Tag Archives: Samuel L. Jackson

April 7, 2022 – Michael Promises an Exclusive To Smoltz, Taking Over, New Film, Non-Negotiable, Reuniting & Grazing

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In his office on the phone, Sonny says, he’ll stay in touch. They’ll finalize the deal, and he’ll give them all the details. He’s looking forward to it. He hangs up, and there’s a knock at the door. He says, come on in, and Frank brings in Nina. She says she came here in person so he wouldn’t be blindsided. He has a butterfly bandage over his eye, and she asks, what happened? He tells her not to worry about it. Whatever she came here to say, he appreciates the heads up, because defense is a lot easier when you see the hit coming.

Everyone gets in place for a family photo, and Portia asks Stella what she’s doing. Come here, and get in this picture. Stella’s vision goes blurry, and she drops to the floor. Portia, TJ, and Curtis run over, and Portia asks Trina to get her medical bag. TJ tells Stella that she’s going to be fine; focus on him and breathe slowly. Portia tells TJ, her pulse is thready, and TJ says, her pupils are dilated.

French Polynesia. French navy guy Valentin asks if this chair is taken, and Jennifer says she never turns down a cool drink from a hot man. He sits, and tells the bartender, whatever madame is drinking, bring two. Jennifer introduces herself, and Valentin says, bonjour. Captain Françoise Oliver – he kisses her hand – at her service.

At the MetroCourt, Michael says, Willow still can’t find her phone? and she says, no. She could swear she put it in her purse before they went out the door. He asks if she’s tried looking in her hand, and she says, wow. She’s losing her mind. She puts it in her purse, and he says, she’s just nervous about meeting with the reporter. She says she knows it was Diane’s suggestion, but she’s not convinced offering Smoltz a story in exchange for Smoltz dropping the charges against him is one of her better ideas. He says, it doesn’t hurt to explore their options. He won’t do anything she’s not okay with. They’re a team. She says, and don’t you forget it, and they kiss. A man approaches them, and says, Michael Corinthos and Willow Tate? Willow asks what this is about, and the man hands them each an envelope, saying, you’ve been served.

Harmony goes to Carly’s office, and says, Carly’s assistant wasn’t at her desk. She hopes she’s not disturbing her. Carly asks if she’s lost, and Harmony says, no, but feel free to tell her to get lost after she tells Carly why she’s here.

Laura asks what goal she and Victor could possibly have in common, and Victor says, the well-being of the people they care about. It’s time to put the past behind them and look to the future, and their family’s place in it. If she knew how high the stakes were right now for the people they love, she woudn’t hesitate to help him.

On the phone in a private area of the MetroCourt, Alexis says, they asked her to sit on a television panel to talk about cyber-exploitation… Yeah, it would be great exposure for the newspaper… She thanks them for convincing her she might be good at this job… Smoltz comes out of nowhere, and says, congratulations, Alexis Davis, while doing a slow clap. He says, the cyber-exploitation article is making her famous. Too bad she stole it from him.

Valentin asks Jennifer what’s brought her to the island, and she says, an auction of something priceless to her. Valentin says, how exciting, and she says, it belonged to someone very special. He says, and this someone special, is here with her? She wonders if the captain is asking if she’s single, and he says, how do you Americans say? You got me. She laughs and says, nobody special at the moment. Anyone special in his life?

Laura asks if her family is in danger, but Victor says, not yet. But they do live in uncertain times, and she has a lot of family to consider. There’s her other son, her daughter, her grandchildren, that charming husband of hers, not to mention the two brothers she just recently got to know. She asks what he cares about her brothers; he never cared about his own. Frankly, his rebirth as a devoted family man doesn’t just strain believability; it’s laughable.

TJ tells Stella, good news. This isn’t a stroke. Portia says they’ll conduct an EKG when they get to the hospital, but it doesn’t look like it was a heart attack either. Curtis asks, then what is it? Why did she collapse? TJ says, they’ll find out more when they get to the hospital, but there don’t appear to be any physical symptoms. Stella says she couldn’t breathe, and everything went black. Marshall says, the paramedics are here, and he and TJ help Stella to the door. Curtis asks Portia what she and TJ think happened, and she says they think Aunt Stella might have suffered a panic attack.

Nina says she hopes her news isn’t too much of a hit for Sonny, Michael, and Willow, and he says, she petitioned the court for visitation of Wiley?She says she did; Michael and Willow are going to be served any minute now. He says he was hoping to prevent this, and she says, he did what he could. Like she told him, she doesn’t want him to referee. He says he doesn’t think he could talk to Michael anyway, even if he tried, and she says she did everything she could to keep this out of the courts and minimize the impact on him. Although it seems like her actions only made it worse between him and Michael. He says, Michael’s anger is at him, not her, and she says, regardless of who takes responsibility, her first priority is to make sure she’s in her grandson’s life. It’s a crazy thought, but she’s hoping someday she’ll have an amicable relationship with her grandson’s parents.

Willow wonders if Smoltz filed a civil suit, but Michael says, if that were the case, he’d just be served, not her. They open the envelopes, and she says, oh no. He says, Nina has filed for visitation with Wiley, and she says she can’t believe she’s surprised, but she is. Nina’s going through with it; dragging them all into a court battle. He says he knew she was going to do this. Any pretense of a compromise or being reasonable was just window dressing. She says, Nina is selfish to the core. She goes after what she wants, consequences be damned. He says, what happened to his parents is proof of that.

