corinthos as an enemy.
Michael asks if the PCPD had legitimate reason to suspect Dex Heller, and Dante says, he can’t talk about the details of an ongoing investigation. But Dex was brought in as a person of interest until Diane told them her attacker was a woman. Why? Michael says, before Diane made her ID, Sonny took matters into his own hands, and almost played judge, jury, and executioner. Talk to Dex if he doesn’t believe it.
Dex says, he already told Josslyn, he doesn’t want to get the cops involved, and she says, but he didn’t tell her why. He’s not a fugitive, is he? He says, no, and she says, he’s not afraid to incriminate himself in his own kidnapping and torture? He says, no, and she asks, then why is he protecting Sonny? He says, she hates her stepfather; he gets it. She says, and he doesn’t? and he says, Sonny’s not his favorite person at the moment, no. She says, so many good people have been protecting Sonny; someone has to take him down. He says, she sounds like her brother, and she asks how Dex would know she sounds like Michael?
Esme tries her key, and says, they changed the locks? Like that’s going to stop her.
Victor says he will not be schooled in the art of love by a man who bedded his son’s ex-girlfriend, because his own wife wanted nothing to do with him. He’s experienced real passion, the kind Nikolas will never know. Nikolas asks if Victor is talking about what he had with Liesl Obrecht? He believes that’s called obsession, not passion, and she clearly wants nothing to do with Victor. What Nikolas and Ava have happens once in a lifetime. Victor asks if Nikolas doesn’t mean had; their divorce is well underway. Nikolas says, Victor can force him to divorce Ava, but the way he feels for Ava will never… The door rattles, and Victor holds up his hand, and moves quietly toward it. He unlocks it, and Ava comes in.
Dante tells Michael, they’re supposed to be here honoring Brando, and supporting Sasha and Gladys. Can he put it on hold just for today? Michael barrels on, saying, the PCPD brought in Dex for questioning. Sonny shows up to get him out, and Dex and Sonny leave together. Then Dex disappears for 48 hours. Dante knows their father as well as he does. Where does he think Dex was?
Gladys thanks Nina, and says, everything is so lovely. Nina says, there’s no need to thank her, and Gladys says, maybe she can repay them like this. She knows everyone thinks she’s self-absorbed, and sometimes she is. But she’s seen the strain between Sonny and Michael. She just spent two years trying to make things right with Brando. They were almost there, and then she ran out of time. Don’t make her mistake. Don’t think he has forever to make things right with Michael. Do it now.
Dex tells Josslyn, it’s no big secret that when he’s out with Sonny, and they run into Michael, Michael goes after Sonny with both barrels. He has to say, the way boss keeps his cool with Michael attacking him is impressive. She says, it sounds like he admires Sonny, and he says, Sonny looks after the people he cares about. She points to his wrists, and says, this is Sonny looking after the people he cares about? He says, he didn’t say he likes it, but he gets it. Josslyn asks if he doesn’t see. That’s exactly what Sonny is doing. He wants Dex to be able to give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s never going to do that for Dex. Dex needs to quit Sonny’s organization now, before he gets in deeper. Dex asks her, who says he wants out?
On the phone, Jordan says, the John Doe has been identified by a previous stay at GH. His name is Oz Haggerty. Portia takes Curtis aside, and asks what he’s doing here. He says, Jordan asked him to come by to show him a new set of divorce papers. They’ve officially been filed. She says, it won’t be long now, and he says, too late to back out. Jordan hangs up the phone, and asks if they don’t have a wedding to plan. Curtis says, they do, but if there’s anything Jordan needs to help find the attacker, they’re here to help. Jordan says, sadly, the files are getting thicker and thicker. The only thing they have to go on is, Diane said the attacker was a woman, but they’re not any closer. Portia says, there is something three of the victims have in common; her daughter.
Ava tells Victor, don’t touch her, and he says, listening at keyholes now, are we? She tells him, don’t flatter himself. She has zero interest in what he and Nikolas talk about. Nikolas asks what she’s doing here, and she says she wanted to tell him, there’s been another fatal attack. This time, the victim was that bartender, the one who Esme tried to keep from testifying for Trina. He thanks her for the update, but says, she could have just called. She says she was just going to get some of her clothes, but never mind. If he’d please ask the staff to pack up her things and send them to Nina’s. Victor says, perhaps he should come with her as added protection, and she says, suit himself. Nikolas thanks her for the warning, and Ava leaves, Victor following her. Outside, she says, on second thought, she can take care of herself. He says he has no doubt, but it’s a wicked world out there. They leave, and Esme comes out from behind the bushes, and goes in the door they stupidly left unlocked.
Esme looks around, and strides through the sitting room. She opens the bookcase, revealing the secret safe, and wonders what the combination is. She says, Spencer’s birthday, and puts it in. It opens, and Nikolas comes in the room. He asks, who the hell are you?
Nina says she knows it’s been a difficult day for everyone who loved Brando and loves Sasha. She tells Michael to make sure Willow gets home safe, and gets some rest. Willow says she can take care of herself, and asks TJ if he’ll give her a ride. He says, of course (🍷), and Michael thanks him, saying he’ll see Willow home. They leave, and Sonny asks if Nina can give them a minute. He wants to have a conversation with his son.
Portia says she doesn’t know how, but Trina is the common denominator. First, it was Ava, and she’s not just Trina’s boss; she’s Trina’s mentor, and supported Trina during the trial. Then Diane came in when Scotty had to step away, and was brilliant in defending Trina. Now there’s Oz Haggerty. It was his testimony, saying he sold the black market phone to Esme Prince and not Trina, that proved Trina was innocent. Jordan says, yes, at first glance, Portia’s theory seems correct; it seems to be a pattern. But what about Brando Corbin? Is there a connection to Trina that Jordan’s not aware of? Portia says, he’s the only exception; Trina barely knew Brando. Curtis says, unless… and Portia says, unless what? Jordan says, unless Brando wasn’t the target. Josslyn Jax had just been in that same alley behind Charlie’s, and Josslyn is connected to Trina.
Josslyn says, just so Dex knows, the next time Sonny turns against him, don’t wait for her to come rescue him. He says, there might not be a next time, but she says, yes, there will be. Sonny will betray Dex, like he has everyone else. She just hopes Dex can see the man Sonny really is, before it’s too late for him. She leaves, and Dex says, son of a bitch.
Nina goes to get some water, and Sonny says, Gladys shared something with him that he wanted to share with Michael. She said it was too late to make things right with Brando, but she thinks it’s not too late for him and Michael to get things right. He took that to heart, and just wants Michael to hear him out. He wants to make things right, whatever it takes.
Dante knocks on Dex’s door, and Dex asks how he can help Dante. Dante says he wants to ask Dex some questions about what happened between him and Dante’s father after Brando Corbin was killed.
Tomorrow, Trina tells Ava, something horrible is going to happen; Esme tells Nikolas that he’ll have to try harder next time; Valentin asks Nina for help; and Dex asks if he should call a lawyer.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Valletta, Malta. At the crew dinner, Storm leaves the table, having had enough of Natalya’s roller coaster ride. Natalya says, he’s the most dramatic person, and Mzi goes to find Storm in the restroom. Storm tells Mzi that he’s always the bad person every time, and it has nothing to do with her. She’s making him look like an idiot. Mzi tells him to calm down, and Storm says he’s going back to do anchor watch. He wants to go back to doing his job. This is bullsh*t. Storm leaves, saying, f*** all these people. He’s done with this sh*t. Mzi goes back to the table, and in his interview, he says, he’s trying to comfort Storm when he feels bad himself. Everything is everywhere. He’s not living his best life. Natalya tries to trash talk Storm some more, but Mzi tells her, please don’t talk. Storm gets back to the boat, and tells Jason that he’ll take over the watch. In Jason’s interview, he says, he’s done, and he’s pumped. Somehow, Tasha’s shoes have gotten wet, and Dave gives her a pair of his. It’s unclear whether he’s going barefoot, is now wearing heels, or he usually carries spare shoes. In Tasha’s interview, she says, she and Dave are still friends, and her boyfriend clearly wants her away from him, but she can’t because she has to work with Dave. It’s the worst thing about yachting; you have to put your work life first. Kyle says, let’s shake our caboose, and they get ready to move on to a club. They take a couple of taxis to the club, and in Mzi’s interview, he says, the lead deckhand situation was soul destroying, but Courtney’s happiness overrides his sadness. He’s going to drink to numb some emotions. Everyone cuts loose on the dance floor, and Tasha goes outside to call her boyfriend. She says she misses him, when Dave comes by. She tells Dave that she’s talking to her dogs, and he says, come dance. She blows him off, but her boyfriend has already overheard, and tells her, just leave me the f*** alone. F*** off. Tasha runs to the restroom, crying, and Kyle follows her. She tells him that her ex (another thing that’s unclear – sometimes she calls him her boyfriend, and sometimes her ex) told her to f*** off. She doesn’t want any men in her life; just Kyle. Kyle tells her to blow her nose, and take deep breaths, and she says she’s sick of men. He tells her, stop it. He means that out of love. She’s an outstanding woman, and doesn’t need a man to complete her. Get off the man train. Never cry over a man again. Say f*** you. I don’t need you in my life. Got it?
Courtney asks if Tasha is okay, and Natalya wonders why everyone is upset. Courtney grabs Kyle’s bag, and the crew starts walking to the taxi. Kyle walks Tasha out, and she says she loves him. They get in the taxis, and in Tasha’s interview, she says she was always in long term relationships. She gets attached to people very easy, and never experienced being single. She puts all her time and energy into one person, and makes them feel loved. She guesses she wants that feeling back. They take a regular taxi to the water taxi, and shakily get in. Kyle says he loves a boat ride, and Courtney suggests they go straight to the snacks. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Storm gets emotional when he’s drinking. For no reason, he literally stormed off. She’s just over it, and she’s not chasing anyone anymore.
At 6:30 everyone gets up, and Jason packs. Captain Sandy curses the wind gusts, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, becoming lead deckhand is amazing. She’s excited, but feels bad about the Mzi situation. She thinks he’s fine and doesn’t think his ego is hurt, but she doesn’t know. The captain radios the crew that they’re going back to the dock. When the guests come on board, the sun comes up, and this all blows away, they’ll get off the dock. Natalya complains that Kyle could offer to help with laundry, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, if they ran the boat Natalya’s way, there would be no guests, they’d be on top of the laundry, and there would be a good place to sleep in the guest beds. Natalya asks if Kyle wants her to be the supportive friend today. She has six personalities, and can pick one. Anchor is home, and Storm says, it’s cold, and not a vibe. Jason helps out with the docking, and Captain Sandy gripes that she has to dock in the rain. The boat docks without incident, and the captain tells them, good job. They prepare the boat for the guests, and Jason says goodbye to everyone. He says he enjoyed meeting them, and be true to themselves. Courtney wonders how guys pack so light, and Jason goes to the bridge to say goodbye to Captain Sandy. She says, it’s been a pleasure, and he says he’ll text her his information. In his interview, he says, he’s glad to go home, but he’s sad that he’s leaving because it’s not what he planned or expected. He came to this place, and there were three friends and one outsider. Unfortunately, the outsider was him. It makes him sad; the emotional part. Storm tells Courtney that Jason was amazing this last charter, but she says she guesses he didn’t want to be here. Captain Sandy calls Storm, Dave, and Tasha to the crew mess for the preference sheet meeting.
The captain says, it’s charter number seven, and what’s cool about this charter is, the co-primaries are repeats, Jonathan and Eric. We flash back to their charter, which I have no recollection of at all, and Captain Sandy says, Eric is an entrepreneur who was so successful, he was able to retire at 59. Jonathan is a personal trainer, and they’re coming with clients. One guest wants their cabin spotless at all times, and another is a professional dominatrix, and wants a BDSM evening. Dave has to explain what BDSM is to Tasha, and in her interview, she says, people think a yacht is elegant and posh, but this theme is quite seedy. The captain says, it’s going to be an awesome charter, and Storm says, as long as they keep doing what they’re doing, it will be fantastic. In Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s a lot more pressure for her now that she’s lead deckhand. She hopes the new deckhand is helpful, good at his job, and good looking.
New deckhand Reid arrives, and meets Captain Sandy, who radios Storm. Reid says he’s had 18 hours of flying, but he’s glad to be here. The captain introduces Reid to Storm, and says, Reid has worked on tugboats, so he knows lines. Storm says, they have less than an hour, so let’s get cracking. Storm introduces Reid to the crew, and Kyle introduces himself as Captain Kyle. Reid finds out Dave will be his roommate, and says, the boat is pretty. Kyle tells Tasha that Reid is handsome, and in Reid’s interview, he says he’s from Decatur, Alabama. It’s got small town charm, but no opportunities. He graduated, 4th generation, from the University of Alabama. Storm texts Natalya, asking to talk, and she tells him to come to the twin cabins where she’s working. She asks why he left the table last night, and he says he needed to come back to the boat. She says she knows he’s pissed off at her, and he says, she lectured him in front of everyone, when it should have been a private conversation. It must be fun to turn it into a sh*tshow. She says, when they get out to have a good time, and there’s drinking, it inevitably becomes a vibe she doesn’t want to be around. It’s too heavy too quick. In her interview, she says, she knows when she’s in love; the other person’s energy matches her own. She sees Storm as more of a friend than boyfriend. If she can’t see someone as the father of her children, why date them? Storm says, the last thing he wanted was to make her feel bad, and in his interview, he says, it’s his first time as bosun, and it’s more stressful. There are more feelings on his side with Natalya, so he has to switch to work vibe. He doesn’t want it to affect his work.
Provisions come in, and Natalya tells Courtney, this sh*t drives her up a wall. This is their life now. She complains to Kyle that there are 80 bottles of wine, and nowhere to put them. It makes her frustrated. He asks what the actual problem is, and she says, too much is being ordered, and everyone agrees. In Reid’s interview, he says, one of his best friends told him, when he gets on the boat, keep his head down and his mouth shut, and don’t piss anyone off. He’s good at putting his foot in his mouth. He asks Mzi, what happened with the other guy? and Mzi tells him, it wasn’t what he’d call a bad attitude, but he was beefing with everyone. In his interview, Reid says he gets nervous and cracks jokes only he thinks are funny. He has a sh*tty sense of humor. The only one who thinks he’s funny is him. Natalya bitches to Storm about provisions, and tells Tasha that they’re out of space. They can’t keep dumping sh*t here. Tasha tells her, calm down, and watch the way she’s speaking. Natalya tells Courtney that she’s going in hot, and Courtney relays the beef to Mzi. Tasha says, Natalya is a bit cranky, and Natalya says, they have five boxes of beer. Tasha says, that’s why she asked for help from the deck crew, and Natalya says, Tasha needs to learn how to delegate. Kyle is setting the table, and they don’t need that right now. Tasha tells her not to be disrespectful, and don’t shout at her. On her way upstairs, Natalya mumbles, she’s f***ing insane. Dave laughs, and says, he told Tasha that she’s a ticking time bomb.
Tasha says she’s going out for fresh air, and whines to Courtney that this is bullsh*t. Tasha tells Kyle that she won’t be spoken to like that. Natalya comes back, and says she’s right here, and she wasn’t yelling. If Tasha wants to have a chat with her, take it somewhere private; don’t bring it up with Kyle. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Natalya is trying to make her look bad at her job, and she’s not bad at her job. She’s Natalya’s boss, and Natalya is pissing her off. Natalya’s not respecting her. Natalya tells Tasha to speak to her, and not everyone else, and slams out. Kyle hugs Tasha, and tells her that they’re taking a second. Tasha says she won’t bring him into it, and he laughs, saying, ain’t nobody getting him down. The captain radios for the crew to change into their whites. She notes that the boat looks pristine, and tells them, really good job.
The guests arrive, and Captain Sandy welcomes them back. The guests meet the crew, have a champagne toast, and Tasha gives them the tour. She points out two chairs on the bow that I don’t remember seeing before, and tells the guests they can sit in them while the boat is moving. Mzi shows Reid what to do with the luggage, and Storm shows him how to watch during departure. Eric and Johnathan check out the galley, and Johnathan asks if Dave can do a whole sea bass. Eric says, the last time they were on the yacht, the chef was excellent. They’re foodies. We flash back to Chef Tom, and again, no clue. Did I lose time? In Dave’s interview, he says, the last chef was amazing; f*** off. When he’s challenged, he goes at twenty times his original pace. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Reid worked on tugboats, and his family owns a towing company. He’s a line handler; it’s all they do. So she’s fine with him on lines. They pull out, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s her first time as lead deckhand. The boat wasn’t crushed, so she’s doing good. Natalya unpacks BDSM outfits and accessories, and Kyle puts on a mask. She says, he doesn’t know where it’s been, and he throws it back down. The crew changes uniforms, and Eric does a solo Titanic pose on the bow. In Tasha’s interview, she says she didn’t mean to confront Natalya face-on, but she could see it getting more heated. The guests are on vacation. They don’t need negativity training. Two of the female guests get nakey, and Storm helps them into the bow chairs. In Storm’s interview, he says, what’s going on? He’s trying to be respectful. Captain Sandy looks out, and says, holy sh*t! They’re completely nude in the chairs. Tasha says, their vaginas are out, and in her interview, she says, she’s not jealous. It’s just the weirdest thing she’s ever seen. Maybe the panties could stay on. I thought one of them was a germaphobe. Wouldn’t that freak them out?
Storm coaches Reid on dropping anchor, and tells him, good job. In Storm’s interview, he says, Reid seems keen to get things done. Jason was in limbo, and he wants to be in more communication with Reid to avoid Jason-like problems. They arrive at Dwerja Bay, and Tasha says, they need someone to go to the beach. She asks if Natalya wants to go, and in Natalya’s interview, she says, she takes everyone to the beach, while they take the opportunity to relax on the yacht with no guests around. Because you can’t please this a-hole, and it’s not like there’s no work when guests aren’t there. Eric asks Kyle if they found a nude beach, and Kyle says, it’s a nude beach now that they’ll be there. Storm says, they’re going on a hike first, and Tasha checks in with Dave about lunch. He says he’ll come up with the food, and Tasha puts a few plates on the bar inside. Eric and Johnathan can’t help themselves, and pick at the food before it gets to the table. Eric apologizes to Tasha for them being pigs, and ruining the display. They have no will power. The deckhands get chairs and supplies ready for the beach. Dave tells the guests what they’re eating, and guest Amanda pronounces it the perfect lunch. Eric tells the other guests that in the center of every fig is a dead wasp. The fig reacts to the wasp, and dissolves its decomposed body parts. He tells them, look it up, so I did. See below.
The guests get ready for the beach and their hike. Storm tells Natalya that he’s going now, but he’s coming back to put the toys out. She says she hopes everything is fine with them, and he says, it is, but keeps working. She hangs around, even though he’s working, and she annoys me even more. The beach is weirdly cratered, and Mzi says, welcome to the moon. Reid says, NASA faked the moon landing, and this is where they did it. Natalya says, they need to make this place look like a Catalina wine mixer, whatever that means. Reid asks Mzi and Natalya how it’s been on the yacht, and Natalya says, being the only legend is hard. She has a lot to deal with. Courtney brings the guests to the beach, and Eric thinks it’s a great place to do nudes. In Courtney’s interview, she says, she wants to eat, drink, and be merry on a yacht. She’ll even pose nude if that’s what it takes. Courtney drops Mzi off at the boat, and returns to the beach. Reid leads the hike to the top of an incline, and tells the guests, it’s quad day. In Natalya’s interview, she says she hates physical activity, and doesn’t like someone telling her what to do. It’s not her thing. Tell us something we don’t know. The hike doesn’t look easy.
Eric takes some nude shots on the top of a cliff, Reid assisting. In Reid’s interview, he double face palms. He says, he came from a conservative background, and it’s awkward. Eric jokes that he has a tough life. While the guests are gone, Natalya finds a spot to dip herself in the water, sans pants, and is getting out just as a guest comes down. She admits she had to go to the bathroom. This is what we here at the shore call a shore pee. On the boat, Dave asks what Tasha is going to do about Natalya, and she says, they live in the present, not the past. Kyle makes welcome back drinks, and Courtney returns with the guests. Tasha asks Natalya how it was, and Natalya whines that it was hot and there was no shade. The guests play on and with the water toys, and in Natalya’s interview, she says she knows Tasha and Kyle were talking about her. The dream team has gone downhill.