Carly says, Harmony is Willow’s mom, so if she needs to tell Harmony to get lost, she thinks she can come up with a more polite way to phrase it. Harmony says, fair enough, and Carly asks her to have a seat. Harmony says she won’t take up too much of Carly’s time. She’s looking for a job. Carly says she thought Harmony had one, when Harmony’s phone rings. Carly asks if she needs to get it, but Harmony says, it’s not important. She still has a job at Spring Ridge, but she’s trying to save up for a security deposit for an apartment, and two jobs would be really helpful. Carly asks where she’s living now, and Harmony says, a really generous friend is letting her stay with her temporarily; Alexis Davis. Carly says she knows Alexis, and Harmony says, having a second job would get her out of Alexis’s place faster and into her own. Carly says she admires Harmony’s drive, but is she sure she’s going to have enough energy to moonlight? Harmony says she’ll totally find the energy. It’s important that she doesn’t burden Alexis. She’s caused enough trouble as it is.

Alexis says she didn’t steal anything from Smoltz. Story ideas come across her desk all day long. He says, maybe, but he pitched her that revenge porn scoop first, then she gave it to another reporter behind his back. She says she gave it to another reporter because he would have turned it into tabloid fodder, and he says he can be sensitive and relevant, but she didn’t give him the chance. She took the low road to take the high road. She asks if he doesn’t think she read the articles of his that nutcase Peter put in The Invader? She doesn’t owe him anything. He doesn’t have a high road. He begs to differ, and says, so here’s the deal. He won’t sue her for stealing his idea. In return, she’s in his debt, and he intends to collect. She asks what he wants, and he says, a five part feature in The Invader. She asks if he thinks she’s going to agree to that, and he says, he does. Because if she doesn’t, she’ll be looking in looking dusty corners to find story ideas after his colleagues find out she did him dirty. She says, he doesn’t know all the journalists out there, and he says, maybe not, but he has a huge social following. Even if he’s not liked, he’s known. Is she willing to take the chance that this will go away? No.

Jennifer says Valentin never answered his question. He’s not wearing a ring. Does that mean he’s single? He says, there is someone back home, and she says, of course (🍷), but he says he assumes they’re destined be together. She asks, why? and he says he needs a woman who’s sure of what she wants. She says she knows what she wants. She wants to get to know him better, unless he’s not up for that. He says, au contraire, Jennifer. He would like nothing more, but he’s on leave and has only one night. She says, a lot can happen in one night, and they clink glasses.

The doctor comes in and tells Stella that TJ told him what happened. Stella asks if TJ told him that he thinks she’s losing her mind, but TJ tells her, he didn’t say that. The doctor says, his specialty isn’t the mind, but all doctors know physiology and psychology are closely linked. They can start by examining her. Portia says, they’ll wait outside, and Curtis says he doesn’t want to crowd her, but… Stella says, Portia can stay, and Portia says, of course (🍷).

Willow says, and what about what Nina did to her mom; manipulating her, so she could advocate to them for Nina to see Wiley. He says, they’ll have to make peace with Smoltz, and she says, he means cut a deal. He says, now that Nina filed the petition with the court, he has to make the assault charge disappear, or Nina and Scotty will try to exploit it to strengthen their case. She says, he’s right. They’ll have to play nice with that slimy reporter. Michael says, only to a point. They’ll have to be careful with the kind of story they offer Smoltz. She says, or they may live to regret it.

Carly says, she and Harmony share a grandson, she she’s happy to help. Does she have any experience that suited to hotel work? Harmony says she does; experience in cleaning and serving. Carly says, great. She’d love for Harmony to meet her partner Olivia Quartermaine. She thinks Monday works best. If it doesn’t work for Harmony, they can pick another day… Harmony says, it’s not that. In the interest of full disclosure, Harmony thinks she should tell Carly that she recently went to bat for Wiley’s other grandmother Nina Reeves.

Nina says, Michael can be reasonable. He let her see Wiley when Sonny was in Nixon Falls, until… Sonny says, until he found out Nina lied about him, and she says, that was her 463,000th mistake, and now Michael is angry at both of them. Sonny says, and afraid, because for whatever reason, Michael believes Nina is a danger to Wiley. She says she would never ever hurt her grandson, but the way Carly, Michael, and Willow act, you’d thinks she was a physical threat to him. Sonny says, Nelle was.

Trina asks Marshall if there’s any news, and he says, Stella is being examined. He wonder what she did with the cheese and crackers. Let’s not wait for news on an empty stomach. Trina says she’s not that hungry, and he says he knows how it feels when people get the wrong impression. She says, people think she betrayed her best friends. It makes her sick to her stomach. He says he knows it hurts. It hurts to be misunderstood. You know how he’s learned to deal with it? He brushes his shoulder, and says, not caring what strangers feel about him. She says, what about someone she considers a friend? How does she not care his feelings have changed? He says, that depends. Has he been a true friend to her? She says, her mom would say no, and he asks, why is that? She says, he asked her to cover for him when they first met. Then he did something pretty awful to someone she cares about, and now, he’s choosing to believe someone else over her. Marshall says he understands why her mom thinks this guy’s not deserving of Trina’s friendship, and she says she should have never invested in someone who had so many secrets.

Laura lifts her glass of ice tea, and says, may Victor achieve his dream of being the devoted family man of the year. She takes a sip, and says, come on now. No witty retort? No charming parry? He asks, what is there to parry? The Cassadines have a lamentable history, and the part he played in their schemes is well known. He’s been trying to make almonds amends, but her skepticism is quite understandable. She says he almost sounds sincere, and he says, his life has been horribly lonely over the last few years. When he went hiding after the explosion at Creighton-Clark, Nikolas was the only one who knew he survived. Laura says, he never told her, and Victor says, he told Nikolas not to. Nikolas would check in on him from time to time, but he knew Nikolas’s place was here in Port Charles. He spent a lot of time thinking about Valentin, dreaming about being a real grandfather to Charlotte. She says, as much as he dreamed about money and power. He says, what is money? What use is power if you can’t use it to improve the lives of your loved ones? She asks, what happened to the Victor Cassadine she used to know and hate? and he says, admittedly, he’s come to this appreciation of family rather late in life, but here and now, he’s more committed than she’ll ever know.