Tasha asks Dave when the dinner plans are, and he says he’s going to do the bass. In Dave’s interview, he says, it’s super difficult. He’s going to have to bend it to put it in the oven, and he wonders how he’s going to get it to look good. It’s going to almost fuse together. He shoves it in, and hopes for the best. In Kyle’s interview, he says, a BDSM party, it’s f***ing outstanding.We’re all animals who need to be tamed. Zookeeper Kyle to the rescue. The guests get dressed up, along with the interior. Natalya says, she wants a red district vibe, and hangs sheer red curtains. Tasha tells Dave to get dressed up and make that tip money, and in Dave’s interview, he says, Tasha looks so hot. The table is done in black with red accents, and the stews take pictures of it. Reid realizes he has the wrong size pants, and Natalya suggests he gain some weight. He says he just lost twenty pounds, and Storm says he’s talking to people who use the metric system. Reid asks if twenty pounds isn’t six meters, and I actually think he is kind of funny. Kyle takes pictures with Natalya and Tasha, and they ask if Captain Sandy wants to join, but she says she’s good. Kyle sees the clean freak guest sitting alone, and apologizes that they were late cleaning her cabin. He tells her the head of housekeeping wasn’t on the boat. The guest is cool with that, but Natalya tells Kyle that he’s pissed her off. There’s no head of housekeeping. They’re equally responsible, and the problem is time management. Make it better, and don’t try to blame her. He says he’s not blaming her, and she didn’t hear the full story. If she thinks she’s going to come for him, he’ll put her in her place. She will not come for him like she does everyone else. She’s 24, so act mature. He walks away, saying, he’ll switch this bitch off in two seconds. Not on his watch.
Next time, Reid inadvertently insults Courtney; Natalya is fed up with interior; and Kyle says, Natalya’s been talking trash, and tells her to stop spreading sh*t.
🦟 About Those Figs…
Eric wasn’t wrong, but it’s not as gross as it sounds. My concern is, how many wasps hang around fig trees?
Stop in tomorrow for soap, a cuppa tea, and a random musical interlude. Until then, stay safe, stay being well-read, and stay not thinking you have forever to make things right, and do it now. Don’t make Gladys’s mistake.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
At the vending machine, Franco apologizes to Epiphany, saying, he didn’t realize she was waiting. He had a hard time making a decision. She looks at the machine, and says, did he just take the last chocolate bar? He says, did he? and she says she’s just spent the last solid eight hours in pencil pushing hell. The only thing that made it bearable was knowing there was a chocolate bar waiting, and he seized the last one. He asks if she wants half, and she says she wants satisfaction. She wants justice. She wants her old job back. Cyrus appears, and says that’s not all she’ll get with that attitude.
Chase finds Brook at The Floating Rib, and he says he’s been looking for her. She congratulates him, adding, he found her. She’s alone; no Valentin. She’ll be out of his hair soon, and he can go back to his awesome life. He says, clearly, she’s never looked in his underwear drawer. She asks why she would do that, and he says she’d see there aren’t any G-strings.
Michael punches the heavy bag, and thinks about Willow. Dante asks what he’s angry about, but Michael says he’s just letting off steam. Dante says he thought Michael was going to town on the bag because he couldn’t stand the thought of losing Willow.
Elizabeth runs into Willow at the hospital, and says, it’s been a while. Willow says she was given time off for the custody hearing, and Elizabeth tells her, congratulations. She asks if Willow is back at work, but Willow says, actually, she was notified that they don’t need a full-time teacher, so she’s looking at her next step. She shows Elizabeth a booklet, and Elizabeth says she’s applying for the nurse’s training program. Willow says she’s fortunate to have the option. It’s one way her life has never been better. Mostly. Things are going so well, she and Michael are getting an annulment.
Carly is hugging Jax, when Nina and Sasha walk in. Carly tells Nina, just the person she needed to see. Nina says she’s surprised to see Carly, and tells Jax that she’s sorry she had to abandon him, but glad to see he has company. He asks how it went with Curtis, and she says Curtis has a new lead, and she’s a step closer to finding her child. Jax says, congratulations, and Carly says she didn’t know the search was back on. Nina says she didn’t broadcast it. Sasha says Nina has company, and it’s been a helluva day. She’s going to take off. Nina says she’s not, since she’s not feeling well.
Ava sees a romantic table set, and smells a rose. There’s a storm going on, and Nikolas is on the terrace. She joins him, and he says he sees she got his message. She says, it’s lovely, and stormy. Tell her why he lured her out there. We see Ava has a knife behind her back, and Nikolas says he didn’t lure her out. He invited her. She says he’s not the first person to invite her out there. She’s sure he remembers what happened; he witnessed it firsthand. He says, he did. Then he saved her life. She says, then hours later, they were married. It was a whirlwind. He says, that’s one word, and she says, any regrets? He says, hundreds. Her? She says, the same, and he asks what she’s holding behind her back. She says, insurance, and he asks if she thinks he’d go through all this trouble to toss her back in the harbor. She says she thinks it would be a permanent solution to their situation, but he says, believe it or not, he doesn’t want her dead. She says he just wants the family fortune all to himself, and he says, it is his family’s fortune. She says, not to mention Elizabeth.
Brook says Chase wouldn’t know what to do with a G-string if he had a fistful of singles. He says he’s trying to charm her after being a jerk, but she says she gets enough of that from her father. Just because she’s staying with Chase, doesn’t give him the right to weigh in on her life. He says he knows that, and if she’d stop talking, she could hear him. He’s saying he’s sorry.
Nina tells Sasha where the shower is, and says there’s a fluffy robe with her name on it. Take all the time she needs. Sasha says, it sounds great, but… Nina insists, and Sasha goes to the bathroom. Jax asks, what’s wrong with Sasha? and Carly says, she doesn’t look good. Nina says it’s not her place to say, but trust her. She wouldn’t have brought Sasha back if she didn’t think it was absolutely necessary.
Willow tells Elizabeth, she and Michael got married to protect Wiley from Nelle. Nelle isn’t a threat now, so staying married isn’t necessary. Elizabeth asks if Willow will still be a part of Wiley’s life, and Willow says, absolutely. Elizabeth says, if that’s what Willow feels is best, she’s happy for her. It’s no one’s business but theirs. Although sometimes people who have to craziest reasons for getting married, and the marriages you think will crash and burn, are the ones that last.
Michael tells Dante, he’s not losing Willow. They’re going to stay together until the annulment is finalized, and afterwards, they’re going to be co-parents. Dante says it sounds like they have it sorted out, and Michael says they made the decision together. Dante has one question. Did Michael say what he said to Willow because it’s what he wanted, or was it what he thought she wanted to hear?
Cyrus says he’s sorry it took so long to make Franco’s acquaintance, and introduces himself. Franco says he knows who Cyrus is; he saw his picture in the company newsletter. Epiphany adds, and on the news. Franco says Cyrus is a busy fella, and Epiphany says, he is. Firing half the staff and alienating the rest. Cyrus is sorry to hear about the low morale, and promises to bring it up to Britt. Franco says, everyone just wants to be heard, and Cyrus says he has a few minutes if Franco wants to meet with him, but Franco says tonight, some of them go to The Floating Rib. It’s karaoke night. Cyrus says, it sounds fun; he won’t keep Franco from it, but the door is open. He starts to walk away, but Franco says, hold on. How’s his singing voice? Want to be Simon to his Garfunkel?
Nikolas asks where Ava is getting the idea about him and Elizabeth, and she asks if she’s wrong. There must be at least a little something to it. He flashes back to kissing Elizabeth, and he says, in this case something is nothing. She says she knew it, and he says, fine. What he and Elizabeth have goes beyond friendship. In his darkest moments, he’s reached out to her, but it’s because they share a history; not because he wants to be with her. Ava says, that’s the most eloquent rationalization she’s ever heard. He says, look him in the eye, and tell him that she’s never sought out something she’s not getting from their marriage. She thinks back to kissing Franco, and he says he thought so. She tells him, she didn’t say anything, and he says she’s not as good a poker player as she thinks. She says he begged her, trapping her into what she thought was a fairytale romance. He says she asked him to talk about things, and he told her about his feelings. She says, so? What are words? Hot air without the action to back them up. To prove he wants her… He says he has to divorce her. Done.
Cyrus thanks Franco for the kind invitation, but he doesn’t want to infringe on the staff’s private event. Franco says it’s not like they close the place; everyone is welcome. Cyrus says, in that case, he has work to finish up. Perhaps he’ll see them later. He leaves, and Epiphany looks at Franco. He says, what? and she says he’d better run. Run.
Chase tells Brook, sorry for coming on too strong, but she says she’s actually impressed. He almost turned her around. He says, it’s working for him then, and she ask what’s the rest. As long as he’s not going to tell her that he’s kicking her out on the street.
Jax asks if Sasha needs a doctor, but Nina tells him not to push it. It was all she could do to get Sasha there. Carly says she’ll talk to Sasha, and Nina tries to stop her, but she keeps going. Nina tells Jax, even when Carly means well, she’s impossible. He says, she did bring wine, and Nina says, red wine. He says, Carly wanted to apologize for the scene she caused in the cemetery, and Nina says, when she accidentally pushed over Nelle’s gravestone? The only thing Carly is sorry about is Nina caught her
Sasha goes into the bathroom, and takes out her baggie of coke. Carly knocks on the door, and Sasha says she just needs a minute. Carly says, let her in, but Sasha keeps trying to get a hit of coke together using her Amex card. Her hands shake.
Dante says Michael doesn’t want an annulment? and Michael says, if it was up to him, they’d find a way to stay together, and make the marriage real. Make a life together, for Wiley’s sake, but also for themselves. Dante asks if Michael said this to her, and Michael says, of course (🍷) not. Dante says Michael wants to set Willow free from her obligation. He’s an idiot.
Willow tells Elizabeth, after Chase, she can’t think of starting something new. Michael has so much to give that’s going to waste in their so-called marriage. Elizabeth says she’s known Michael a long time. He’s a decent guy. Willow says, for the past few months, she’s been lucky to see that every day; how he is with Wiley and his family. Michael is honorable and kind, and sees the best in people. He should be able to share that with someone. Elizabeth says, it sounds like he already is.
Brook asks Chase to just give her more time, and he says he will. Eventually, she’ll have to find another place though. Brook says, don’t tell her to go back to her father, and Chase tells her not to worry. He was recently reminded that bringing families together by force of will isn’t in his skill set. She thanks him, and says she’ll definitely find a new situation. Not tonight though. She has other plans. He asks what they are, so he can disapprove of them, and I laugh. She shows him a flyer that says, Karaoke Night.
Dante tells Michael, don’t make life altering decisions based on what you think another person wants. It’s stupid, or at least a disappointment and a regret. It’s not fair to Willow either. Michael asks what he should do, and Dante says, be honest. Tell her how he feels, and let her decide. Don’t think the only decent thing is to separate. Michael says Willow deserves someone to be in love with, and they’re not in love. Dante asks how he knows, and Willow walks in. She asks if she’s interrupting.
Carly tells Sasha, open up; she’s worried. Sasha pops out, and says, all hers, but Carly says, nice try, and turns Sasha around. She tells Sasha to look in the mirror. Does she really want to go out looking like that? What’s a nice girl like her doing with a face like that? Sasha says she’s not that nice, and Carly says, really? Is she coming down with a cold? Sasha says she’s fine, but Carly says she doesn’t look fine.
Jax tells Nina, he knows how it looks, but he and Carly talked. She had no intention of knocking over Nelle’s headstone. She says he doesn’t have to lobby for Carly anymore. It’s nice that Carly came over with wine – red wine – and she apologized. They never have to speak about Nelle again. Jax is sorry it came to this. It will be a while before Carly stops looking over her shoulder. Nina doesn’t doubt it, and says it’s great Carly has him in her corner. Carly is Josslyn’s mother, and other people might not understand their relationship, but she does. He asks, what other people?
Back at the table, Ava asks what Nikolas is doing. He says, divorcing her. It’s what she said she needs for him to prove he’s not playing her. He lifts a dish cover, and underneath is a rolled up document. He says, voila! takes it off the plate, and tells her, the pages are flagged where she needs to sign. He’s following the conditions of the post-nup to the letter, and relinquishing 90% of the estate to her. Ava asks, what’s the catch? and he says, no catch. She says, of course (🍷) there is. She wonders if it’s some kind of trap, and he says, there is a price. She says, here it comes, and he says she can have everything she asked for – money, property, material things – but she can’t have him.
At The Floating Rib, Franco tells Epiphany that he did a good thing. She says, inviting the devil himself to their safe space? He says, even the devil gets lonely, and Elizabeth suggests he buy them round. She steers Epiphany to a table, and asks, what’s going on with her? Epiphany says, nothing; certainly nothing she wants to bring up at karaoke. Elizabeth asks how much they’ve been through, and how many times they’ve had each other’s backs, and Epiphany says, more times than she can count. Elizabeth says, then tell her, and Epiphany starts cry. She says she and Milo are breaking up, and I make a sad face.
Jax asks Nina what she means by other people. Did someone say something? She says, it’s not important. She wishes they were the only people in the relationship, but Carly will always be a part of his life. When co-parents get along… people talk. He says, all it is, is talk. They’re just two people trying to do the best for their daughter.
Sasha thanks Carly for her concern, but it doesn’t matter if she’s fine. Carly says she’s wrong, and doesn’t think Michael would agree. Sasha says she went out of her way to make sure her life is none of Michael’s business. Carly says she did it to protect Wiley from Nelle. If Michael knew what she did, the sacrifices she made, and that she was still hurting, he’d have something say. Sasha says, he won’t. Michael finally has Wiley, and Wiley has Michael, and they both have Willow. They’re a family now, and she can’t take that away from them. Even if she could, she wouldn’t, and neither should Carly. She walks out, leaving Carly with her mouth hanging open.
Michael tells Willow that he was in the middle of a brotherly lecture. Dante says he hopes Michael sees the benefit in his wisdom, and takes his advice. Willow says, if it came from Dante, it must be worthwhile, and Dante tells Michael, his wife is a wise woman. Willow says her class is about to start. She took a Ride Share there, and was hoping to go home with him. He says he’s still got to work out, so he can wait. She says she’ll see him later, and leaves. Dante says he rests his case.
Chase says, Brook is going to sing? He thought the doctors said she couldn’t. She says, they told her it was unlikely, not impossible. He says, so she’s going to get up there and see what happens? She says, it can’t hurt to try.
Franco stands at the bar, and Cyrus comes in. He tells Franco, this round is on him.
Elizabeth tells Epiphany that she’s sorry. What happened with Milo? Epiphany says, Milo has been away, traveling and opening gyms for the franchise across the country. They haven’t seen each other in months. Meanwhile, she’s become a paper pusher. Elizabeth says, Milo adores her. She can’t imagine they can’t make it work. Epiphany tells her, he said he’d come back, and Elizabeth says, great, but Epiphany says she told him no. It’s not the same anymore. As much as she hates to admit it, they’ve grown apart. Elizabeth asks how she can help, and Epiphany says, first, she doesn’t want a fuss made. Elizabeth says Epiphany can’t keep it inside; she has to let it out. Brook takes the stage, and Epiphany says, not another word about it. I note that Brook doesn’t have much of a scar. She tries to sing, but struggles. She says, wrong key, puts the mic down, and runs out. Chase goes after her. This is driving me nuts, since I’ve sung most of my life, and Brook is supposed to be a professional. I doubt she would have just gotten up there without even attempting to practice first, or even warm up, and she sure gave up easy. Instead of saying, wrong key, she should have said, too soon. It’s not like everyone doesn’t know what happened. This is frustrating the hell out of me.
Ava asks what Nikolas is trying to pull, and he asks if she thinks he wants to sign the papers. Of course (🍷) he doesn’t. He had them drawn up to force her hand; get her to move forward with the marriage or end it. She says, it’s an elaborate ultimatum, and he says, it’s a gamble that their night in the cabin wasn’t a one-off. Tell him she feels the same way. He thought instead of signing the papers, they’d burn them together. Ava says, there are certain considerations. There are people who will be affected if they end the marriage. He says he took a leap and owned up to his feelings. Do the same, or he’ll have to admit he’s a jackass. She says, of course (🍷) she has feelings, but it complicates things. He says it’s simple, they’ll stay married, but she says certain people may be made to pay if they remain married. Let her think things through; she needs a minute. She walks away, her back to him, and he says, once and for all, decide now. She doesn’t realize how close he is to her, and when she turns around, she stabs him accidentally, her knife going into his abdomen. I gasp out loud. I was not expecting that.
Sasha comes back out, and Nina asks if she found everything okay. The guest room is down the hall. Sasha says she’s not staying, but Nina says she should. They can have breakfast tomorrow. Sasha says it’s kind of Nina to bring her there, despite everything. She just needed a moment to catch her breath. Don’t give her another thought. She jets, and Carly comes out. In the hallway, Sasha makes a call. She says she needs a refill. She’ll be there in 15.
Michael does crunches in the ring, and Willow walks back in. He asks if her class was canceled, but she says she blew it off. Curiosity got the best of her. She wanted to hear Dante’s advice in person. Michael says, Dante left, but she says he can tell her. He says, Dante thinks they should stay together. Those weren’t his exact words, but it was the overall idea. She says the closer they get to the annulment, the more fans they have. He says he was thinking the same thing. He says he’ll get cleaned up, and she says, her too – even though she didn’t have a class. She says she’ll meet him back there, and gives a lingering look to his back before she walks out.
Chase finds Brook outside and asks her to come back. They can sing a duet. She’ll sound like an angel in comparison. Highly doubtful, since I still remember him singing Feel It Still for the Nurses Ball, and he rocked. He says maybe she jumped in too soon. Now that she has that out of the way, he knows she has another performance in her. She says, that wasn’t a performance; it was her swan song. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard.
Franco brings Cyrus over to the table, and says, look who made it. Epiphany tells Elizabeth, she’s back in hell again, and Cyrus asks if anyone has seen the songbook. Elizabeth hands it to him, and Franco jokes that he’s probably a fan of Miley Cyrus. What does he want? Gilbert and Sullivan? Sammy Hagar? Cyrus says, the 70s, and Franco tells him, pull up a chair. Epiphany says, not today, Satan, and gets up to sing. Franco says, she’s having a bad day. Epiphany sings. I give up trying to find out the titles, but it’s something about waiting, and debating if her love will come back to her.
As Epiphany sings, we see Michael in the shower, pondering. He turns around, and Willow is there in a towel. She lets the towel fall, and I’m not sure I’m on board with this. He drops his towel, and they move closer. Okay, now I’m guessing this isn’t real because they keep switching to them being alone.
Ava takes out the knife, and tells Nikolas, he’s bleeding. He says, yeah; he’s been stabbed. She drops the knife, and takes off his shirt. Is this some kind of weird foreplay? They kiss…
Afterwards (we assume), Nikolas says, well…? and Ava says they’re going to have to do something about these, and picks up the divorce papers. He says, it doesn’t matter; they’re not real. He wasn’t going to risk anything. She’s too proud to admit she’s crazy about him. Now he’s sure. She calls him an arrogant SOB, and he asks, is it arrogant if he’s right? She takes the papers, and opens the door. He asks where she’s going, and she says, to find the cyanide. She leaves, and he smiles. He says, she likes me. She really likes me.
Chase tells Brook, it’s going to be okay. She says, it will be something, but it will never be okay. If she can’t do the one thing that gives her purpose, what purpose does she have?
Everyone applauds for Epiphany. Cyrus says he can’t imagine how anyone can follow her, and Franco says, if anyone could, it’s the Chairman with Sinatra. Cyrus says he could be persuaded. His phone dings, and he says, however, he’ll have to take a raincheck. Epiphany says, convenient, and he promises to revisit. I’m very disappointed.
Carly says she tried talking to Sasha, but Sasha wouldn’t hear her. Nina says, maybe Sasha heard, but didn’t agree. Carly says, Sasha needs help, but Nina says she can’t keep Sasha against her will. She did the best she could, at least for tonight. Carly says she can do better, like it’s a competition, and leaves.
Willow meets Michael, and they leave the gym together.
In an alleyway on the phone, Sasha asks, where the hell are you?Don’t leave me hanging. The dealer hangs up, and she throws her phone, saying, dammit. Cyrus comes along, and says, there are cheaper ways to channel her frustration. What’s the trouble, and how can he help?
Elizabeth says she’ll be right back, and Franco tells Epiphany that she sounded great. Epiphany thanks him, and says she’s decided he can have the chocolate bar. He says, good, because he already ate it. He’ll get her next time. She says he can get another round, and she’ll call it even. He gets up, and she says she hopes he knows how good he has it with Elizabeth. He says, doorknob. She tells him, say that again? and he keels over.