Alexis says she’s not going to be bullied by Smoltz, and he asks, who’s bullying? He’s a good writer with well-placed sources. She won’t be compromising herself by giving him a chance. She says, text her; make an appointment. He says she can’t blow him off that easily. She liked his revenge porn story enough to steal it. She thinks he’s a one hit wonder? He’ll just take his next pitch to the competition, and encourage his fellow journalists to do the same. She says, tell her when he comes across his next story. No promises.

Smoltz goes into the other room, and over to Michael and Willow’s table. Michael gets up, and Smoltz ducks and says, not the face. A little assault and battery humor. Kidding aside, there are plenty of witnesses here if Michael does come after him again. Michael says, all he wants to hit Smoltz with is an offer; have a seat. Smoltz tells him, so his attorney said when she set up this meeting. What has he got? Michael says, a mutually agreeable solution to their problem.

Carly says, Harmony went to bat for Nina over what? and Harmony says, over visitation with Wiley. Nina asked Harmony to appeal to Willow and Michael. In retrospect, she really wishes she’d said no. She felt she owed Nina. Carly says, for what? and Harmony says, as someone who doesn’t get much of a chance to see Wiley as well. She understood how Nina was feeling; they both love that little boy so much… Carly says, but now that Harmony has had time to think about it, she realizes Nina only uses people to get what she wants, and Harmony says, absolutely. She knows it’s best to just stay out of Nina’s affairs; getting involved has consequences. Carly thanks Harmony for telling her, and says, as for the job, Harmony can fill out an application online, and she’ll have her HR person flag the application. Harmony thanks her, and Carly says she’ll be in touch. As Harmony is leaving, her phone rings again

Nina asks, how does Nelle’s behavior have anything to do with her seeing her grandson? and Sonny tells her, he’s just saying maybe his family sees something of Nelle in her, and her in Nelle. She says she didn’t even get a chance to be able to raise her daughter, and she’s being blamed for how Nelle turned out? He tells her, he’s not saying it’s right. He’s saying maybe Michael believes it. She has to admit Nelle was capable of evil. She says, so Nelle was destined to be bad because of her DNA? and he says, it could show up in court, even if it’s not true. She’s nothing like Nelle. She says, thank you… I think, and he says, he sees all of her, and he’s thinking maybe Michael and Willow will too.  

Alexis asks if Carly is busy, and Carly says, she already told Alexis’s roommate she’d consider it. Alexis says, consider what? and Carly says, she’s not here about Harmony’s job? Alexis says, at Spring Ridge? and Carly suggests they start over again. What brings Alexis to her office? Alexis says she was offered a television spot to sit on a panel to discuss the article regarding Josslyn and Cameron. Carly says she knew it was getting traction, but didn’t know it was that much traction, and Alexis says, it’s a hot button issue, but if Carly thinks this will make Josslyn uncomfortable, she won’t do it. Carly says she can’t answer for Josslyn and Cameron, and Alexis says, then she’ll speak to them herself. As a courtesy, she wanted to run it by Carly first. Carly says, she appreciates it, and Alexis lingers. Carly asks if there’s anything else she can help Alexis with, and Alexis says, what is this about Harmony and a job?  

Smoltz says, their problem? Michael hit him, which makes the problem Michael’s. Harmony walks in, and Michael says, if the charges are brought to trial many months from now, his lawyer is confident she can prove undue provocation. When Commissioner Ashford is brought in to testify about the alleged attack, his lawyer will cross-examine her about how Smoltz sought him out, and made inflammatory remarks about his younger sister, a traumatized victim of revenge porn. Harmony comes by the table, and asks if she’s interrupting. She just thought she’d say hi. Willow suggests they give Michael and Smoltz a chance to talk, and tells Michael that she won’t be far if he needs her. She and Harmony leave, and Michael says, that’s if this even goes to trial. The DA might consider the case too weak and throw the charges out altogether. Smoltz suggests they talk about the civil suit he can file against Michael, and the damages he’ll get. Maybe Michael can advise him on which Caribbean island is best for the winter months. Michael asks if Smoltz can really afford ten, maybe twenty, years of litigation in civil court, because his lawyers can drag this out indefinitely, and trust him, Smoltz will go bankrupt before he ever sees a dime of Michael’s money.

Harmony asks Willow, what is it? and Willow says, Nina filed a petition for visitation. Harmony sighs, and says she didn’t think it would come to this. Does Willow think they can reach an agreement with Nina before they go to court? Willow says, no. They’re past that point; Nina has crossed too many lines. Any hope for a civil relationship is dead.

Nina thanks Sonny for seeing more of her than just her past. He says, she sees all of him, and she says she tries. He says she doesn’t just try; she does. She accepted his behavior when he’s been off on occasion. She got him through, and didn’t judge him. She asks if he finally wants to tell her what happened, and he says he walked into a punch. She asks if he’s sparring again, and he says, it’s good for the heart. She says, but it’s bad for the brain. He’s still bleeding. Let her take care of him. She gets a cloth and dabs at his wound, and he says, hurts so good. She asks if it hurts, but he says, she has a soft touch, and they kiss.

Jennifer asks how a nice cool shower sounds, and Valentin says, sounds refreshing. However, he prefers the delicious anticipation of waiting for her to return after her shower. She says, you French are such charmers, and he says, of course (🍷) he expects a moment by moment account, and she says, mon capitaine, you are a naughty one. He says, she has no idea, and she opens a wardrobe containing a safe. He watches as she opens the safe, and puts her jewelry inside. She tells him that she’ll be back two shakes. She goes into the bathroom, and he takes out a velvet pouch. She says she’s stepping into the shower, and he asks how the water is. She says, divine, and he tells her, describe everything, as he goes to the wardrobe and opens it. She says, first, her chest. She’s circling around her body, lathering her neck and arms; now her toes. He looks at the safe and hums.