Tomorrow, it’s Halloween in Port Charles, Valentin thinks Peter has a Spinelli problem, Ava hopes Nikolas can forgive her, Nikolas says he’ll save Julian’s sorry ass, Cyrus tells Sasha that they can have a mutually beneficial friendship, and Carly tells Sonny that she thinks Sasha is a drugs.
The Real Housewives of Orange County
Shannon talked to John about her concern that Emily was dismissive with her. John told her she didn’t have to be best friends with Emily; just be okay. Elizabeth and Kelly met Gina at Farmhouse for dinner. Elizabeth said there was a gag order over her divorce details, but she was going to have a great party afterward, where she’d spill everything. Gina didn’t understand how Elizabeth was not having sex with Jimmy, and in her interview, Kelly thought that he had to be getting something done. Elizabeth said she liked Shannon, and Gina said Shannon had kicked her under the bus, saying her house was sad and depressing. In her interview, Gina said don’t bring her 9 lemons in an f-ing bowl, then say sh*t about her. She felt Shannon wasn’t authentic. Kelly said Emily had tried with Shannon too, but it wasn’t easy. They talked about how much better 2020 was going to be than 2019, and I laaaaughed.
Braunwyn said she was a basket case, either being so happy or so miserable that she wanted to jump out of her skin. In her interview, she said the only thing that might be bigger than her problem with alcohol was her love for her kids. She told Sean that she hadn’t been as present as she should have been, and realized she wasn’t a good mom. She didn’t know how she let it get so bad so fast. It was the one thing she wanted to be good at, and she wasn’t. He told her it was going to be okay. Lots of okay stuff today, both on GH and this.
Kelly took possession of her new house, which looked huge, especially with nothing in it. She told us it was 4500 square feet, with a pool and spa, but it’s suburbia. She met with her interior designer, and in her interview, she said the moms there were buttoned up, prim and proper, and cooking with aprons on. It was a Beaver Cleaver neighborhood. She said Shannon was a Stepford Wife, and she was scared she was going to turn into that. Rick had lived in NYC forever, and was ready to settle down, but she was mostly doing it for Jolie, who wanted to be in a family community. She wanted Jolie to have the best childhood possible, and see what a good relationship was like. She said it goes by fast. Truth!
Braunwyn picked up Shannon to go see Dr. Moon, and told Shannon about going to her first AA meeting. Braunwyn admitted that she’d told Emily about Shannon saying Gina’s house was sad. In Shannon’s interview, she insisted she hadn’t said that, and told Braunwyn that she had to set the record straight. Shannon said her fear was that Dr. Moon was getting older. She wondered what she was going to do when he retired. Braunwyn told Dr. Moon that her life had become unmanageable (part of the first step in the twelve), and she’d been drinking and hiding it. His solution was to stick a needle in the middle of her ear, which he said was for addiction. In her interview, Braunwyn said she was more grateful for Shannon’s support. Shannon made the usual loud noises when Dr. Moon needled her in the back of the neck for a sacroiliac problem. (I’ll have you know, I spelled that right on the first try.) In her interview, Shannon said she was trying to help Braunwyn, who was making her look bad and putting words in her mouth. It was the ultimate betrayal. I dunno about that. I could probably think of worse things.
Emily said she’d never had relationship or friendship with Shannon, and was going to her housewarming party. On a side note, we found out Shannon’s kids aren’t allowed to swear until they’re 18. Shannon gave her house a once-over, which I totally understood. I should have done that when I discovered a pair of underwear thrown on a chair after a party, and I don’t mean by a guest who had too good of a time. They were my underwear. I was mortified. In her interview, Braunwyn said she hadn’t figured out how to navigate her bedroom yet, but she was going to a party. She wanted a drink badly, but couldn’t say anything, or she’d be that weird alcoholic girl. I dunno about that either, but her friends would definitely not want to drink in front of her. At least if they’re decent people. Oh yeah. I forgot, we’re talking Housewives here. Someone would probably yell at her, and then put her under a microscope, while they guzzled pinot in front of her the whole time.
When Gina saw Shannon’s house, she said she could see why Shannon would say hers was sad. Her home could fit inside Shannon’s home. It was like a Polly Pocket home. Gina jumped on Shannon the second she got there, but Shannon insisted Braunwyn was the only one talking smack about Gina’s house. Moving whichever way the wind is blowing, Gina said she didn’t trust Braunwyn. In Shannon’s interview, she said she was grateful Gina believed her, but she was angry that Braunwyn put words in her mouth. Yeah, yeah, the ultimate betrayal. Shannon told Gina that she was a renter, but Gina was an owner, and there was nothing sad about Gina’s life right now.
In her interview, Emily said part of her would like to imagine Shannon wanted her at the party, but she knows Shannon doesn’t. Shannon’s dad Gene arrived with his young girlfriend, and when Kelly was introduced, she called him big d*ck daddy from Cincinnati. In Shannon’s interview, she said she’d never call someone’s father that, but I say, it depends on the father. FYI, not this guy. Shannon didn’t waste time taking Braunwyn aside, and told Braunwyn that she was hearing wrong. She hadn’t called Gina’s place sad. That wasn’t even in her vocabulary. Braunwyn stuck by her memory, saying she’d been totally sober, while Shannon had a couple of drinks, but Shannon insisted she was wrong. Braunwyn said either Shannon was lying or she didn’t remember, and Shannon said Braunwyn crossed the line. Shannon ended the conversation by saying how dare Braunwyn do this at her party, and I had to laugh when Braunwyn said she wasn’t the one who brought it up. Another truth! Shannon made a beeline for Emily, telling her that she never said Gina’s house was sad. In Braunwyn’s interview, she said every time she’s tried to be nice to Gina, it’s gotten thrown back in her face. We flashed back to all the times Gina has shut Braunwyn down, and it looks to me that Gina just plain doesn’t like Braunwyn. And I don’t think anything is going to change her mind. Braunwyn told Sean she didn’t know where to go from here.
Shannon made it sound like Braunwyn had accused her of being drunk, and in her interview, said Braunwyn was now using her sobriety as a weapon. Like always, they played telephone, and by the time Gina repeated what Shannon had said, Braunwyn claimed Shannon was so wasted. Gina brought up the text from Sean, and Emily thought it wasn’t unreasonable that she found it creepy, in context of his and Braunwyn’s lifestyle. A love shack! A sex apartment! Threesomes! In Elizabeth’s interview, she said she’d never seen women act like this, and Braunwyn was just as big of a nut. Shannon, who’d told Braunwyn earlier that she’d never do two against one, attacked Sean and Braunwyn with Emily, Gina, and Kelly in attendance. Emily thought Braunwyn was pretentious, and Shannon told Sean, maybe they should start being authentic. Gina said Braunwyn looks down on her because she doesn’t have as much money as they do. We flashed back to some instances where Braunwyn said something Gina didn’t like, and I see it as Gina being the one who feels defensive about not having money. Gina got in Braunwyn’s face, screeching that Braunwyn was a sloppy chihuahua, and wasted all the time. She told Braunwyn to go get wasted again, which is really nice, and Braunwyn said she was 30 days sober today, bitch. Braunwyn ran off, telling Gina, f*** you!
Next time, the party continues, Braunwyn never wants see them again, Kelly thinks Braunwyn is better when she drinks, Braunwyn insists Shannon isn’t telling the truth, and Shannon says she doesn’t move on when people call her a liar. Great. We’ll be on this for the rest of the season.
👀 Elizabeth and Gina were guests tonight on Watch What Happens Live. I really like Elizabeth. She kind of reminds me of Garcelle on RHOBH. She stays above the fray, and laughs a lot. She said she was surprised she’d been chosen to become a Real Housewife, especially with the pandemic going on. Her divorce had been finalized, and we found out she and Jimmy finally had sex. Or as she put it, she’d been officially rechristened. I tried to ignore Gina, since she’s on a par with Teddi for me. She’s a follower, and an a-hole. Both the guests and audience were remote, and it was actually kind of fun. The Countess made a guest appearance, and sang Viva la Diva, while the audience danced in their Zoom boxes. Under normal circumstances, you rarely see the audience, so it had a different vibe. The sound people also made LuAnn sound a lot better than she really does, unless she’s been taking lessons. I want those people for karaoke. If I ever see karaoke again. I miss singing… and bourbon… sniff…
🍹 Don’t forget – The new season of Southern Charm begins tomorrow – i.e. Thursday.
👩🏽🏫 Brush Up On Your Charm…
New cast member and first woman of color on the show. She looks a lot like Lily Ghalichi from Shahs of Sunset.
It’s almost Halloween, and also almost time to change the clocks. Don’t forget to fall behind an hour this weekend. Yay! I’ll finally get some sleep. No I won’t. And also don’t forget to stay safe, stay truthful, and stay not being the one who takes the last chocolate bar from the vending machine. Especially if Epiphany is behind you.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
I missed the very beginning, and already the week is off to a great start. Once again, I swear I had extra time, and then I didn’t. The main takeaway points, as I listened in, were: Julian goes to see Franco at Shadybrook, and Kim asks Elizabeth if she really thinks she’s doing the right thing.
Maxie is surprised to find Nina at Crimson, and says she was worried about her. Nina tells her not to worry. She was with a friend last night. Seeing the bottle from Ava, Maxie says, her drinking buddy? but Nina says, no; someone else. Maxie says, talk to her, and Nina says she was with Jax. He was there when she needed someone to listen to her, and gave her a comforting shoulder to cry on. End of story. Maxie wishes Nina had come to her. She loves Nina. Nina says she loves Maxie too, but she needed a neutral space. Maxie asks if she’s okay, and Nina says she’s trying to be. Maxie says that’s all she can do; fake it until she makes it. Nina doesn’t know if she can do that. Her heart is demolished, and she’s devastated. She’s mad at Valentin and Sasha, but especially herself. She opened her heart to a fake daughter, and let Valentin back in her life. Maxie says she’s so sorry. She doesn’t have to see Valentin again. She and Peter can go pick up her stuff. Nina says she already went there. Valentin swears he had nothing to do with it. Maxie says, he’s doing what all liars do – deny, deny, deny. Nina doesn’t believe him, right?
Valentin says he’s traveling light. They can buy things they need when they get there. Obrecht asks if Nina’s child is alive, and Valentin asks what it matters. She says, it’s her family, and he says, according to Madeline, Nina never miscarried. She was in a coma, but didn’t lose the baby. Madeline paid a private nurse, and once the child was born, made arrangements for an adoption. He exhausted every available option trying to track Nina’s child down, and came up with nothing. He can’t prove the child is alive, or even exists.
Franco tells Julian, this is awkward. Normally, if he was in this position with another guy, he’d buy them a beer, but there’s nothing there except apple juice and checkers. Julian says he’s not there for a heart to heart. If Franco wasn’t in the funny farm, he’d lay him out. Franco says he can’t take back what happened, and he’s not entirely sure he’d want to. He does regret Julian got hurt. Julian says, regret doesn’t mean a damn thing. Franco asks what he wants. He agrees these are extraordinary circumstances. Julian says Franco might think Kim is the love of his life, but the love story he’s got going on in his head is a fantasy. He barely knew her, and he doesn’t know her now. Thank you. I kept saying the way Kim and pseudo Drew talk, you’d think they’d been together for years when it was only a couple of months.
Elizabeth tells Kim that she had her husband committed because he’s not well, and can’t protect himself. Kim says, Drew isn’t mentally ill, and has the right to make his own medical decisions. Elizabeth says, his name is Franco, and the fact that Kim cant tell the difference speaks volumes. She and Kim used to be friends. She doesn’t think Kim would have slept with Franco if she hadn’t been in pain, and she has enough on her plate right now. Franco hired a shark lawyer who is going to exploit him, and make a name for himself. Kim says she’s the one who put Franco in touch with Martin Gray, but that’s not why he’s on the case. Well, it didn’t sound like it was out of the goodness of his heart.
Sonny tells Sam and Jason, the black box and instrument data confirm the pilot of Drew’s plane lost control, and it went into the water. Sam says she knew that from the WSB, but was hoping they’d find something else. Sonny says, if the cause had been any different, they would have found it. It happened the way they said it did. Sam asks, what else happened? and he says they’re officially declaring Drew deceased. Carly says she’s so sorry. Sam says it’s nothing she didn’t already know, but this makes it final now.
Edward tells Jordan that he’ll take it from there, but she says his jurisdiction is over Shiloh’s death, not his escape. She tells Henderson that if he has any hope of saving himself, lose the attitude, and start talking. A woman walks in and says, her client has nothing more to say.
Nina tells Maxie, Valentin swore he was just as deceived as she was, and that Sasha is a con artist who fooled them both. Maxie tells her, that’s not what Lulu said. Nina says Lulu also hates Valentin, and what she remembers might not exactly be what she overheard. Sasha never implicated anyone but herself. Maxie says, true. She never said Valentin hired her, but think about it. Obrecht was holding something over Valentin, and she and Peter thought it had something to do with Sasha. They turned out to be right that Sasha wasn’t Nina’s daughter. It make sense that Valentin was in on it, and Obrecht was blackmailing him. Nina says Valentin already told her what Obrecht was holding over him, and Maxie asks what it was. Nina says she’s not getting into that with her. She’s aware of what Obrecht was using as leverage, and it had nothing to do with Sasha. Maxie says Nina knows how good Valentin is at covering his tracks. He had WSB training. Just because there’s no evidence, doesn’t mean Valentin is innocent. Is Nina saying she thinks Valentin is telling the truth?
Obrecht says Valentin hit a dead end and gave up the search? He says he spent more on the search than most people see in a lifetime. Now he knows Madeline was using him to get to Nina, building her hopes up to watch them come crashing down. She asks if he confronted Madeline, and he says, by the time he realized, she was already dead. Obrecht says, what curious timing it was.
Andre meets Peter at Charlie’s, and Peter asks how Andre is feeling. Andre says he’s good, but surprised Peter asked to meet with him. Peter was there supervising during the original memory transfer between Jason and Drew. It’s not a time either one of them is proud of, so he doesn’t know what they have to talk about. Peter says he wasn’t planning on rehashing it, but since Andre brought the situation up, he wants to clarify that he was coerced by his father. He did what he could to mitigate the damage. He asked Andre to meet him because his mother is Andre’s close friend. He was hoping Andre heard from her. He asks if Andre has any idea when she’s coming back, but Andre says he’s not privy to Bureau information or updates on their agents. Andre laughs, and Peter asks if he finds it amusing. Andre says Peter is referring to Anna as his mother. It’s real progress. Peter says he owes Andre his thanks for supporting Anna while they were working through things. Andre says he’s sure she’d do the same for him. Peter says it can’t hurt for them to know each other better. Is Andre staying in Port Charles for a while? Andre says he’s staying until Franco’s medical hearing is completed, so yes. Peter says, if the court rules in Elizabeth’s favor, how does he see it playing out? Can he make Franco into Franco again?
In the hallway, Sam starts to cry, and Jason tells her, it’s okay; take a minute. Sam says she was holding onto hope that Drew would find his way back for Scout. Jason is sure he tried, and Sam says she’s sorry it’s hitting her so hard now. Jason gets it. She and Drew were married, and he’s Scout’s father. Sam says, Drew was a really good man. He was good to her, and a good father to Scout. She guesses Drew is with Oscar now. Scout lost her brother to cancer, and her father to a freak storm. Jason says, if that’s what happened.
Jordan says she saw no attorney on record. The woman says, here she is, and tells them her name is Roz. Introductions are made, and Roz tells Henderson that she’s sorry she took so long to respond. Now that the introductions are over, she needs them to leave so she can confer with her client. Jordan says he’s all hers, and they leave. Henderson says he takes it she was sent by… She interrupts saying, no names. All she needs to know is what he already told them. He says, only what their friend asked him to. That Sam told him to pose as a guard, and help Shiloh escape. She says, good. Now they need to get the rest of his story straight.
Franco says Julian has lost touch with reality, and Julian tells him, says the man who claims he’s Drew in another body. He’s known Kim for two years, and Drew knew her for a couple of months before he was deployed – ages ago. Franco says Julian’s got guts, talking to his face like that. Julian says Kim was starting to come into her own. He doesn’t know the woman who sacrificed everything to raise her son. The woman who watched her only child die a slow death. She deserves better than to have him drag her into a past that never was. Franco says he gets it. Julian is hoping he and Kim will get back together.
Elizabeth says Kim is the one, and Kim says, Drew needed legal representation to get agency over his medical care. Elizabeth says she’s sure it’s costing a fortune. She was wondering how he was paying for it. Kim is bankrolling him. Kim says, he has the right to make his own medical decisions, and Elizabeth says she remembers Kim denying Oscar’s right to make them.
Andre tells Peter, that’s the question of moment, especially with Franco’s medical hearing coming up. Peter says it’s a risky procedure that’s never been done. Andrew says he’ll do his best, but in the absence of any date or case studies, it’s impossible to determine if it would succeed. Peter says he already did it with Drew and Jason. How different can it be? Andre says that was a memory transfer, not restoration. Franco has no baseline imprint. He’d have to wipe out Drew’s memories, and hope Franco’s memories remain intact. Peter says, what if Franco ends up with both sets of memories? and Andre says, that’s an excellent question. It might depend on which personally stronger, but he can’t say which one would prevail.
Jordan, Chase, and Edward go back into the interrogation room. Roz says Henderson is prepared to give full disclosure, as long as there’s a deal on the table. Jordan says she’d have to hear details before a deal is offered. Henderson says Sam reached out, saying there was a job she wanted done. Jordan asks how Sam found him, and he says, she’s a P.I., and knows her way around the back channels. She said she had a score to settle, and wanted to make sure Shiloh never found his way back to his cell. When he heard she’d killed the guy, he connected the dots. Sam wanted Shiloh free so she could take him out. Edward says if he’ll testify, they’ll discuss terms, and tells Chase to take Henderson back to his cell. Outside the room, Jordan tells Edward that Henderson’s story is full of holes. They don’t know if he and Sam ever met, or if any money changed hands until he was offered a deal for his fabricated story. Edward says Shiloh was shot in the back at close range, and Sam claimed she was defending Jason, but Jordan asks if he doesn’t think there should be further investigation.
Sam tells Jason, the weather was bad, but he says it was the same night Andre was attacked and almost killed. Sam says, it sounds strange, but it could be a terrible coincidence. Her phone rings, and it’s Jordan. She tells Sam that she needs to get back to the station for more questions, and she needs to get there right away.
Sonny asks if Carly is okay. Carly says, as much as she can be. Poor Drew. They were close for a while. It was weird when Jason came back, but she hopes he knew how much they cared about him. Sonny says he knew; they settled that. Carly says, Scout already lost a brother.Now she’s going to grow up without a father.She won’t even remember him. Sonny says she has Sam, Jason, Danny, the Quartermaines, and them to help. Carly says she loved how they pulled together for Wiley. Maybe they can do the same for Scout. Sonny says, and Donna. Carly wants to hold Donna, and asks Sonny to go see if she’s awake.
Valentin tells Obrecht that he was ready to drop it entirely, and Nina would have been none the wiser, but Madeline sent clues from beyond the grave. If Nina had started to search, she would have been crushed learning there was nothing to find. Obrecht says, so he found her long lost child. He says he found a charming suitable daughter, who had a giving heart. She says he gave Nina an imposter. He says he had no way to find Nina’s daughter, and Sasha was perfect. He thought it would spare her more hurt than harm. Obrecht says she thought he was Oxford educated, and he says he was. She asks if he took any philosophy courses, and he says, quite a bit. She says, then he must be familiar with the old adage, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.
Nina tells Maxie, no doubt she should call the cops impersonating her child, but that’s where it gets complex. Is it identity theft or fraud? Maxie thinks she should take another look at Valentin. Thank of all the times he’s lied.Even if it was with the noblest of intentions, he still did bad things. She’s been there herself, and understands where he’s coming from, but when you hurt someone you love, the only way to heal it is by owning your mistake. Nina says there’s so much Maxie doesn’t know, and Maxie says, even if Nina is right, she has the feeling in Nina’s heart she knows the truth.
At the station, Jason asks Jordan what this is about. She thanks Sam for coming, and says she’ll be with them in a moment. Jason wonders if they shouldn’t wait outside, but Sam wants to stay. She says the sooner they get it over with, the sooner they can get out. Chase walks Henderson past them, and Henderson and Jason stare at each other. Sam says, what is it?