Marshall says, all secrets are not created equal, and Trina says, but lying to protect a secret is never right. He says he’s no philosopher, but he believes certain lies are morally justified, and she tells him, who’s to say what’s immoral or not? He says, that’s a judgement call, and she says, her dad would agree with him. He had her believe he was dead, and she knows now he lied to protect her, but at the time, he broke her heart. He says, seems like her dad and him have a lot in common. Instead of saving their children from pain, they both inflicted it on them.

Stella thanks Portia for staying with her, and Portia says, her pleasure; of course (🍷). Curtis knocks, and asks if he’s invited back in. Stella tells him to come over and give her some sugar. He gives her a hug and kiss, and she asks if the doctor told him, there’s no need to fuss. He says, the doctor told him she’s not suffering from any physician conditions, but there’s definitely something going on. She says, it’s just stress, and he says, enough to cause heart palpitations? Something’s definitely got her rattled… or someone.

Alexis tells Carly, Harmony was her only friend in Spring Ridge; Harmony was her crutch. So if Carly wants her to give a recommendation, she can tell Carly that Harmony is very conscientious, and she’s a hard worker… and not good enough? Carly says, it’s not that, it’s just… Harmony told her that Nina got her to talk to Michael and Willow about visitation with Wiley. Alexis says she has an idea of how Carly feels about that, and Carly says she doesn’t like the idea of anyone forming an alliance with Nina. Alexis says, at least Harmony was honest about it, knowing it could cost her a job, and Carly says, but Harmony said something else that was really strange. She said she owed Nina. Alexis says, owed her what? and Carly says, maybe it doesn’t matter. Is Alexis saying Carly can trust her?

Harmony says, Willow is the most forgiving person she knows. There’s got to be hope for reconciliation between her and Nina. Willow says, not after all the harm Nina has caused; sleeping with Sonny, breaking up his marriage. And all the while, stringing Willow along with a promise of compromise about Wiley. Nina’s a narcissist. She’s selfish and self-serving. Willow doesn’t want her anywhere near Wiley. There’s no compromising on that. Harmony’s phone rings, and she takes a look, but doesn’t answer. Willow says, somebody wants to talk to her. Why is she ignoring it? You know, I can suspend my disbelief over things like Nixon Falls, but who on earth would ask that IRL?

Smoltz says, if he drops the charges, what does he get as thanks? and Michael says, an exclusive. Smoltz asks, how exclusive? and Michael says he just got served with notice that Nina Reeves, real estate heiress, Crimson editor, and convicted kidnapper, has petitioned for visitation with his son Wiley. Smoltz says, her grandson; that’s not news. Michael says, what he’s offering is an on the record account of Nina’s conflict with his family. Everything from her time in Nixon Falls to the present. And a little background to the abduction of Avery Corinthos. Smoltz says, now Michael’s got his attention.

Sonny and Nina continue to kiss, when Sonny’s phone rings. He picks it up, says, business associate, and puts it back down. Nina says, no, she thinks he should get back to work. She picks up her bag and coat, and says, like she told him, she wanted to alert him about the petition. He says he appreciates that, and she says, see him around. He says she can count on it, and she goes to the door. She turns back, and says, mend fences with Michael, even if it means siding against her in court. He says he’s on Wiley’s side, whatever’s best for him. She says, hopefully that includes having his grandmother in his life. He says, kids need all the love they can get. As a matter-of-fact, everybody needs all the love they can get. He smiles, and I like this Sonny.

Curtis asks if Marshall upset Stella, and she tells him, don’t be silly. He says, she and Marshall had an intense conversation earlier. If that bothered her, he needs to know. She says, it’s not his job to worry about her, but he says, it’s his job to protect his family… even if it’s from his own father.

Victor says, if he and Laura work together, combining her pragmatism with his imagination, they would be unstoppable. She says, to what end? and he says, the future; a better future. She says, it’s a shame Luke Spencer won’t be around to enjoy some of that better future, and he says, Luke’s passing is indeed a terrible tragedy. Laura’s phone dings, and she looks at it and frowns. Victor says, bad news? and she says, Doc can’t make lunch. He got called to a staff meeting. Victor says he’s sorry. He’d ask her to join him, but he’s pretty sure he knows what her answer would be. She says, good. Then he won’t be disappointed when she turns him down. He says, she does believe he cares for Nikolas and Spencer, doesn’t she? and she says, he may be sincere in wanting to do right by his family… He says, he senses a but coming, and she says, but it wouldn’t be him, would it? He’s the kind of guy who sees what he wants, and he goes and he gets it. No matter who or what is in his way.

Jennifer says, the showerhead tickles, and Valentin brings the pouch over to the safe. He starts putting in a combination, and says, is that a good thing or a bad thing? She says, so good. Is he sure he won’t join her. The combination doesn’t work, so he tries another, and she says, the water is wonderful. He says, just hearing her voice is driving him crazy, and he gets another dud. He keeps trying, and asks if she’s washing her hair, and she says she already did. The next combination doesn’t work, and he says, magnifique. She says she’s ready for him to towel her off.

Smoltz says, Michael wants a hit piece on Nina Reeves, and Michael says he wants to set the record straight about Nina’s erratic behavior. The damage she’s caused, the laws she’s broken, and the questionable judgement she’s shown. Smoltz says he’ll need more than a list of grievances, and Michael says, he’ll have enough material to write a dozen articles; sources, dates, and even the inside scoop on Nina’s relationship with his father. Smoltz says, if Michael’s got the goods, they’ve got a deal. This will be the feature of a lifetime, and he knows exactly who will run it. Speaking of running it, doesn’t Michael think he should run all this by Carly first?

Nina tells Sonny to put ice on his eyebrow, and stick to dancing. He asks if she knew that boxing and dancing are similar. You could easily be distracted, and if you mess with your footwork, you can get hurt. And they’re both contact sports, so you need plenty of practice. She tells him to call her if he needs a partner, and he says, for sparring? but she says, no. They’ve already fought enough in the ring, but if he wants to perfect his box step, she’ll leave room on her dance card.

Alexis gets a call from Smoltz, but ignores it. She says she can vouch for Harmony’s work ethic, but whether Carly hires Harmony is up to her. Carly thanks her, and also for telling her about Joss and Cam. Alexis has given her a lot to think about. Alexis says she’ll stay in touch, and leaves.

On the phone, Marshall asks Stella how she’s doing, and she says, apparently, it was a panic attack. He says, those panic attacks, they can be frightening, and she says, it got her thinking about all she’s been holding inside. He gets up, stepping away from Trina, and says, that was just what he was doing just now. It’s healthier to unburden oneself. She says, healthier for who? His confession won’t be good for the family Curtis is forming, or their place in it. He asks what she’s saying, and she tells him, if Curtis asks him more about his past, stick to his story.

In a private spot, Curtis makes a call. He says, it’s Curtis Ashford. He’d like to revisit their proposition.

Harmony says, it’s just telemarketers, and Willow asks if she’s sure. What if it’s important? Harmony says, they didn’t leave a voicemail, so… Her phone dings, and Willow asks if she isn’t the least bit curious. Harmony looks at the text on her phone: It’s Brendon. We meet or next I call your daughter.

Laura says, goodbye, Victor, and he says, at least he tried. He won’t press his cause further today. He’ll give her time to change her mind. She says, he may not have that time to give. In fact, his time is rapidly running out.

Jennifer says she guesses she has to dry herself off, and Valentin makes one last attempt. She says she’s going to slip into something he can slip her out of easily, and asks if they should order champagne. He finally gets the safe open, and says, voila! Absolutment. Champagne is a necessity. He is parched. Jennifer comes out, and asks what he thinks he’s doing.  

Tomorrow, Trina says, if she pleads guilty, this is all over; Willow tells Michael, their relationship with Harmony might work in their favor; Anna says, there’s something more than what meets the eye; and Curtis tells Selena, his term is non-negotiable.

🏥 How She’s Doing…

It’s not easy taking over for an already established character, so my hat’s off to her. That being said, I’m missing the old Trina. It’s not the new actress that I have issues with, but the way she’s being directed. The new Trina seems to be more passive in some way, and I’m not loving it.

🎥 Crushing It…

This sounds promising, and it’s free on TubiTV.com. I love that site. You can always find weird stuff there. Try Dinosaur Hotel while you’re there. If you like B-pictures, you won’t be sorry.

🗽 Boo Hiss…

Shame on the Housewives for not letting Eboni play their reindeer games. And contrary to what the article says, I did miss them having a Reunion. I was actually kind of pissed off that they didn’t. I also thought Eboni was a great addition to the cast. God forbid we should learn stuff.

https://ew.com/tv/eboni-k-williams-rhony-castmates-wouldnt-negotiate-future-with-her/

💣 Third Kill…

Another promising piece of entertainment. I would say, you can’t miss with that cast, but I saw Sphere in the movie theater. It’s 134 minutes of my life I can’t get back.

https://ew.com/movies/samuel-l-jackson-uma-thurman-reunite-the-kill-room/

🍩 Whatever Gets You Through the Night…

Hope to see you tomorrow for Friday’s wild card of soap, tea, insightful words, and an appropriate (or not) musical effort. Until then, stay safe, stay thirsty for knowledge, and stay knowing that boxing might be good for the heart, but it’s bad for the brain. So dance instead.

April 1, 2020 – Julian Acts Like a Jerk, GH Celebrates, a Goodbye, Catching Up & Stay Home

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Because I don’t want to break my streak, I miss the beginning. Two important points are, Brook telling Lulu to relax because she doesn’t want Dustin’s body, just his mind, and Felix telling Sonny that Mike won’t walk because he’s afraid of falling.

Jax asks if Charlotte knows he has a daughter, and Charlotte says, Josslyn. He says when she was a little girl, Josslyn would visit him in Australia. Charlotte says she’s always wanted to go there, and he says she should. He asks if she likes surfing, and she says she loves it. Her papa has taken her to San Tropez. Jax says, fancy. Charlotte asks if she can go over to the counter and sit with Maddie, and Nina says, sure, and Jax says, that went well, and she tells him, give Charlotte time to come around. She says she’s having a difficult time replacing Maxie. She still has no creative director. He says he can lend her some support staff from Aurora to help look for prospective candidates, and she says, that’s sweet of him, but she thinks she’ll be okay. She just hired an administrative assistant. He hopes they’re good, and she says, that’s open for debate. It’s Nelle.

Sonny urges Mike to try and get out of bed. The nurse said, the sooner he gets out, the sooner he can go back to Turning Woods. He wants to get out of the hospital, right? Sonny gets no response, and says he wants to get Mike up. They can walk around and come back. Mike says Sonny is trying to scam money from him in a card game, but Sonny says that’s not what he’s doing. Mike calls him a punk from Flatbush, and tells him to scram. Get out.

Carly comes in to the kitchen to find Brando making crafts with Avery. She asks, what’s going on? and Brando says they’ve been busy. He was dropping off paperwork for Sonny to sign off on; insurance documents for the new shop. Avery shows Carly her new necklace, and Brando says the nanny was busy, and Avery wanted to show him how it’s done. Carly thanks him, and he says it’s his pleasure. She’s quite the little artist. Avery wants to go upstairs, and Carly tells her not to wake Donna. She says she’ll be as quiet as a mouse. She leaves, and Carly says, Brando is good with her.

Trina asks what Portia heard that’s going to be in the media, and Portia says she’s not going to lie. The news is not good. Jordan says, during the investigation into her father’s death, it was discovered that Taggert tampered with evidence that sent a criminal to prison.