Valentin asks Obrecht when she’s leaving, and she asks if he’s eager to get rid of her. He says, surprisingly, he’s not. He’s ambivalent. He’s grown to respect her Machiavellian principles, and her end justifies the means philosophy, and she loves Nina. She says she respects him too. She thinks, given time, Nina might have taken him back without the whole pretend daughter angle. He hedged his bets, and compromised them both in the process. Valentin says if Nina is doubting Obrecht’s involvement, she’s confirming it by leaving. Obrecht hopes Nina’s anger will cool in her absence. If she allows Nina to miss her, she might be more inclined to give her a second chance. He tells her, good luck. He means it. She tells him, good luck as well. She regrets to say, where Nina is concerned, he’s going to need it. They shake hands, and she leaves.
Peter asks Andre what the other potential outcomes are. Andre says, one is a win, and there are two other contingencies. It could reinforce Drew’s memories, and Franco will remember more clearly. Why does he get the feeling that Peter is pumping him for information. He’s not putting this in The Invader, is he? Peter says, no. He can’t forget that his father set all this in motion. If it weren’t for Faison, Drew would be a decorated Navy SEAL, and would have never been on the plane that went down; Franco wouldn’t be languishing in Shadybrook; and Jason wouldn’t have lost five years of his life. He wishes everything Faison did could be undone, and they could all get on with their lives. Andre drinks to that. Peter says he has another appointment, but tells Andre to have another drink on him. Andre says he’ll let Peter know if he hears anything about Anna, and Peter thanks him.
Julian tells Franco that he knows there’s no going back to what he and Kim had. Unlike Franco, he’s clear on that. Franco asks why he’s there, and Julian says he’s not there to plead his case. If anything, he’s there to plead Kim’s case. Franco says, by telling him that he doesn’t know the woman he loves? The mother of his child. Julian says, Kim lost her child, and she’s grieving so deeply, she doesn’t know what she’s doing. All he is, is a temporary fix for the hole in her heart. He claims to love her. If he does, stop enabling her to be frozen in the past, and preventing her from moving forward and truly healing. Julian says, the ball is in his court, and leaves.
Elizabeth tells Kim, she’s sorry. She shouldn’t have brought up Oscar in that way. Kim says, no, she shouldn’t, and Elizabeth says, no more than Kim should be meddling in her husband’s life. Km says, it’s his life, and Elizabeth says she wants to give Kim the benefit of the doubt, but this situation is completely different. Kim says she couldn’t allow her son to choose, and she was wrong. Thankfully, they patched things up, but it nearly destroyed their relationship. That’s how important it was. Maybe Elizabeth could learn from her story, and give her husband a chance to choose his own fate. She might not have a chance to patch things up before the end. Scotty summoned her, saying he was going to call her to the stand at the hearing. She assumes Elizabeth realizes her testimony isn’t going to help. Elizabeth says she doesn’t know, but if the other side is calling Kim to testify, maybe she should look inward to see if she’s healed enough to know what’s right or wrong.
Sam asks Jason, what’s going on? but he’s not sure. Too many things don’t add up. There are too many loose ends. She asks if he needs to follow up on something, but he says he’ll wait. She says Diane will be there soon. They probably just want to go over her statement for the millionth time. She’ll be fine. She tells him to go. She kisses him, and he leaves.
Andre’s phone rings. It’s Jason, who says he needs to see Andre right away.
Carly holds Donna, and says, hi, beautiful. She’s doing good and they’re proud of her. Sonny says, she’s a brave lady, like the first Donna. Carly tells Donna that she’s getting stronger every day, and they get to bring her home soon. There are so many people who want to meet her, and love her so much. Sonny laughs.
Jason goes to Charlies to meet Andre, who asks what he can do for Jason. Jason says there’s a suspect in police custody who he thought would interest Andre. He shows Andre a photo of Henderson on his phone, and asks if Andre recognizes him. Andre says, vaguely, and Jason shows him another photo with Henderson wearing a beard. He says, how about now? and Andre says that’s the man who stabbed him.
Edward comes out, and Sam says she told the Commissioner that she’s willing to cooperate. She just has to wait for her lawyer if they want to ask additional questions. He says, there seems to have been some confusion. He’s placing her under arrest. Jordan joins them, and asks Edward for a word. He says, it’s not necessary; this is his jurisdiction. It’s a federal prosecution. Sam says. it was self-defense, but he says they’ve received evidence to the contrary. He’s requesting that she be denied bail, and remain in Pentenville until the trial.
Julian runs into Elizabeth, and asks how it’s going. She says she’s hanging in. Him? He says, same. Her phone rings, and she says it’s Scotty.
Kim visits Franco, and he says he wasn’t expecting her. What’s going on? She says she just spoke to Martin, and he has news about the hearing. They have a date.
Elizabeth thanks Scotty. She tells Julian that Franco’s hearing is set to start next week.
Peter goes to the Crimson office, and asks if Maxie is ready for dinner. She says she got sidetracked trying to convince Nina that Valentin was involved with Sasha’s con. Nina is all tied up in knots because Valentin is saying he had nothing to do with it. Peter asks if Nina believes him, and Maxie says she doesn’t think Nina is convinced. She’s all for benefit of the doubt, but you have to see clearly first. She wishes Nina could see the liar staring her in the face.
Valentin makes arrangements to open the house in Greece. He tells them they know the drill, and to make sure Helena’s personal items are out of the room. He tells them not to lock the suite though. He doesn’t want Charlotte to think it’s a dark witch’s chamber, although that’s not far from the truth. He hangs up, and hears someone coming in. It’s Nina. They look at each other.
Tomorrow, Finn tells Alexis that he knows Hayden is lying, Nina needs to hear Valentin say it, and Diane says Sam is being transferred to Pentenville tonight.
Chef Kevin is having stomach issues, and keeps running to the toilet. He says, man down. The guests are on the beach with Tanner and Courtney. Tanner says he’d love to set up a hammock, but he likes to work. In Courtney’s interview, she says she needs money, but doesn’t like work in general. Kate asks Kevin if he wants things to go faster or slower, and he says, very slower. She says, awkward, and gives him some medicine. In his interview, he wonders if the pressure of the charter is making him feel sick, and it’s turning into a sh*t show. The guests return to the yacht. Kate walks Simone through what they’re doing that evening. She has a violinist arriving, dinner for two upstairs (the grand proposal dinner), and dinner for five downstairs. In her interview, Kate says if she wasn’t busy she’d be freaking out, but she’s busy. Kevin still has cramps, and in his interview, says it’s a challenge to begin with, cooking for two different tables. Now he’s dealing with stomach issues. This is pretty intense.
Ashton goes over what the deckhands have to do, and says then they can party. Michael asks Kate if she wants a sneak preview, and shows her the ring. No surprise, it’s fabulous. She asks if he practiced, and he says, a little bit. He’s not sure what knee is traditional, like that matters. In Kate’s interview, she says, Michael seems nervous, but he chartered a mega yacht to propose. He should be able to just throw the ring at her face and she’ll say yes. In Ashton’s interview, he says, even though it’s early on, he doesn’t feel like he needs to micromanage the deckhands. Everyone is doing what they need to do, and everything seems cool – for now. Abbi complains that on a sailboat, she could wear shorts and a T-shirt. On a mega-yacht, they have to wear their whites when the guests come, and when the sun goes down, wear a black version of the white thing. Can’t she just chill? Kevin says tonight’s dinner is going to be a classic and expensive surf and turf. Service has been all over the place, but tonight, it has to be on point.
Kate sets up a small table upstairs. The guests get ready for dinner, and the violinist arrives. Kevin has a machine that regulates the temperature of the meat, and it keeps beeping. He doesn’t know how to fix it, and Kate says it’s like Chinese water torture for her ears. He tells her it’s going to keep beeping until the guests are ready. In Kate’s interview, she says, Kevin is spiraling out, and sh*tting himself. It’s not going to end well.
Kevin starts stressing because the guests aren’t seated yet. In her interview, Kate says, charter guests are never at the table on time. They’re on vacation. She doesn’t know why he’s being bajiggity about it. I’m guessing that’s similar to persnickety. Kate shows Michael and Samantha to their upstairs table, and they’re suitably impressed. The violinist plays, and the guests downstairs hear it. One says, someone’s heart is pumping fast right now. In the crew mess, the other deckhands ask Tanner how the excursion was, and he tells them about Courtney complaining that she has to work to get money. Ashton says his opinion of her just went down ten notches. Courtney walks in, and Ashton asks how her day on the beach was. She says she loved every minute of it. Tanner says, no she didn’t, and they all laugh. Dinner is served, and Samantha says, it’s better than any steakhouse. Michael is looking weird, and she says, what is it? He says she’ll find out later. Ashton tells the deckhands to get some rest.
In Kate’s interview, she says she loves Courtney and Simone. They take direction well, and have no egos – yet. Michael tells Samantha that he thinks he owes her for helping him every day. She put up with all the moves startups, and has stood by his side. She says she loves him, and he asks if she would be willing to do that for the rest of their lives. Kate comes up to clear some things from the table. Michael and Samantha get quiet, and in her interview, Kate says, whoopsie. Her bad. Michael tells Samantha that he doesn’t want to do life without her, and gets down on one knee. He asks her to marry him, and she starts to cry. He puts the ring on her finger, and Kate announces they now have an engaged couple on the boat. Michael and Samantha join the others, and Kate says, good job, everyone. Samantha was borderline sobbing. Abbi tells Ashton about being in an open relationship. If she doesn’t want to be possessed, she can’t possess anyone. In her interview, she says she’s seeing a captain named Patrick. She thinks she loves him, but if another guy likes her, YOLO. She asks Ashton if he’s interested in anyone, but Ashton says he needs to be focused on his job.
Captain Lee tells the crew, well done, and congratulates the couple. In his interview, he says, it’s a major event. It puts a smile on his face, and makes him feel warm and fuzzy. Samantha FaceTimes with dog Teddy, and shows him the ring. Ashton asks how Kevin is doing, and Kevin says he hasn’t been on the toilet for eight hours, so it’s a good indication that he’s better.