Alexis yells at Julian to stop. Julian says Neil was supposed to help her, not help her fall off the wagon. Neil pushes him off, and Julian says Neil used Alexis’s deepest darkest secrets to worm his way into her life. Alexis says he’s off base, and Julian says, that hack is off base. Britt tells him to calm down, and Julian says she calls herself a doctor, but she’s just a twisted predator, which is a totally bizarre choice of words. He says, Neil manipulated Alexis into a relationship. Alexis says she doesn’t need his misguided chivalry, but he says someone needs to protect her. She says she doesn’t need protecting; not from Neil. He says, what about last night? and she says she thought she could trust him, and she sees where it got her. Julian says she’s been lying to him, and he has proof. I’m thinking Julian is the one who turned Neil in.

Brook tells Dustin and Lulu, she’s relaunching her music career, and working on new material. Lulu asks what about her binding contract with the awful producer? and Brook says she found a way to extract herself from it. Lulu says, translation; Brook’s father rescued her. Brook says he didn’t, and Lulu shouldn’t underestimate her. Lulu asks how she pulled it off, and Brook says she’s a Quartermaine. Master negotiation is in her DNA.

On the phone, Valentin says, it’s a major acquisition. How are things going on their end? Let him know when the deal is closed.

Jax tells Nina, don’t tell him she hired an ex-con who almost killed Josslyn’s brother, and almost killed Sonny’s family? Nina says Nelle has a different interpretation, but she hired Nelle for her own reasons. When the custody hearing happens, she can supply dirt. He tells her to be careful not to leave herself open to be Nelle’s next target.

Jordan tells Trina, it’s a lot to process, and Trina says Jordan is lying. Her father would never frame anyone. If he put someone in prison, the evidence was real. Curtis says, it was a major drug trafficker, Cyrus Renault. Cameron says, the guy who kidnapped them? and Curtis says, the same guy. Jordan says she was working undercover on a team with Taggert. He devoted his life to justice, and when he knew a horrible crime was going to be committed, he made the choice to make sure Cyrus was guilty. Trina doesn’t believe her, and Jordan says, sorry, but it’s the truth. Trina asks Portia to tell Jordan; he would never do that. He was a good cop. Portia knows it’s a lot to absorb. She didn’t want to believe it either. Trina says, then don’t. Cameron tells Trina, Jordan is the Police Commissioner. Trina says, so what? and he says, so why would she be saying this if it was a lie?

Carly says, when it comes to Brando, she wonders when another shoe is going to drop. He says if she doesn’t believe him, look it up in the public records. She asks, what the extra help babysitting Avery? He says Sonny gave him the garage, and it’s already doing a decent business. She says Brando uprooted his life for them, and he’s okay with that? He says, obviously not at first. He definitely resented it, but they pressured him to stay, and things are different now. There are great opportunities in Port Charles; not just with the shop, but with family too.   

Sonny tells Mike, he’s not trying to get him to play cards, and he doesn’t know the crew in Flatbush; he’s not in that scene. But if Mike doesn’t get out of bed, he’ll put himself at risk. Mike asks, of what? and Sonny says, for starters, pneumonia. Mike asks if that’s supposed to scare him, and Sonny says, he could get pneumonia and die. He has to keep up his strength. Does he want to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life? Mike says, no, of course (🍷) not, and Sonny says, then get out bed and walk a little. If he doesn’t, he’ll need to learn to walk again. It happened to Sonny. He got shot, and had to learn all over again. Mike doesn’t want to go through that at his age. Mike says, enough about his age, and Sonny says, come on. He’s got to listen. Mike says he doesn’t want to do this anymore.

Neil suggests Julian take it down a notch, and Alexis asks where the hostility is coming from. Not long ago, Julian was working with Neil to help her. Now he’s humiliated her, and threw Neil against a wall for no apparent reason. A small crowd gathers near the door, and Julian says, is she kidding? She forgot to tell him one important detail. Alexis says, don’t, and Julian says, the real reason she was a mess last night is because she and Neil slept together.

Alexis tells Julian, what she did or didn’t do is none of his damn business. Britt suggests they take it somewhere private, where everyone isn’t watching. Felix has shown up, and tells them, duke it out elsewhere. They can’t be disturbing the patients.

Brook tells Lulu, she made Linc an offer he couldn’t refuse. Her career is now her own, and she’s only going to work with people she respects and trusts. No more washed up failures stuck in neutral. Lulu says, and Dustin is the first person she thought of? Brook says Dustin used to write gorgeous lyrics. She asks if he remembers his love poems, and Lulu tells her, put a sock in it. Dustin says Brook told him his poetry was sophomoric, and she says, he’s still writing, isn’t he? Write everything down. A bad idea can lead to a good song. She took his advice. Lulu says Brook should have volumes of terrible lyrics, and Brook says she doesn’t expect Lulu to understand. All she’s interested in is hairspray, lip gloss, and cupcake recipes for the PTA bake sale.

Jax says Nina’s weakness is that she’s overconfident, and that assumption can make her fall. She says she learned her lesson, and he says, what if Nelle realizes Nina is setting her up? She says, don’t worry. Nelle will never see her coming. He says, remind him to never get on her bad side, but she says, her bad side can be good sometimes. Valentin comes in, and Charlotte runs to him.

Neil, Alexis, and Julian go into an empty examining room. Alexis asks how Julian could do that, and Julian says, what? Tell the truth? She says he accused Neil in front of everyone. Why? He says he did it for her, and she says, in what universe would that benefit her? He says she regretted what happened, then protected Neil. Neil used what he learned about her to lure her into having sex with him. She doesn’t know what he’s talking about, and says he sounds insane. Julian says he knows the truth, and Britt saw them in New York. They were all over each other in the corridor. She says, so Britt ran and tattled to him, but he says, no. He mentioned Alexis had an issue with her therapist, and Britt remembered where she’d seen Neil before – with his tongue down Alexis’s throat. Alexis doesn’t know how to make this clearer, but it’s none of his business what she does or who she does it with. Neil suggests they keep the volume down. They can resolve this in an adult way; there’s no need do get physical. Julian says, Neil made it physical; then made Alexis drink. Alexis tells Julian to go straight to hell where he belongs.

Sonny says he’s not going to force Mike to walk if he doesn’t want to. When the nurse comes in, maybe she can get him to do it. He likes Elizabeth, right? Mike nods, and Sonny tells him, get some rest. Mike asks if Sonny would tell him a story. He used to do that; tell him a story when he was afraid of the dark. Sonny says, all right, and sits down. He says, once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived in Brooklyn with his mom and dad. He liked to hang out on the porch in the neighborhood, and watch the kids go by on their bikes. He didn’t want to join them. He didn’t want to ride a bike. Mike asks, why not? and Sonny says, he was afraid he’d fall off.

Carly says she can’t imagine Brando had a yen to make a macaroni necklace. Brando says, a pasta necklace. The nanny was busy with Donna, and Avery was begging to make a necklace, so why not? He figured the nanny had her hands full, he didn’t have to be anywhere, and Avery wouldn’t stop asking. Carly says, she’s relentless. She’d love to say Avery got it from her father. Avery digs in when she wants something, and won’t give up. She learned it from watching Carly. Brando says, Avery is a lucky little girl.

Cameron says he gets how much Trina hates this; he hates it for her. But it’s better to find out now before it becomes viral. Curtis says Taggert did a bad thing, but for a good reason. Trina says, he did his job, and now they’re going to trash his reputation, when he’s not there to defend himself. Portia says they’re telling her now to protect her. The story is going to get out. Trina asks, why? She doesn’t believe it, but even if she did, Cyrus is a drug trafficker and a kidnapper. He belongs in prison; leave him there. Portia says what her father did was wrong. You can’t create evidence. Trina says her father knew that, so why would he do it? Jordan says she’s sorry, but that’s exactly what he did.

Charlotte asks if Valentin knows Jax. He says he does, and asks how Jax is. Not to be rude, but can he have a quick word outside with Nina? Jax says he’ll look after Charlotte. He suggests he and Charlotte go smell what’s coming out of the oven; it might be cranberry scones. Charlotte tells her papa to have a nice chat with Nina. Valentin and Nina go outside, and he asks if they’re capable of having a nice chat. He notices she got a haircut, and says he loves it. She asks why they’re out there, and he asks if she and Jax are serious. She says they’re seeing each other and having fun. He says, good, and she says, it is. No lies or secrets, and no fraud. He hopes she enjoys it while it lasts.

Dustin says Brook isn’t doing herself any favors by insulting Lulu, but Brook says she was kidding. Where’s their sense humor? Lulu says it’s intact when something is funny. Brook asks if Dustin has given up writing, and he says he just writes for himself. She says, how selfish. She knows there’s a good song somewhere in there. She’s just asking for one song, and she wouldn’t ask if she didn’t need the help. If it’s a success, he’ll enjoy the royalties. She can see the movie now. Two dreamers in New York City, who took different paths, then came together to fulfill their dream. Lulu says, it sounds like the cover of a bad romance novel, and adds, Dustin isn’t interested. Dustin says he has to think about it, and Brook asks him not to take too long. She leaves, and Lulu says she shouldn’t have answered for him. He says he’s not doing it, and she asks, why not? He says he has a happy life, and doesn’t want to shake it up, but she says she thinks he should do it. Write Brook a song.

Brando says, so Avery isn’t Carly’s daughter? Carly says Avery has lived with them since she was born; her mom Ava isn’t reliable. He knows how that works, and she asks if life wasn’t great growing up with Gladys. He says it wasn’t an easy life, but he wasn’t an easy kid. He would take off, and go on hikes, or build forts in abandoned buildings, or go to the library to read. Gladys had no idea where he was. She thought he was shoplifting or busting windows, but he just wanted to be alone.

Sonny tells Mike, the boy had four or five friends down the street, and one friend, Lenny, outgrew his bike, so he gave his bike to the little boy. The bike was a hand-me-down, and rusty, but it worked. The boy was afraid to ride it, because another friend had fallen and broken his collarbone and had stitches above his eye. So he didn’t want to ride. Mike asks if the boy ever learned, and Sonny says, eventually. His dad taught him. His dad said just take five minutes to learn to ride. Mike asks, what happened? and Sonny says for five minutes, the boy tried. Then his dad upped it to ten, then twenty-five. The boy got the hang of it, but he was still scared. His dad said, just go two car lengths, and he would be by the boy’s side. Then the boy went three, four, five car lengths, and soon the kid was flying.  His dad said he’d buy the boy a brand new bike with chrome handlebars. He never did, but what he gave the boy was a lot more than any bike could give him.

Jordan tells Trina, it seems unfair, but it doesn’t matter. They have a code they have to follow, and she had to notify the Justice Department. Trina says Taggert was Jordan’s partner. How could she betray him? Jordan says she admired Taggert, and hated telling Trina. She’s sorry, but it’s out of her hands.

Julian says he wondered why Alexis drank after all those years of sobriety. Then Britt told him about seeing her with Neil, and it hit him; it was Neil. Alexis says, so Julian thought it was his place to accuse Neil of exploiting her when he just did the same thing? She trusted him, and he broadcast her private business for the entire hospital to hear. He says, Neil had to be exposed for what he did to her, and she says, all the time they’ve spent together, and he has no clue who she is. She tells him, get out. Julian says, hear him out, but she repeats, get out. Julian leaves, and Neil closes door. He asks Alexis, why did she drink? Was it really because of him?