Kate tells Courtney to iron the epaulettes. One of the guests says, Samantha thought the dating period was long, wait until she sees how long the engagement period is. Samantha doesn’t look amused. Ashton goes to the bridge, and asks how Captain Lee is. The captain says he checked the obits, and he’s not in them, so it’s a good day. Kevin makes omelets, and the anchor is pulled up. Ashton asks Abbi if she needs help, but she says she’s good. He tells her that if she trusts herself, he trusts her too. In his interview, Ashton says it’s the first time he’s docked with this crew, and it’s where they show their true colors. He’s the leader now, and if things go wrong on deck, it’s on him. In Abbi’s interview, she says, a sailboat was easier than this huge-ass behemoth boat. Damaging anything could be thousands of dollars. They dock, but Abbi has a hard time tossing the line to the guy on shore. The captain says they can’t hold the boat forever, and she finally nails it. In Captain Lee’s interview, he says, it’s like landing a plane. There are a lot of moving parts when they’re coming in. It’s not pretty, but it’s effective.
It’s time for the guests to depart, and Michael tells the crew it was an absolutely perfect experience. He starts to walk, and Samantha taps him. He says, one more thing, and adds this is why he keeps her around. He gives Captain Lee an envelope, and everyone says how cute he is. Courtney wonders where her phone and soul are. They clean the boat, and Brian tells Abbi that he used to be temperamental back in the day, but tries not to be like that now. Abbi tells Brian about being homeless while she was going to college. She slept on a bench at the school, and changed clothes for work on the train. In her interview, she says she eventually got a full scholarship to law school. She thinks that makes her kind of badass.
Time for the tip meeting. The captain thinks it was outstanding for a first charter. He asks how Ashton feels about his first time out as bosun. Ashton is glad the first one is done. Captain Lee says he did well, and Ashton says he has a good crew; they made it easy. Kevin says, there were some kinks, and the Captain says he thinks everybody wants to do well. They do the best job they can, and all they can do, is do better as they get to know each other. The tip is $17,000 or $1500 each. In Simone’s interview, she says, $1500 for two days work is beyond. Captain Lee tells them, go out for cocktails; they earned it. But don’t embarrass themselves or the boat. Kate finds Kevin rummaging through a cupboard in the galley. He says he’s looking for something, and tells Kate he wants to sit with the stews, who he calls girls. Kate says she noticed there’s a particular way he likes things. In Kate’s interview, she says it was wrong for him to say there were kinks to be worked out in front of the crew and captain. She is pissed.
Everyone gets ready to go out. In his interview, Tanner says he gave 100%; now he’s ready to party. They get in a taxi, and go to a restaurant in the Thalang District in Phuket. Still refraining from making jokes. In Brian’s interview, he thinks Courtney can be hard to please. It throws him off, but he kind of likes it. Abbi says she hates being salty and wet, and Kate is surprised, since she worked on a sailboat. In Tanner’s interview, he says he’s always been attracted to older women. There’s no drama; they’ve already dealt with the bullsh*t.When cougars come out to play, you know you’re in for a good time. After dinner, they move on to a beach club, where there are acrobats hanging on silks. Brian says he wants liquor, and Ashton gets a bottle of vodka. In Ashton’s interview, he says, Thailand is fun, but you can get into a lot of trouble. He thinks they put something in the vodka there. Some of the crew members hit the dancefloor. In Simone’s interview, she says she loves dancing. Music is like her drug. A beat comes on, and she gets cuckoo. In Courtney’s interview, she says it’s not her thing. She’s like an old woman; she enjoys silence and glass of wine, or good conversation. She doesn’t like people she doesn’t know sweating on her. Ashton flirts with a random girl. Abbi tells Tanner that she thinks Ashton is hot. He asks if she wants to hook up with him; she’s crushing on him hard. She says, not until ten minutes ago. In her interview, she says Ashton being her boss doesn’t affect things. She had sex all time with her boss in Greece. Tanner tells her that she’s hot AF, and she’s good. Abbi tells Ashton that she likes him, and asks if he feels her. In his interview, he says, good idea? Bad idea? Screw it. It’s a great idea. She tells him, come to mama, and he says he’s got her.
Ashton hugs Abbi, and says he loves her. It’s time to go back to the boat, and the crew gets in two taxis. Tanner wants to sit next to Kate, but she makes him get in the back, rather than crowd her and Courtney. Brian tells Courtney that’s she’s pretty, but she needs to smile more. He tells her, please laugh, and she says, be funnier. In Courtney’s interview, she says she does smile, but not when he’s telling her to. He’s an idiot. STFU. Google men telling women to smile, and you’ll see how most of us feel about that. Ashton tells Abbi that she’s his favorite. He tells the deckhands that he’s sleeping on the pads on deck tonight, and they’re welcome to cuddle. They all go upstairs. In the crew mess, Courtney tells Simone that she’s never gone up to a man and say he’s pretty and ask him to smile. She won’t smile because Brian tells her to.
The next morning, the deckhands wake up in their clothes. In Abbi’s interview, she says it would have been less awkward waking up next to Ashton if they’d actually hooked up. It’s going to be a weird day. Kate wonders where the drugs are. She lies on the couch. In her interview, she thinks the vodka if different in Thailand. She’s like eighteen-year-old Kate, partying for the first time, and hung over. It’s not a good look. She tells Simone to do laundry, and Courtney to sort the pantry. Ashton is glad the deckhands don’t have much to do today.
Kate asks Kevin about his daughter. He says her name is Billie, and Kate says she loves girls with boy’s names. In Kevin’s interview, he says he and Billie’s mother broke up twelve months after she was born. It’s hard to be away from his daughter. She’s his life, and what he lives for. He tells Kate that Billie lives in Melbourne. Tanner tells Abbi that she’ll have to talk to him like it’s his first day. Brian asks Simone if there were issues in the car, and she says he whined that Courtney doesn’t like him. He says he definitely drank too much, and obviously said something he doesn’t remember. Kevin takes apart a jackfruit. I only mention this because I recognize it from 90 Day Fiancé. Abbi tells Ashton that he was trying to get it in with her last night, and he says don’t lie. Brian wants to talk to Courtney, and says he hopes he didn’t offend her or do anything wrong, She says he was just annoying her, and he says he’s sorry. She says he was annoying, but she appreciates the apology. He says he wants things to be okay. In her interview, she says she’s not that mad, but she won’t forget it.
Ashton asks what Simone did before she was a yachtie. She says she worked at a sports betting place, did hostessing, anything that wasn’t nine to five. Ashton thinks that’s why they’re all in yachting. They’re all running from that. In Simone’s interview, she says she researched what she could do to earn money and see the world. She went into yachting and loves it.
Captain Lee calls Kevin, Ashton, and Kate to the wheelhouse for the preference sheet meeting. It’s repeat customers, Richard and Helen. In Kate’s interview, she says she loves them. Helen is over-the-top – we flash back to her openly flirting with Chef Adrian – and Richard is the strong silent type. They’re so nuts; she loves them. The captain says Helen owns a Beverly Hills lingerie store, and they don’t know what Richard does. They’re bringing their closest friends. They want to go fishing, and should they catch anything, want to eat it. Regardless, they want that dinner to be a seafood extravaganza. In Kevin’s interview, he says he’s worried about this charter. These are repeat customers, and there have been problems with service. Everyone needs to know the way he works. The guests also want a beach picnic and an island excursion. Tanner calls his parents, and tells them that the first charter couldn’t have gone better. Then they got hammered at a restaurant. His mom says, sounds like fun, and asks if there were any hookers there. She worries. In his interview, Tanner says he’s the youngest of four, and they’re very close. His dad is retired, and his mom is a flight attendant and his best friend. He would come home drunk when he was in high school, and she’d ask if he was having fun. He could get away with murder. She tells him, don’t get anyone pregnant.
Abbi can’t find her radio. Courtney says she wants a seafood extravaganza; it’s not fair. Ashton tells Abbi to look everywhere for the radio, knowing how much this pisses the captain off. Provisions come in, and in his interview, Kevin says they need a meeting. His standards are high, and the service isn’t matching what he’s trying to put out. He needs them to understand his plan of attack so they’re on the same page. He doesn’t really tell them anything they don’t know already, and points out where he’ll be hanging the menu. In Kate’s interview, she says, Kevin is asserting power. The last time she checked, the chief stew was head of service. He needs to focus on his job being a chef, and she’ll do the rest.
The captain finds Abbi’s radio. He calls Ashton, and asks who doesn’t have a one. Ashton says they’ve been searching for one, not wanting to out Abbi, but Captain Lee asks whose radio they’re looking for. Ashton tells him, and says she’s been looking everywhere. The captain tells him to bring all the deckhands to the wheelhouse. In the captain’s interview, he says he comes apart like a cheap suit over somebody not having a radio. It pisses him off to no end. He tells them the radio was in the wheelhouse, and he hopes this is the last time he’s having this conversation. Abbi apologizes. He suggests they sleep with their radios. It should be part of them. If they don’t have a radio, and something catastrophic happens where they need assistance they’ll find out what sorry is. So will the person whose life they’re trying to save. In Abbi’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to disrespect the Captain Lee, because she respects him, and now she’s effing up his number one rule. She apologizes, and the captain tells her not to let it happen again. The next time won’t be as pretty. On deck, Ashton tells her not to get stressed about it, but be more careful. Sort it out, and move on. They high five. The captain says, ten minutes until show time.
Captain Lee tells the crew to step it up. He sees the guests walking this way. One of the guests thinks the boat’s name is Velour. (It’s Valor.) They’re met with drinks served in hollowed out melons with a thousand umbrellas and such in them. Helen is very excited, and I note that she’s lost weight. She says she’s brought her girl squad. The captain welcomes them back, and says they’re going to get this party on the road. Even he’s tired of saying, get this party started. Helen says she’s ready. Guest Brandy is seriously drunk already, and acting stupid. Kevin tells the captain, the girl in the white dress is really drunk, and Captain Lee says, she’s hammered. Ashton says, it must be the hottest day of the year (which must be pretty hot, since it always seems to be brutally hot there), and she’s already wasted. Another guest asks Kate if she’s the captain. Even if the epaulettes fooled her, this is after the introductions. Kate starts to give the tour, and Brandy wants to go to her room. She gets a panic attack, and one of the women asks who invited her. In Kate’s interview, she’s not sure what they were served before they came there, but she thinks Brandi had a lot of them. Brandi lies on a couch in the small lounge. In her interview, Kate says she’s had guests pass out before, but never within the first hour. She didn’t even get through the whole boat tour.
Next time, Kevin tells Simone that she hasn’t seen rude, the tender gets stuck on shore, Kevin forgets to buy seafood for the seafood extravaganza (what was that about high standards?), and the captain says Brandy needs medical attention immediately.
💔 Heartbreaking…
Captain Lee speaks out on an equal opportunity disease.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 