Nina asks why Valentin assumes she and Jax aren’t going to last, and he says he gets it. Jax is tall, blond, personable; relationship material. She asks why this is Valentin’s business. Is this what he needed to talk about? He says he’s sorry. Without reservation or agenda, he’s sorry for what he did to her, and hopes she can understand and accept his apology. Jax seems to see the world in black and white, while they both see it in shades of grey. He hopes when Nina goes to a grey area, Jax doesn’t judge, reject, or leave her, but if he does, she knows where he’ll be – in his grey area, waiting for a shot to win her back. Mostly, he’s sorry. He asks her to tell Charlotte that he’ll call later. He brushes something from her hair, and says, nice haircut. (Not sure why the focus on that. Did he send her to his hairdresser?) She goes back inside, and says, oh my God! She runs to Jax, who’s on the floor. He says he’s fine, but he should watch where he’s going.

Jordan tells Trina, her father manufactured evidence that sent Cyrus to prison, and there was payback in the warehouse. Trina says, it’s not enough that he’s dead? She has to destroy his reputation? Portia says that doesn’t mean Taggert gets to dodge his responsibility. Trina says, it’s too late to take back his hero’s funeral, but should she return the flag from his casket? Portia says they’ll talk at home, but Trina says, no. She’s not going anywhere with Portia.

Britt asks Julian, what the hell was he thinking? He just attacked a doctor in a hospital. Julian says Neil had it coming, and Britt asks why he felt compelled to give Neil the business. He and Alexis have been separated for years. It’s not his place to interfere with her life. He’s still in love with her, isn’t he? He says, it’s totally over, but what’s not over is what he did to Alexis. It reflects on how she connected with Neil. If any man hurts Alexis, he’ll kill them. That’s why he interfered. Britt doesn’t think it was his place, but he says he was justified. She says, like hell he was.

Alexis tells Neil, she and Sam had a fight. Sam said horrible things; things that gutted her. The bartender slipped her a drink, and she drank it. She just had one. She knows it’s one too many; that’s why she called for help. Neil asks why she called Julian, and she says, he was the only one who answered. Neil asks why she didn’t call him, and she says they’re not supposed to be talking given their situation. He says, what had happened between them had to play a role in why she drank.

Brando tells Carly, when he was ten, Mike came to town. He’d take Brando to the track, and he’d watch the workouts. He couldn’t care less about the races, but he wanted to be around the horses. Mike did that for him. Mike said he was the same as a kid, and had wanted a horse of his own. Carly says she’s going visit Mike. Why doesn’t Brando come with her?

Mike looks like he’s half-snoozing, and Sonny says he never needed a bike. Mike gave him something way better – a lesson. Mike taught him that falling down is okay; it’s part of the process. The catch is, you’ve got to get up and move forward, and if you can’t, you rely on someone who can. Sonny tears up, and so do I. He says, that’s what he’s doing. He’s going to return the favor, and he’s going to catch Mike. Sonny and I wipe our eyes, and Mike asks if he was out long. Sonny says, not too long. Does Mike want get up and take a walk? Just for about five minutes. Mike nods, and says, okay.

Dustin says, Lulu thinks he should write Brook a song? and she says, why not? He wanted to be a writer. He disconnected from that part of himself, and if Brook is offering to help him connect again, go for it. Take a chance. He says, it’s not just any collaboration. It’s Brook, and he doesn’t want Lulu to be upset or jealous. She says she’d only be upset or jealous if she thought Brook was a threat. Brook is annoying, but harmless, and she thinks it’s a big opportunity for him. Doesn’t he? He says he does, and she says, one thing, Dusty. Watch your back.

Brook literally runs into Valentin near the elevators. He says they were both so busy thinking about where they were headed, they missed what was right in front of them. She says, that’s not a bad lyric.

Nina asks if Jax is okay, and he says he’s fine. His pride is hurt. She asks, what happened? She leaves for a couple of minutes, and finds him on the floor. He says he was getting a scone, and he tripped. She says, on what? but he says, it doesn’t matter. It was an accident. He glances at Charlotte.

Trina tells Jordan, congratulations on ruining her father’s reputation after he was murdered. Good job, Commissioner. She tells Portia, leave her alone, and storms out. Cameron says he’ll make sure she’s okay. Portia says she wishes she hadn’t had to do that, and Jordan says, so does she. Cameron says he gets why Trina feels the way she does. Taggert was her dad. He leaves to go after Trina.

Julian tells Britt that he feels blindsided. Britt tells him he’s delusional, and just made it worse. He says he just brought the truth out, and Britt says, the truth is overrated. And that side thing that have going on? It’s no fun anymore. They’re over.

Neil tells Alexis, he’s so sorry. She says she’s not, because she doesn’t think what they did was wrong. She thought it was amazing. She doesn’t care what the board or her ex have to say. Neil says Julian saying he slept with her, everyone hearing it, and Britt seeing them, is going to spell trouble for them.

Sonny helps Mike as he walks, saying, he’s got him. He won’t let Mike fall. Mike laughs, and says they’re good. He asks what Sonny’s name is. He wants to tell Sonny’s boss he’s a keeper. Sonny say he’s just happy Mike is on his feet. Carly and Brando come in, and Carly says, look at Mike being up. Good job. Mike looks at Brando, and says, it can’t be. He’s dead.

Tomorrow, Jordan says Molly’s actions have consequences; Cyrus says if he threatens them, they’ll know it; and Mike needs Sonny to do something.

🩺 General Hospital Cancelled…

April Fool! Happy Anniversary to GH with a trip down Port Charles Lane.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/abc/gh-general-hospital-cast-through-years-photos-108305

🌠 Not the Virus…

Saying goodbye to another soap vet.

https://people.com/tv/john-callahan-died-stroke/

📺 E Keeps You Busy…

Some shows to catch up on.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1135818/from-better-things-to-rhony-these-are-12-shows-perfect-to-catch-up-on

🧸 Until Tomorrow…

When too many cooks will be making amazing food. I promise the world will still be here. Unless we get hit by an asteroid or something. In the meantime, a bedtime story. If you prefer the unbleeped version, you can find it at the site, but you know, I try to keep it PG-13. Most of the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXfzJRzJJNc