Tag Archives: science fiction

Apr22

April 21, 2018 – Double the Dead with Catch-up & a Side of Random Thoughts

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What I Watched Today

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

 

I couldn’t do this last week because the wind blew my internet away. But now, I’m all caught up, and if you weren’t, you will be too. Sorry for the different tenses between shows. It just came out that way.

The Walking Dead

Rick wondered how it happened that Carl got bit. Siddiq explained that his mom believed the dead’s souls were trapped. Carl wanted to honor her to gain Siddiq’s trust, and died paying respects to a woman he never knew. Siddiq had a brainfart, and forgot it was dangerous. Which didn’t exactly answer the question.

Ezekiel told Jerry to justify what they’ve lost, be prepared to lose everything. but they weren’t going to lose sh*t. Daryl still thought Dwight could be setting them up. Morgan got weird, thinking that something was happening, and nearly skewered Henry with his pokey stick. Maggie wouldn’t let the stray Saviors come along for the battle. Morgan insisted on coming, even though Rick was skeptical. Morgan said they were worse than they were, and it was wrong for Rick to have given his word, then double-cross the renegade Saviors. They lost everything good, and can’t go back. Morgan wanted to finish it.

Negan told Dwight that he had nothing, and told his guys to load Dwight up. Eugene personally checked and quality controlled all of the ammunition, and Negan tested it on an effigy of Rick. Eugene suggested a one-fell swooper. Negan decided Gabriel should tag along; he had things to confess.

Negan set up a roadblock, using his own people as bait. He told Gabriel that Rick thought he got the real story. Now he’ll find the map with the time and place, and believe it, because he’s going to kill everyone who could have told him otherwise. Sure enough, Rick kills them all, even the last guy begging for his life. Morgan saw Jared in a vision, and he told Morgan that he should try dying sometime. Ezekiel found the map on one of the dead Saviors, and Carol figured they could get to Negan before he knew what happened.

Gabriel was surprised that Negan wanted to kill everyone; he’d thought Negan didn’t want that to happen. Negan told him it wasn’t about want; it never was. Gabriel bounced out of the moving car, but Eugene helped hunt him down. Negan remembered Gabriel saying he didn’t want to die a fruitless death, and told him you can’t always get what you want, while I got a Rolling Stones earworm. He told Eugene to put Gabriel back in the car.

Jesus tried to explain the conundrum of safety to Morgan, and proposed the pokey end of his stick for the dead, and the blunt end for the living. When Rick and company came out into the open, they heard whistling. It looked like the Saviors had Rick’s people outnumbered by about 300%. Negan said he met Rick’s ambush with a bigger one, and to come out and face them. He wanted to make it fun, so he brought some old friends. He told them that Eugene made today possible; the same with Dwight. He told Dwight he was going to watch them die, and live with that. He was going to clean house, starting with Gabriel. He told Rick there never had to be a fight, if he’d just accepted how things are. Negan started to count down, and they looked like the Jun horde from The Beastmaster coming over the top of the mountain.

They joke was on them, because Eugene had quality controlled the bullets to shoot backward, and they shot themselves. Pretty good trick. Rick announced the charge, and there was lots of shooting, but Negan took off. The ex-Saviors Maggie didn’t want there came anyway. A bunch of Saviors who came out of nowhere, nearly nailed the group, but got blown up by the Oceansiders, who’d decided to join in too. The remaining Saviors kneeled in front of Maggie, and said, it’s over.

Rick went after Negan on his own, but ran out of bullets. They kicked each other’s asses for a while, by the tree where Carl is buried. During a break, Negan told Rick he was bullsh*tting with the eenie, meenie, minie, mo business in the beginning. He just didn’t want to kill a kid’s dad in front of him, but if he had, the kid might still be alive. Negan always makes good points. He told Rick he’s bigger, badder, and has a bat. Rick wanted to talk about the future. He told Negan that Carl said there didn’t have to be a fight. Despite looking somewhat weepy, Negan said Carl was wrong, and Rick slit his throat. Surprising the hell out of me, and probably everyone else, although somehow, it seemed anti-climactic and rude.

Everyone was like, whoa, and then, now what? Rick said Negan was still alive, and told Siddiq to save him. Maggie freaked out, saying they had to end it, and it wasn’t over until Negan was dead. Rick said they were all going home. Negan might be alive, but his way of doing things was over. Anyone who couldn’t live with it would pay the price. He said they were going to live in peace and fairness, and find common ground. The world was theirs, but others would come for them unless they stood together. The new world was going to begin, and there had to be something after. Rosita gave props to Eugene for the sabotage, but punched him in the face anyway for the puke.

Morgan gave Carol his pseudo armor for Henry, and walked off. Rick got teary, as Rick is wont to do these days, and said, mercy prevails over the land. He sat where Carl was buried, and cried.

The ex-Saviors decided to go back to the Sanctuary, hoping to get something out of it.  The guy whose name I can never remember told Maggie that he’d been reading the book, and could make some things. He has a passion for building things, and said she gave him his life.

Daryl took Dwight to the woods. Dwight started crying and saying he knew what he did, and knew he’d have to face it and pay. He was ready; it was enough to see Negan taken down. He cried, saying how sorry he was, and Daryl told him to shut up. He tossed Dwight some car keys, and said to keep going. If he saw Dwight again, he’d kill him. As Dwight walked away, Daryl told him to find her. I assumed he meant Sherry.

Gymboree Jadis was reading at the trash heap when Morgan showed up. He told her that Rick said she could come back if she wanted. He explained that Rick wanted to show people that things can change, and needed all the hands he could get. He told her that she didn’t want to be alone, and everything in life worth a damn, is people. She told him her name is Ann, which was kind of a let-down. He told her he needed to be alone, and go back without him, which made perfect sense considering what he’d just said.

Dwight went back home to the cabin in the woods (no, not that one), where he found a note. it just said honeymoon, with an infinity symbol below it.

In Maggie’s office, she told Jesus that he was right. She had no regrets, but he and Rick were right. Rick wasn’t right about Negan though. She said they had to make it thrive for the people who live there. They needed strength, and the ability to defend themselves better, but RIck was wrong; Michonne too. She said they were going to bide their time, wait for the right moment, and then show him. Daryl came out of the shadows, and said, yeah, they will. I don’t like this.

Negan woke up, his neck bandaged, handcuffed to a bed. Michonne said she needed to tell him some things. They planned on making him watch what happens. Rick said it wasn’t about who he killed, but what he did to so many, making them live for him and putting them under the boot. Negan struggled to say, he saves people, and Michonne put her hand on his throat. Rick suggested they could open his stitches for a while. Rick said Carl pitched something better; working together for something bigger than all of them. Michonne added, being an example. They weren’t going to kill or hurt him, but his fate was to rot in a cell for the rest of his life, evidence that they’re making and getting back a civilization like they had. He’ll get to see how wrong he was about what people and life can be. They’ll show people things changed by keeping him breathing. Michonne said after all this, he’s good for something.

Gabriel went to the burned out church and thanked God. He said he understood, and knew now. He’s been given so much, and now he can see.

Rick wrote to Carl. As he wrote, we saw them in the old days, walking down a road. He told Carl that he forgot who he was, and Carl made him remember. He remembered walking with him, and knew who he was for the first time. They were walking side by side, but Carl was bringing him somewhere. To the new world. He made it real. Rick sees it and remembers. Officer Rick and little Carl continued to walk down the road.

Moving right into…

Fear the Walking Dead

Out in the middle of nowhere, a man stands by a truck. He hears something, and asks if anyone is there. He longs to hear someone else’s voice, and suggests they come out and have something to eat. He talks about his life before, and says he can make popcorn. He also has books. He says, since no one is there, before he goes quiet again for another year, he has a story. He talked to a woman who showed up. He let her stay. They had feelings for each other, and one day, they allowed it. He hoped by saying it, he would see it. He did. It was nice, and there hasn’t been a lot of nice. We hear a zombie. The man shoots it, and we see Morgan just behind. The man introduces himself as John Dory, like the fish. He asks Morgan what’s his story?

Morgan is at the trash heap. Jesus knocks at the entrance. He thought they could continue their acquaintance. He insists Morgan cares about people, and tries to get him to come back.

Morgan is alone again. There’s another knock at the entrance, and this time it’s Carol. She asks him to come back. He helped her, so let her help him. She’s not going to tell him what to do, but he belongs with people who care about him.

Again, Morgan is alone. Rick shows up, and says he can hide, but he can’t run. He wouldn’t be alive if not for Morgan. Rick was hurt, and Morgan brought him in. Morgan wasn’t shot, but he’s been hurt. He asks Morgan to come back, and not to waste another second. He’s alive and part of the world. A lot of people are there because he helped them. Morgan says that’s not him anymore. Rick disagrees, saying he’ll end up with people one way or another. He’s part of the world already, so just come back. Rick leaves.

Morgan packs up his stuff, and gets his stick. He takes a long last look at the trash, and moves on down the road. He thinks about Rick’s words, and starts to run. He hotwires a car, and the gas tank is miraculously full. He walks some more. He sees a group of people, and avoids them. He finds another car, and drives again. He goes into a town and sees a cluster of zombies.

He opens a car to find someone who’s sick and shaky. He starts to leave some supplies, but the guy doesn’t want them. Morgan says, sorry. He thought the guy was on his own. The guy says, we all are. Morgan moves along, and it starts to rain.

Morgan comes up behind a zombie in the woods. A shot rings out, the zombie falls, and we’re back to the beginning. John tells Morgan he’d like company, but Morgan is hesitant. John asks if he’s seen a woman with a pistol like his; he’s looking for her. Morgan says he hasn’t, and starts to leave, but John suggests he stay the night; he can take the back of the truck. Morgan sees the wisdom in a good night’s rest. He slips out later while John is snoring.

Morgan finds a tent with a lantern lighting the inside. He sets down his stick and gets whacked in the head. I jump a mile.

Dude tells Morgan, whatever he’s thinking, don’t. Morgan says keep the food, and he’ll go. Dude doesn’t want him telling no one. Morgan says he has no one to tell, and doesn’t want to know anyone. John is suddenly there, and shoots dude in the arm. He says he’s looking out for his friend, and dude says he has friends too. They’re surrounded, and John says now he got himself captured. He’s reminiscent of Eugene in how he speaks.

A big ass truck drives into the tent city, or whatever it is. The woman behind the wheel asks what’s going on, and remarks they have new people. She likes new people. She has a cake and some Cup O’Noodles, the good kind, and she’ll throw in some Pall Malls. Apparently, dude likes Pall Malls. She opens the hatch of the truck to reveal a couple of machine guns. She tells dude, there’s always a choice, and this is an easy one. Morgan and John get in the truck.

The woman’s name is Althea; Al for short. John asks if she’s an officer of the law, and she says, not exactly. She tells them that they owe her. She didn’t save them out of the goodness of her heart. John draws his gun, but she says she just wants to ask them questions. What they’ve seen, who they’ve met, where they’ve been, and where they’re going. She tells them that she’s a journalist, pulls over, and picks up a video camera.

Al interviews John, who talks about Laura. Al asks how they got split up. He says it’s not a happy story, and gets vague. Morgan asks why it matters; there are no news stations anymore. She says he owes her. He tries to give her some food instead, but she only wants his story. He just wants to go. John gives him some clean socks for the road.

Dude comes back with his friends to hassle Al. They want the truck. Dude asks for Morgan’s stick. Morgan slams him with it, and he and john get the better of dude and several of his guys. John gets his gun back. Morgan jumps onto a truck, and John inadvertently lets a bunch of zombies loose. Dude tries to steal Al’s truck, but doesn’t have the keys. Al flings them away, and dude tries to run for them, but a zombie goes after him. Morgan gets shot in the leg by a sniper, who’s been a bad shot up until now. Morgan knocks him around on the roof. The sniper falls off, but hangs onto the ledge, dangling above a gaggle of zombies. Morgan holds out his hand, and pulls him back up. As thanks, the sniper punches Morgan. This is a good example of no good deed going unpunished. They both tumble through the roof. No surprise, Morgan does not help a second time, and gets the hell out. He throws a grenade or something, ducks, and the room blows up. He goes back outside.

John and Morgan shoot and pike zombies. Dude harasses Al for the keys until John finally shoots him, and leaves him for zombie food. Al gets in her truck, opens up the guns, and kills the rest of the zombies. And they all lived happily ever after. Not quite, but they lived.

Al says Morgan still owes her. He tells her to pull over. She films as he talks about Alexandria and the Kingdom. He says there was a big fight, but he left before he left. She asks why he left, but he thinks she should talk. He asks why it’s important, but she doesn’t want to return the favor. She says one real thing, and they’re even. Why did he leave? He tells her that he loses people, then he loses himself. He starts walking down the road again.

Morgan sees the station wagon the sick guy was in, and sees someone walking in the distance. He follows them, but some zombies, feeding by the side of the road, decide to follow Morgan. Since his leg was injured in the fight, he can’t go too fast, and he falls. They’re on him, but John appears once again, and pikes them in the heads.

Morgan needs to know who it is walking up the road. I guess he’s hoping the guy made it, but that’s a no, and he ends up spearing now-zombie guy in the head with his stick. He says he’ll travel with them until his leg heals, and no asking questions. Al says she’s not going to stop, and he says, no answers then. John says she’s taking him to look for Laura in exchange for more story.

Al sees someone in the middle of the road. Both Morgan and John inform her that they don’t kill. She tells them it’s a great moment to share that information. It’s a girl, hunched over. Al asks if she’s injured, and tells Morgan to get the first aid kit. The girl says there are bad people there, then grabs Al in a headlock. It’s Alicia. Victor, Madison, ♫ and the rest ♫, come out from the forest. Al asks what Alicia’s story is.

And there we have it. Until tomorrow night.

🔎 An Observation…

Andrew Lincoln always looks like a businessman on an interview when he’s a guest on Talking Dead.

🎬 Another Thing I Watched…

Mourning Son is a 2015 documentary about the murder of Dave Navarro’s mother, and how it’s affected him throughout his life. It’s also a glimpse into what an incredible artist he is. I had no idea about his background, but always thought he was a very honest and kind man. When Bill Maher was hosting Politically Incorrect – before he fully turned into a mean curmudgeon, and was just working on it – I saw Dave put him in his place when he was talking out of his ass. I’ve admired him ever since. Even more so after seeing this excellent film.

🎆 Right now, I’m (finally) watching Girl’s Trip, and between this and Star, can confirm that Queen Latifah wears more fabulous wigs than the entire cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta put together.

🛀 Enjoy the Remaining Weekend Like…

Minions

Apr9

April 8, 2018 – The Battle of Negan & Simon, a Little Atlanta, a Dash of Potomac & Bye-Bye Weekend

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What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

Rick reads Carl’s letter and gazes out the window. Carl talks about his eighth birthday, and other things he remembers from how it used to be. Tears rolls down Rick’s cheeks. It’s not just the stuff that happened, but how Carl felt, special and safe. He thought growing up would mean a family and a job, but it means keeping those you love safe. He wants Rick to feel safe, like he did when Rick held his hand on walks. He doesn’t think the Saviors will surrender, but there’s regular people in there. They’re close to starting over, and have friends now – there have to be more places and people; a chance to make changes and have a real life. If they won’t end it, he has to. He has to find peace and move forward; not forget, but make it so it won’t happen again. Show them they can be safe again without killing, and maybe one day they’ll have birthdays, schools, jobs, and pizza on Friday night, like they used to. Carl tells Rick to take Judith on walks like they had, because she’ll remember. He tells Rick that he loves him. Rick sees Michonne walking hand-in-hand with Judith.

Michonne lies on the bed, pondering. She checks the nightstand. There’s a letter for Negan in the drawer. I’m hoping somehow, Rick and Negan can work together as frenemies. Not just because I think Jeffrey Dean Morgan is nearly everything on this show, but there’s a tremendous amount of story potential there. Please, Walking Dead, don’t blow another opportunity.

Gregory tells Simon that he came back to make amends. Simon is pissed because Gregory made him look like an ass. Gregory says his intel wasn’t current. Juice and momentum can give you a chance in the game. He had it, and did it. Maggie had Hilltop by the nut, and he didn’t know it. He wants to make it right with Negan. Simon tells him that he’s Negan, and not in the collective sense, but he’s assumed control. Negan no longer in the field of play. Gregory calls Simon, the man, and says he knew he could do it. Negan had a big personality, but was too unconventional. Simon is a leader. Simon tells Gregory that’s why he can’t be seen going easy on him. He has the juice and momentum, and wants to keep it. Ergo, Gregory goes. Gregory says the stupid troglodytes at the Sanctuary can’t advise him in community affairs and politics. Simon tells him, it’s ended. Gregory says he’s achieved, survived, and suffered too much. He’s been reborn as a certified sh*t-kicker. It’s not going to end with him wandering into the wilderness with his d*ck in his hand. Gregory says, he is the juice. Simon throws him to the ground. He says he wasn’t going to send Gregory away; he was going to kill him. He asks if Gregory can make coffee, and Gregory says, the best in the land. Simon tells him they’ll start with coffee, and see where it goes. Is this a date?

The Oceanside people go through the woods. Still trying to convince them to fight, Aaron is there, and is so dehydrated and weak, he can barely fight off a zombie. Cyndie says they made their choice. If wants to die in the woods, that’s his.

Eugene shows the Savior ladies the dish he’s made – mac and cheese with sardines – a staple from his college days. It’s a lasting energy source. He eats some, and says it takes him back. It’s all that’s on the menu until the order is complete. He reminds everyone that their lives are on lock. Negan is MIA, and Simon has taken over. They need to be lickety-quick, but he thinks the best they can hope for, is to squeeze out the bare minimum needed to stop Simon from finding out how short they are. Gabriel coughs up a lung, and Eugene tells him to keep his mask on. He either has influenza or cocca-something. Either way, it’s airborne or he would be dead.

He brings a bullet over to Gabriel, and asks him to feel it. Morgan says the imperfection was intentional. He wanted to make it so didn’t work. He doesn’t want anyone to die. Eugene asks if he wants to die, and Gabriel says he doesn’t want to hep him, but does fear death. He thinks maybe it’s God’s way of showing he’s still the same person who locked his parishioners out. He’s still the same scared animal, doing what he can to survive. Eugene tells him to find an unobtrusive corner; he’s off the line. He tells Gabriel to try not to cry too loud. He’s going outside to test rounds not compromised by Gabriel’s chicanery.

Eugene goes outside, and is ambushed by Daryl and Rosita. They spirit him away.

Dwight goes out for a smoke, and hears Negan’s whistle. Negan asks him if he’s surprised. He shouldn’t be. Dwight says they found his car, and Simon thought – Negan cuts him off, telling him it was a real punch in the d*ck (his second favorite word). Rick cornered him with those decomposed a-holes, and Dwight and Simon never showed. He knows what they were thinking, and wants to know if Dwight remembers who he is. He tells Dwight the conversation is just between them. Dwight says, Simon is his number two, and he thought Negan would want him to go by Simon’s call. Dwight says, he’s Negan. Negan says, good; that’s what he likes to hear. He tells Dwight that when time comes, and it will, to remember this talk. Remember what they’ve done, and can still do together. Dwight looks relieved.

In the boardroom, Simon tells Negan that he thought Negan had been killed, and he was gone. Negan polishes Lucille. Simon admits he lacks discipline, and made it personal. That’s why he moved it from infection to extermination at Hilltop. Things went bad, but he owns it, and asks for a pass. He’ll make it up to Negan; he promises. Negan smiles, and ask if Simon remembers when he took this place; when Simon helped him? He wasn’t sure he wanted to keep Simon on board before he had a system in place. Simon had killed all those people in a settlement long ago. People think that’s psychotic sh*t from a demented, broken ghoul. That’s someone you don’t want to work with, let alone stand next to. He figured he’d figure keep an eye on Simon, and everything seemed to work out until this point. He tells Simon he needs him on his knees. Simon gets ready for a bat in the head, but Negan says, all is forgiven. Get his ass up; they’re good. Simon tells Negan that he won’t let him down. Negan says he appreciates the hell out of that.

Negan has a board meeting, and a Savior takes out a map. Negan points, saying this is where they start. They don’t have to take Hilltop, but they’re going to make sure the farmers can’t leave. If they poke their heads out, the Saviors will clip their asses. They’re going to have teams 24/7, sniping them one by one, until they have full contrition. Simon is happy to have Negan back, and Negan says it’s good to be back. Negan tells them clear out, except for Dwight. He wants to kick around some things. I’m sure Dwight thinks one of those things is his head.

Negan tells Dwight he’s smart as hell. No matter what, he didn’t stew or do anything stupid. He just went about the business of getting his. Nothing shook him. He kept his eyes on what could keep him alive and well. He tells Dwight to keep on keeping that sh*t clear. Dwight nods, and Negan smiles.

Eugene suspects he’s alive because they have a nostalgia for comradery, but he’ll give them space until they’re ready to break the ice. Daryl pulls out a large knife, telling Eugene to shut his mouth or he’ll cut Eugene’s tongue out. Rosita tells Daryl to keep on moving; they’re going to be looking for him. Eugene thanks her, and she tells him to shut up. He tells her that she’s the one who told him making bullets would save lives. He thought the crack of a bat would be the last thing he’d hear, and then thought Negan would torture him, but he didn’t. He gave Eugene a chance to live. Rosita says everyone who has died since then is on him. He says Rick pushed to take the Savior’s home. Rosita pulls out her gun, calling him a selfish coward and a traitor. He turned his back on the friends he had, and didn’t give a rat’s ass about them. They’re going to stick him in the darkest hole, and the only time he’ll come out is when need him to teach them something. He’ll get his wish and live, but they’ll be forcing him to do something useful with his pathetic life.

Dwight writes things on the map. There’s a knock at the door, and he hides everything. It’s Simon, who says, it went well. The status quo has been re-achieved. He asks why Dwight was held back, and Dwight says, for a pep talk. Simon tells him they need to have a serious talk with others who are less than thrilled with the current management. It saddens him, but the time has come to gather like-minded individuals to gather strength, and do what need to do. He tells Dwight to think about what Negan has done to him. Everything he’s extracted; every indignity. He knows what he has to do. They’re meeting in the courtyard after rounds, and going to begin what’s next. Dwight says, all right, and Simon grabs his shoulders, and says, yes, my boy. Well, if it was a tossup I don’t think I’d pick Simon.

Daryl shoots some zombies with arrows.  While the zombies are being a distraction, Eugene sticks his fingers down his throat, and makes himself throw up on Rosita. Considering what he ate, that’s pretty disgusting, but she barely flinches. He takes off, and she shoots at him, but he gets through a hole in a fence. She and Daryl follow. Rosita says they can’t let him get back, and suggests they blow his head off. As soon as they pass, Eugene comes out from under a pile of ashes and mess.

Aaron is sleeping in the woods. It starts to rain, and he gets some water from a can nearby. He hears zombie sounds, and takes out his knife. It’s a mean-looking one, and he pikes it in the head. If we were in a 42nd Street movie theatre, I’d yell, look out behind you! Another zombie grabs him, and they fall together. Aaron loses the knife, and the zombie grabs at his legs. He manages to kick its brain out of its head, but here comes another one. The knife is lost, but he grabs a pokey stick, and skewers it. Yet one more comes, knocking him down, and it’s inches from his face only separated from him by the stick. He gets the upper hand, and beats the non-living crap out of it with the stick. He lies there, rain pouring down, surrounded by the now dead undead.

Someone asks if he’s dead. It’s the Oceansiders. He says they left him. It’s what the Saviors turned them into. They lie, they don’t trust, and don’t live the way they want because of the Saviors. The Saviors hurt them, and will keep on hurting them, unless they do one thing – fight. They just look at him vacantly, and I’m thinking this group seriously lacks personality. Give them a personality or get rid of them.

Commercial break. Red Machete is still not happening for me.

Dwight waits in the courtyard. The others come out, Gregory among them. Simon tells them that if they’re here right now, they’re in. They can talk about approaches and finesses, but they’re in; no take backs. They need to make it quick, quiet, and respectful. Negan has done a lot for them, and deserves it. He says Dwight has legit personal issues with Negan, so the kill is his if he wants it. Something quiet – not a knife, that’s too personal. Maybe a silencer. Then they’ll set a break to start healing. The destruction of Hilltop and its people, and then get on with their lives. He says, right, Dwight?

We hear whistling, and I literally lol. Negan says he’ll take it from here. He says, three… two… one… There are gunshots, and the renegade Saviors drop, save for Gregory, Simon, and Dwight. Two Saviors come out for Simon. Simon lunges at Negan, who says there’s the Simon he knows. He’s coming at him, instead of doing that backstabbing bullsh*t. He asks, why? After everything he did for Simon. He killed the garbage people, when Negan specifically told him not to do that. He pounds on one of the dead Saviors with Lucille. He says after all this, him being him, he’s still going to give Simon his share. If you want to be the man, you got to beat the man. If he can do that, then hell, he should be the man.

Inside everyone gathers. Simon blathers about how they have to get to work when this is done, and how he didn’t want this, but the Sanctuary must stand. As he’s talking, he catches Negan off-guard with a punch. He gets his bearings, and they fight. I’m just a little worried, since Negan is wearing his leather jacket, which probably isn’t a good idea. Negan gives Simon a head-butt. Simon goes down, and Negan kicks him in the face. Gregory inches away. Dwight grabs him, and tells him to get out now. He gives Gregory a map, telling him to give it to Rick. It’s about tomorrow, and the only move they’ve got. He hands Gregory some car keys. Hopefully, he won’t just keep driving.

Negan straddles Simon, strangling him. Finally, he lies still. Negan gets up, and says, what an a-hole. I realize my mouth is open. The crowd was certainly quiet about it. I have to admit, I’ll be glad I won’t have to work around writing Simon says anymore.

Gregory is shoved into the pen at Hilltop. Maggie gives the map to Rick. End Negan, end the risk, is written on it, along with something about where they’ll be. Maggie asks what they’re going to do.

Negan tells Dwight that Simon was a d*ckless worm. What else could he do but crush his throat? But what was bad for Simon, is good for him. They’ve had their ups and downs, but he’s always been able to count on Dwight. He’d like Dwight to be his right-hand man, if he’ll accept the promotion. Dwight agrees. He wants to help Negan finish things with Rick. Negan tells him not to sell himself short. He already has.

Laura, who knew Dwight was a traitor, is in his room. Negan says he found her on the side of the road. She says in Alexandria, he killed their team. She ran and kept running. She wanted to expose him for the scum weasel he is. Negan says it makes sense. He told RIck when to attack, and how to get to the outpost. He’s been slipping workers guns, and maybe even lied about Shari. He thinks he’s some sort of hero, but he’s a nobody and way over his head. When he said Dwight comes through when he’s needed, he meant it. He knew he could count on him delivering the plan to Rick – the brilliant fake-ass plan. He used Gregory. Negan thought he’d take a field trip, but he got a delivery boy; good for him. All that intel will lead them directly into the line of fire. They won’t know what hit them, all thanks to his new right-hand man. He’d thought about killing him, but that was too dignified for a backstabbing, double-crossing dirtbag. Negan says he has plans for Dwight, and laughs.

Looking all angry and rumpled, Eugene tells the workers that they have to prepare to protect the Sanctuary. Negan is back, and they’re going to finish Hilltop. A messenger tells him Negan needs the bullet order by tomorrow. He says to give Negan his personal congratulations on his return. His request will be filled in its entirety, and on time. If he needs bullets, he’s going to get them. All of them. They’re going to rise to the occasion, and will change Savior history forever. He tells Gabriel, all hands on deck. He’s going to be sorting shells. Follow his lead, or cry and die. He says, here we go. He quotes Rosita, saying, time to do something useful with their pathetic lives.

Yay! Simon is a zombie chained to the fence. He’s a good one too; a snapping maniac. Negan is on the deck, and Michonne radios him from a rooftop nearby. He asks if Rick is with her, and to put him on. She says this isn’t about Rick; it’s about Carl. Carl wrote him a letter, and she’s delivering it because that’s what he wanted. Negan says he can’t promise not to kill the messenger, and she tells him, shut up and listen. She reads.

Carl tells Negan that he was helping someone, and got bit. Now he’s gone. Negan might be gone, but he doesn’t think so. He wonders if Negan is working on a way out. Maybe got out. Maybe he thinks it’s a lost cause, and wants to kill them all. He wishes he could have asked if Negan feels that he has to be who he is. If this is what he wanted or wished he could have. The way out is forgiveness. There doesn’t have to be a fight. He hopes his dad offers peace, and he takes it. He hopes things can change. It did for him. He can still start over. Negan listens to every word so thoughtfully, I want to cry.

Negan says, there is no getting out of it now. He wouldn’t accept surrender if they were on their knees. Winning isn’t about beating them, but killing every last one of them. That is starting over. He never wanted this. Rick made it happen. Tell him that. No more talk. He throws the radio down and stomps on it, along with my storyline dreams.

Next week – both the finale of The Walking Dead (at 9 pm), and the premiere of Fear the Walking Dead (at 10 pm). Morgan tells Rick to finish it, the Saviors attack, and Dwight is sent to Jaundice Jadis. I can’t wait to see Fear, since they’re setting up camp in an amusement park. Abandoned amusement parks are creepy all on their own. Add zombies, and you can’t lose.

🍹 A Quick Wives Note…

🍑 The Real Housewives of Atlanta know how to pour on the glam. It was part one of their reunion, and Porsha went full-on princess with a tiara, mammoth jeweled earrings, and a blue velvet gown. Although she claimed to be a goddess because she’s grown. The earrings were all huge, sparkly, and fabulous. Only Kandi was slightly lower key with the accessories, but made up for it with the bling on her gown. NeNe was in red lace and fringe. Kenya was in a frilly yellow explosion. She confirmed her pregnancy, but she never did actually say, I’m pregnant, which made me wonder if the bun is in someone else’s oven. Cynthia had the most glamorous, Rapunzel-like side ponytail ever, and was wearing a red gown fit for a quinceañera. Marlo joined them swathed in lavender cotton candy. Only Sheree was a bit of a disappointment. Her gigantic emerald earrings passed, but she was covered all the way to her chin in a gown of silken material that did not look good on film. She said it was Gucci. Was it his nun period? I wondered if her new felon man doesn’t want her showing any skin. A viewer even pointed out that she seemed unusually covered up this season.

🏰 The Real Housewives of Potomac has mostly centered around Karen’s tax issues, since apparently her husband owes the government. They moved out of the neighborhood, although her idea of downsizing isn’t like the average person’s idea. I guess now they only have 6000 square feet and one pool. What blew my mind though, were the rest of them demanding answers from her like it was their right to know. I’m not a huge fan of Karen’s, but they were like a pack of vultures.

WeekendOver

WeekendGoodby

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apr2

April 1, 2018 – Everyone is Looking for Something, Wrong Lane Legend, Some Ramble & My Neighbor’s Brother

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What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

At the trash heap, Tardis Jadis hears shooting, and covers Negan with a bunch of material. She plays dead, and several people run past. A guy stops and spits on her. Lucky for her, he keeps moving. When it’s over, she removes her boots and coat, and is in the nightgown she wore when she killed the other Heapsters.

Wearing normal clothing – a plaid flannel shirt and jeans – Jadis retreats to a long, narrow bedroom that’s in amazingly pristine condition, and even has a skylight.  She picks up a now clean Lucille, and checks her watch. She goes to the container. She goes to the container. Negan says, what the sh*t?  He’s tied up, and she pulls him out on a dolly.

Carol chops wood. Ezekiel wants to look for Henry, but she says Maggie needs her. He tells her that she’s choosing not to leave; why? Does she believe Henry is already dead? She told him to pretend until it’s so, yet she can’t. He thought she was the bravest person he’d met, but no. She’s being stopped by cowardice.

Tara tells Daryl it’s been over a day, and she’s still not sick. He says she got lucky. She says Dwight shot her with clean arrow. Everyone else who got hit, got sick. It can’t be an accident. Daryl asks if Dwight gets a pass. Tara reminds Daryl about telling her that they might need Dwight. If she’d killed him, now she’d be dead. She thinks it’s personal with Daryl, and he’s not looking at the whole picture.

Michonne asks Rick if he wants to read it. He gets his coat, and says they need food. She asks what he wrote to Rick. Rick doesn’t know; he can’t. Michonne says he has too. Someone stopped her, and now she’s stopping him. Carl wrote it because he wanted Rick to read it. It was one of his last wishes. She tells Rick that he’s staying. She takes his coat and bag, and leaves the room. Rick looks like he has a headache, and takes out the letter.

Morgan sees Carol, and she asks if he’s looking for him for the Saviors. She says he doesn’t have to, but he says he does. He was supposed to do it before. Carol says fine, but she’s coming with him.

In Maggie’s office, Rosita says if the Saviors come back, they can’t defend a sizeable attack. Daryl thinks hand-to-hand combat is the way to go. Maggie asks if he thinks they’re running out of ammo, but Rosita says they have their bullet-maker; they’ll never run out, but she knows where to find him.

Negan tells Jaundice Jadis that whatever happened, he can smell it. He told her that he thinks people are a resource; he doesn’t throw that away. He’s confident that most people can be put on the right path; his own path. He wouldn’t have done this. It’s the work of someone not following the program, but it’s his mistake; he’ll own this. He took a chance, and thought he was doing the right thing, and punched himself in the d*ck. He’s sorry. He really is sorry. Jadis says she lost all she had. He tells her that he can help get it back. She brings Lucille down about an inch from his face.

Carol tells Morgan it makes sense that they stayed near the road. She finds a partially eaten turnip, and says, they were here. Morgan sees something and runs, calling Henry’s name. Carol follows. Morgan sees Henry, who turns around. He looks like death, and says, you know where it is; you were supposed to. Morgan says he’s not there, and tells Henry he’s not there. He tells Carol that Henry is dead. Carol says she didn’t come to look for Henry, but keep an eye on Morgan. She saves people, but she can’t save the dead. Morgan says he’s not dead. He doesn’t die; he just sees them – again and again. Even when he looks away, he still sees them. They continue to walk, Morgan in the lead. He sees a zombie whose head was cracked open with a rock. He says they came through here. Maybe it was a shortcut.

Rick watches Judith play. A single tear rolls down his face. He goes out with his gun, and asks Alden where they went. Alden says his best and only guess is the Sanctuary. He says they talked about getting out, but he hadn’t given their plans too much credit. Rick asks how he would do it, and Alden tells him about an old dive bar Negan talked about turning into an outpost. He asks Rick to do him a favor, and if Rick finds them, not to kill more than he has to. He says it went bad last night. They made a wrong choice, but it probably hasn’t hit some of them yet. He says Rick could bring them back and show them. Rick says he could.

Jadis’s watch beeps. She tosses Lucille, and walks off. Negan says, let’s talk about this. He had nothing to do with it. He moves himself along on the dolly with his feet. Jadis slides out a luggage cart with a zombie attached to it. It’s super weird, like the zombie is part of the cart. Negan says if she really wanted to harm him, she wouldn’t have left him near a bag full of guns, along with pictures of her nearest and dearest. She looks out, and he has a gun in one hand, and a lit flare in the other. Nearby are several photos. He suggests they have a chat.

Down the road, Carol and Morgan see a herd of zombies crossing. Carol thinks they should wait, and let it pass. Morgan says they could lose the trail, but Carol is afraid of losing more than that. A zombie stumbles toward them, and Morgan pikes it in the head. He starts to walk down the road, and Carol says maybe they can find them by another road. Morgan says he knows what they’ll find. She says he won’t know unless they keep going, and she won’t know unless she tries. He can try too. Morgan says he can’t. She saves people; he watches them die. He’s supposed to. Carol says he found her. He saved her. He knew she could come back, and he can too. He says it wasn’t him. He’s not strong like her. He was there watching them, knowing something would happen, and then it did. He has to kill him. He walks off. Carol calls to him, and then walks in the opposite direction.

Gimcrack Jadis tells Negan to leave the pictures alone. He says he figured they meant something to her. Considering the way things are, she can’t just pop around corner and order friends. He’s asking her one more time, what the sh*t is this? Is this how she kills people? Jadis mimics him, saying people are a resource. She asks him to put the flare away. It’s all she has left. He took her world; her everything. He tells her that his wife’s name was Lucille. She got him through. He didn’t give her sh*t, and she got him through regular life. The bat got him through this. He named the bat after her. It’s the last piece of what he has of her life, like Jadis’s photos. Jadis says, yes, and her watch beeps. She pushes the cart toward him, jumping around it. She knocks the gun out of one hand, and tries to grab the flare, but it falls into a puddle. A helicopter comes by, and she runs inside. Negan says, what the sh*t? for the fifteenth time. Jadis runs back out with a lit flare, but it’s too late. She walks over to where Lucille is, amid a pile of kindling, and is about to light it on fire. Negan says he didn’t burn her pictures. What will she have after she burns Lucille? Just a pile of ashes. She says she gets to hurt him, and he says he didn’t do it, but he can settle it. She puts the flare down, and cries.

Rick runs through the woods. He and Morgan see each other. Morgan is about to whack Rick with his staff, and Rick says Morgan knows him. Morgan says he’s not right, and Rick says out here for them and they’ll finish it. He and Morgan go out to the road, and see a car with fresh body parts next to it. The screen goes to black, and we hear shots.

In the dive bar, the Saviors are talking about two guys who are lying there. Jared wants to get rid of them, saying they don’t look too good. Another Savior says maybe that’s because they hacked part of them off. I guess these are the guys who belong to the body parts. Jared says, even if they make it, who’s waiting? They need to make their own way. If they deliver Rick to Negan, they’ll win big and be recognized. He asks if Rick is ready to walk. They’re ditching the dead weight and moving on. Jared is about to kill the two wounded men, and one Savior says they can get them to the doctor at Hilltop. Rick suggests they come back with him. He says they chose wrong, but it’s not too late. Cut them free, cooperate, make a fresh start, and become part of a community. He’s giving his word. There’s not a lot worth much anymore, but a man’s word means something. Jared looks skeptical. He asks if Rick thinks they’re dumb enough to believe him. He asks Jared to hear him out. They don’t have much time. They’re headed this way. They need to make a choice now.

The Saviors start to get nervous, and Jared says, there’s no herd, and there’s no deal at Hilltop. Rick didn’t come to save them. He came for blood. He says, this one here, indicating Morgan, strangled one of his own men with his bare hands. Jared accuses Rick of saying bullsh*t. Morgan says he came here to do what he was supposed to; kill every last one of them. Jared holds a gun to Morgan’s head. Morgan smiles, and tells him to save his bullets. He’s going to need them. The herd is coming, and after, when he’s just torn skin, loose teeth, and blood – stuff the zombies didn’t eat – it will be a damn shame, because there will be none of them left to kill. Now tell us how you really feel, Morgan. Jared tells the Saviors, let’s dump and bounce. Morgan says it never changes. He doesn’t die. No one does. Everybody turns. Jared is about to shoot Morgan, when another Savior stops him.

They hear the herd. Zombies begin to flow in. Jared is like, WTF?! and shoots at them. Rick yells for someone to cut them loose. Someone knocks Jared down, but it backfires, and they get eaten. Jared takes off. Morgan and Rick get loose, and get their weapons. Rick shoots, and Morgan uses his big stick. There are several Saviors helping them dispatch the zombies, and they kill them too. I’m like, he-e-ey. Rick throws the last one to a zombie. Wow. He’s harsh. Morgan looks around in the rooms behind the bar. He sees Henry by the pool table. But not for long. Jared pops out, and attacks Morgan with some pointy thing that looks pretty dangerous. He almost stabs Morgan in the throat, but Morgan throws him off and out, closing a metal gate that separates the rooms. It’s a kind of chain link, so Morgan watches Jared trying to grab through the openings. Jared screams as zombies tear his flesh from him. Morgan shows no emotion.

A dying Savior tells Rick this isn’t what he said, and Rick says, he lied. He shoots the guy in the head. Hmm… I don’t know how I feel about this. Morgan says, everybody turns, and walks out. Rick says Morgan saved him; he would have died. Maybe on the street in front of Morgan’s house. Morgan didn’t know him; why did he do it? Morgan says they should go. Rick says, just tell him. He had his son then. Morgan says, because his son was there. I forgot all about that.

Negan has Lucille back. Anthrax Jadis looks at the pictures. Negan asks what happened there; what was that was all about? He tells her to come with him and he’ll follow a new path. She’s not interested, but he says, the offer stands. Maybe he’ll swing by again. Who knows? Maybe she’ll want to share. He leaves, and I’m disappointed she didn’t go with him. And it seems Negan is better at keeping his word than Rick is.

Carol annihilates some zombies, after seeing Henry is trapped in a tangle of roots along a swamp. She pulls him out, and he says he’s sorry. She hugs him, and he cries. She says she was wrong; he can survive.

The wall guards at Alexandria bang on the sheet metal, and hoot and holler. Jerry runs to get Ezekiel. Carol and Henry walk in. Henry runs to Ezekiel. Carol nods, and keeps walking. Henry and Ezekiel hug. Nice welcome, but way to draw a crowd of zombies.

Carol tells Ezekiel that he was right, she was afraid. He says, but she’s no coward. Carol says she had a daughter. After she lost her, Carol was nothing. The people she was with saw a better version of her, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t find herself down at times.

A wind blows through Alexandria. Morgan and Rick come in. Morgan touches Henry, making sure he’s real. He tells Henry that he killed the man who killed his brother. He smiles, And Henry says he’s sorry, putting his hand on Morgan’s shoulder. Morgan tells him, don’t ever be sorry. Rick walks past everyone, and goes inside. Michonne sees Morgan crying.

Matrix Jadis brings her rolling suitcase to the bedroom. This must be her safe space. Her clean place too. She lies down on the bed.

Negan drives. He pulls over, and opens the passenger door. He says, if sh*t could sh*t, it wouldn’t look as sh*tty as you. Get in. I think this is probably his record number of sh*ts in one episode. Definitely in one sentence.

He drives to the Sanctuary. The guard says he knew Negan was alive. Negan says, hell yes, but not a word. Daddy is home, but it’s going to be a surprise. Hell, he has all sorts to roll out. We hear zombie noises from the car. See? He’s fun. He brings some life to this show. I know that sounds oxymoronish, but it needs some fun.

Daryl and Rosita watch Eugene through binoculars. They make a plan to take him out.

Rick changes into a comfortable t-shirt, and takes out the letter from Carl. Michonne comes in, and he thanks. Her he says he’s sorry, and she tells him that he doesn’t have to be. He says he loves her. She loves him too. They kiss. She leaves the room. He sits on the bed and reads. He cries a little.

Next time, Negan surprises Dwight, Simon wants to gather the like-minded, and the Saviors plan to take the Hilltop.

✝ My Late Slip

Tonight, I hate Walking Dead even more than usual, since they screwed up my entire evening by being on at all. Bravo decided to show new episodes as well, but not for any Wives who are important to me, so I’ll catch up with Atlanta and Potomac later. So how did they screw up my night, do you ask? (Or maybe not.) I’m going to be up half the night watching the late rerun, since I wanted to see Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. I mostly wanted to see it because, Alice Cooper. Alice was my first real concert that my sister took me to. An hour in, I still mostly wanted to see it for the same reason. Did Chrissy Teigen fund this production? I have nothing against John Legend, but no. He looked like he was having difficulty getting through the score and moving around at the same time. I’m sure he moves around during his concerts, but this is a different kind of moving around. I don’t know if he wasn’t used to it or wasn’t up to it or what, but next to Brandon Victor Dixon (Judas), who knows his way around a Broadway stage, he was a total lightweight. Like vinyl, the concert format of this musical was touted as something new, but isn’t. That’s how the show was first presented. I saw the original on tour. Quite young at the time, I thought they were just really loose with their staging. Especially when Jesus came out and started slapping hands with everyone. At first, I thought he was an actor who showed up late.

It’s always annoyed me that the two most lackluster songs were given to Mary Magdalene. Although I did love her dress, an orange ombre maxi sheath number. The audience was apparently made up of 12-year-olds and/or Legend fans, since they cheered every time he actually made it through a difficult note. Thankfully, they did change some of he score to suit his vocal range. Except for one they forgot. He thought he’s sad and tired? He should have been me watching this. Every once in a while, they also changed a word or line, leaving me with a question mark over my head, because it did nothing to improve on the lyrics or make them more relevant. The lighting was also a problem, most likely looking abstract and cool from the audience, but it wasn’t made for television viewing. During Peter’s Denial, some dude was taking his pic with a cell phone, which also left me wondering. If they were modernizing this, why wasn’t the rest of it like that? Was that supposed to be ironic or something?

Alice gave me a thrill and a smile. Not bad for a seventy-year-old. Thank God (heh-heh) the audience obviously knew who he was. His costume rocked. If a suit could be called psychedelic, this one would be it, again in an orange pallet. (The color scheme in general was in the brown-yellow-orange family.) He also held a walking stick/scepter topped by a small skull. I’ve seen several different Herods – from an Ohio summer theatre Herod, who was downright frightening, taking the apple he was eating and smushing it into Jesus’s face, to the silly film version with my old NYC neighbor Toby’s brother, Josh Mostel (both, sons of the late, great Zero Mostel). Alice was enjoyable and milked it well. I also loved his harem of dancing girls. The choreography as a whole was good.

Oh yeah. Could We Start Again. The third Mary Magdalene song. There’s a reason this one wasn’t even on the soundtrack.

I always feel a little sorry for Pilate, who was really a little fish in a big, Roman political pond. Ben Daniels worked for me here. I love how he seemed like he got a migraine when Herod dropkicked Jesus back to him.

The biggest hit out of the show – the title song, Superstar – was spot-on, again Dixon knocking it out of the park, in the appropriate sparkly outfit, the backup dancing reminiscent of Janet Jackson in the 90s, with some obvious freestylin’ at the end. The crowd went wild.

John Legend is probably a really nice guy and a good singer, but this was out of his whatever. I don’t want to say league, because he’s just in a different one. Lane perhaps? This role was not for him, not at this time anyway. Legend, maybe; Superstar, no. He got lucky though, with a solid supporting cast, winning choreography, and interesting direction.

👠 The Real Housewives of Potomac has a new girl – Candiace. What is wrong with parents?

🎭 I also checked out Your Husband Is Cheating On Us. Multi-talented, JD Lawrence, brings his urban theater circuit play of the same title to NYC. Besides being let in on the rehearsal process, we follow the actors living in the same house. It’s a worth-watching show within a show, and definitely something different.

🏅 Quote of the Night

Rick and Morgan walk into a bar… there is no punchline… just death. – Talking Dead

🎶 My Neighbor’s Brother

 

Mar26

March 25, 2018 – A Battle at Hilltop, Returning Fear, a Terror, a Scary Muumuu & the Worst Dread of All

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

While watching for the Saviors, Morgan sees a vision of Gavin, who tells him that he knows what it is, and says Morgan was supposed to. Supposed to what, we don’t know, but Morgan says, no! and fights with nothing. He hears a car horn beep, and beeps back. Daryl blows an airhorn, and more cars honk theirs. Back at the ranch Hilltop, Jerry says, it’s on. Henry asks Ezekiel for a weapon, but Ezekiel tells him to stay and guard the place. Carol tells him he’ll die if he goes out during the attack. I see this ending badly.

Dr. Dana complains that Siddiq has no experience. He tells her he’s already performed three surgeries. She asks if he can shoot a gun while holding someone down. She tells him that someone who doesn’t know enough, is more dangerous than someone who doesn’t know sh*t. Siddiq tells her to stop asking what he’s done, and start telling him what to do. She says she likes him, and tells him to get ready.

Everyone waits. The Saviors arrive.

Simon has his men remove a roadblock. Maggie radios for Negan. Simon says he’s Negan, although his birth certificate says Simon. He offers condolences for what has happened, and what has about to. (Shades of Roscoe Lee Brown in The Cowboys.) He tells her that he personally received her care package. It was in the box he gave her in good faith; the trick was on him. Maggie says the bill is due, and they have to pay. They have thirty-eight of his people, alive and breathing. He’ll leave if he wants it to stay that way. If he doesn’t, she has thirty-eight bullets she’ll personally fire. Alden says it’s too nice a night to spend dying slow. Simon tells her that it’s highly regrettable, but they’re damaged goods. They got into their own pickle. The idea is to avoid capture, and now they’ll have to figure it out on their own. His own sh*t way of saying, screw them. Gregory tells Maggie that her cockamamie plan didn’t work, but she says it will.

Simon tells his men the plan has changed. They’re not aiming merely for infection, but conclusion. They’re doing away with all of them. Dwight says that’s not what Negan wanted, and he could still be out there. Is Simon sure he wants to face that with him? Simon tells Dwight it’s better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. Daryl rides past on his bike, shooting.

The gate opens, and Daryl drives in. The Saviors begin to follow, but the Hilltop bus suddenly blocks their path, and the first car rams into it. The Hilltoppers start to shoot. The Saviors shoot back, some using arrows. Alden asks Maggie to let him help defend the place. Maggie yells something I don’t hear. There’s lots of shooting. Carol runs to Tobin, who’s been hit. Siddiq comes by to relieve her, so she can go back to the fray. Simon and Dwight sneak around. Daryl sees them. Simon throws an ax, and hits someone. Michonne tells Daryl that they have to go. They shoot out the car headlights. It’s suddenly silent and dark.

Simon is such a jerk. He Captain Obviously says he can’t see sh*t. He sneaks around with a group of Saviors, and says he wants place surrounded. He tells them, slow and quiet. Dwight asks where the rest are, and Simon tells him that they’re making a house call. If Hilltop is at home, it’s time to do some proper slaughtering. He whistles, giving me a headache, and annoying the crap out of me. The Hilltoppers shoot at them, I’m so happy because it stops Simon’s whistling. The Saviors run. Some headlights come on, and here comes Rick, gun blazing.

Rick kicks ass, and almost whacks Siddiq. He tells Siddiq to stay low. Morgan’s Gavin vision tells that he knows what it is. Maggie and Rick shoot at the Saviors who are leaving. Maggie says she wanted them dead. All of them; Negan most of all. Rick says, him too. She asks if Rick saw him. Rick says he wasn’t there tonight, be he saw him out there. He tried to kill him, but didn’t. Maggie thanks him.

Tara thinks Dwight is on their side. She reminds Daryl that she was once with the Governor. Daryl’s brother was with them too. Daryl says if he’d stuck with his brother, they probably would have ended up with the Saviors. She says maybe Dwight figured out who they were. Daryl asks if that was before or after he killed Tara’s girlfriend, or are they square now? Tara says they are; he saved her life. She saw him try to help them. Daryl says he saw what he saw too.

Optimistic Rick takes the boards off of the windows in his house. Michonne saved him a turnip, but he says he’s good. He tells her that the generators were turned off to save gas, and the kids will need air. She asks to look at his cut, but he wants to finish first. She starts to help. He tells her that he saw the convoy, and he had to try.

Jerry digs graves. I mean literally, not that he thinks they’re cool. Maggie tells Alden he can bury his people, but he says they’re not his; he’s glad to see them that way. He tells Maggie that she’s a good leader. He knew it before, but last might she saved the community; she saved lives. Maggie says it’s because they sacrificed theirs, indicating the graves. She says it came at a cost, but her only regret is that Negan isn’t in the pile of bodies.

Carol nurses Tobin. He tells her if he knew getting stabbed got him this kind of attention, he’d have done it sooner. She tells him that she’s sorry for leaving, and for what she did. He says she doesn’t owe him anything. He asks if any of it was real, and she says she didn’t want it to be. She was pretending, trying to live a lie, because she couldn’t be around any more fighting and dying. At the time, maybe it felt like it wasn’t going to be pretending anymore. Tobin tells her that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to him. He asks if she’s leaving again, but she doesn’t know. She might accept that some are lucky to live, and some are lucky to fight. He asks what about after it ends, but she doesn’t think it does. He tells her the end is what they’re fighting for. Carol says it just means they get tomorrow. Maybe one more night; one more morning. After that, there’s no guarantees. As she’s talking, Alden buries the Saviors. Henry picks up a gun, and sneaks out. We see a clock ticking.

Rick loads his gun. Siddiq says he can treat Rick’s wound; he doesn’t want an infection. He tells Rick about a prayer for the dead he remembers from when he was little. Do not send us astray after them. He says, those who die, don’t. Rick gets up and leaves.

Holding a hurricane lamp, Maggie goes through the hallways crowded with people. She asks a man how he’s feeling. He says the doctor stitched him up. She says they’re lucky to have him, and the man says they’re lucky to have her. Gregory was all about himself and what he wanted; that’s not her.

In the infirmary, Tobin is startled awake at 2:13. Another guy wakes up, and asks what’s going on. One of the patients says he’s going to get the doctor, but just before he gets out the door, Tobin grabs him, and takes a bite. Oh well. I don’t know what this clock thing is about, but we keep seeing various timepieces.

Now it’s 4 a.m., and Dana walks in. She looks down, and realizes she’s standing in a pool of blood. Tobin takes a bite of her too. We hear zombie noises, along with the baby crying. The guy Maggie was talking to is now a zombie. He ambles, no, falls down the stairs. Hey, everybody, wake up!

Henry pokes at Gregory through the fence with his gun. Gregory asks Henry to let him out. Henry asks who killed his brother, but Gregory doesn’t know. He tells Henry that he isn’t one of them. He says Henry has a dangerous weapon, and he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt. He asks Henry to give it to him, and they’ll talk. He’s sorry about Henry’s brother, but killing them won’t bring him back. Henry says it will make him feel better. He did it once before; why not there? He asks if he has to start shooting until someone tells him who killed Ben. Alden says his brother died too. Killing his murderer sounds good in theory, but won’t make him feel better. Henry says it will for now. They hear screaming from inside.

Maggie sees chaos – running and biting, Daryl stabbing zombies in the head. I’d just leave. Michonne does a nice sword through the head move. Outside, Jared says it’s music to his ears. Henry asks if it was him, but Jared doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Henry lets himself into the Savior pen. He wants to know now. Alden says words are easier to live with than actions, but Henry says be a man and step forward, so he doesn’t have to kill their friends. He’s going to start counting to ten. When he gets to four, a zombie bites one of the Saviors, and there’s a free-for-all. Jared grabs the gun, and the Saviors run out, Gregory running along with them. Henry is left lying in the pen.

Morgan pikes zombies in the head. Daryl wonders if the zombies got in with the Saviors. Morgan says it’s their own people. Tobin is busy upstairs. Carol pulls him off someone, and stabs him in the head after only a momentary hesitation, and no doubt quick trip down Memory Lane. Daryl asks if she’s okay. She says he wasn’t bit, but he turned. Rick tells them about Negan’s bat being covered in zombie blood. They realize that anyone who was wounded is going to turn. A dude in one of the hospital beds says one of them will have to do it for him; he can’t. Everyone looks sad.

Rick tells the others that the house is clear. Tara asks how it happened. He tells her the Saviors did something to their weapons. Whoever was cut up or shot, got sick, and some turned. Daryl says Tara told him that she was done waiting. He could have killed Dwight, and should have. She says, no; he wanted to be there with them, but no matter how hard he tried, she wanted him dead. She couldn’t let it be anything else. Karma’s a bitch. Rick ponders that.

Outside, the struggle is real. Alden tells Maggie that some of them are trying to keep the gate closed. She sees some of the Saviors bracing the gate against the zombies. Siddiq tells her that he went to check on the prisoners, but the pen was empty. She asks Alden where they went, but he says they just ran. He tells her that he and the ones left had plenty of chances to run, but maybe it doesn’t matter to her.

Carol looks for Henry with Ezekiel. Enid tells them that he broke into the pen before the Saviors escaped. Carol says she told him this would happen, like that helps. Morgan thinks this over. Gavin appears, and keeps repeating, you know what it is, until he’s yelling. Morgan says, no.

Jerry and Jesus bury their people. Diane asks Maggie, what is it? and Maggie says, the cost. Rick nods sagely, and we end with a crane shot of all the graves.

I wonder why they kept focusing on Rick’s wound…

Next time, Rick goes hunting, Rosita wants the bullet maker, Jadis drags Negan out of the container she’d kept Rick in, Ezekiel wants to look for Henry and calls Carol a coward.

👹 Fear the Walking Dead returns on April 15th, and looks promising. The group takes over an amusement park, and raises sheep. Morgan also joins them, and Victor sports a new hairdo.

⚓ Talking Dead was bumped up an hour tonight to make room for a sneak preview of new series, The Terror. Set in 1847, and based on a true story about a ship that disappeared, the crew of a Royal Naval expedition searches for the Arctic’s treacherous Northwest Passage. Instead, they discover a monstrous predator. The two-hour premiere begins at 9 pm on Monday. The first hour was basically a set-up for the horror to come, but it looks good.

🍑 Kenya’s husband finally made an appearance on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, when she launched her PSA on domestic violence. The main takeaway point for me though, was what the hell was NeNe wearing? A muumuu?  That outfit was worse than the one Sheree was wearing for the pictorial she sent to her incarcerated boyfriend. Next time, a Halloween costume party. I’m not sure what difference this will make from any other episode at this point.

😔 It’s Ba-a-ack…

Mar19

March 18, 2018 – Even When He’s Not There Negan’s There & a Terrorfying Premiere

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What I Watched Today

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

 

The Walking Dead

Negan smiles, Simon squints, Dwight looks like he has a headache. Negan tells Dwight, welcome home, and says it’s good having him back. He needs his top guys out in front acing this sh*t. He heard Dwight had a close call. Dwight tells him that they were ambushed, and makes up an explanation. Negan says his people need to keep their business in order. He tells Dwight to slug a beer, and put on his best clothes. They have work to do.

Negan has his men gut some zombies. He says Hilltop will drop to their knees when they see what he’s packing. Simon says it’s about scaring them. No head shots, just flesh wounds, and if they die, let them turn; don’t kill them. He tells Dwight to ride with him. Dwight says he’s going to scout on his bike, but Simon says they have more expendable scouts for that. Not that Dwight is expendable. Ride with him, and he’ll bring Dwight up to speed on the plan. Dwight gets in the truck

Negan puts the business end of Lucille into a bucket of zombie guts.

Rick cuddles Judith. Daryl approves. Rick visits the graves of those they’ve lost. Daryl thinks about the people who are gone, and the ones still there. It ain’t right or fair. He says he’d just wanted it done at the Sanctuary, and didn’t care who was there. Rick says he didn’t want to risk killing innocent people, and should have just cared about theirs. Daryl says, keep fighting. Rick is going to Hilltop, and Daryl says he’ll go too. Rick thinks they should split up; cover as much ground as they can. He insists he’s okay, and tells Daryl thanks Rick for getting them there.

Maggie wonders if they’ll come back. Rosita says they’ll just keep things going. It will be harder when it’s quiet. Maggie says, not if Negan’s dead; not for her. Rosita says not her either. Maggie looks through binoculars, and sees someone messing with a milk crate near the forest.

Simon asks what Dwight makes of the road trip. He says, let’s rap; let’s get candid; let’s get weird. There’s nobody here but us chickens. Here’s the point where I would jump out of the moving car. In Simon’s analysis, Hilltop will cower and cave when they deliver yet another warning. Dwight says they don’t get paid to think, but Simon values Dwight’s opinion. He’s been on both sides of the iron. Simon has his doubts it will deliver the desired outcome. Dwight asks if Simon thinks they should do something different, but he says, no. They’re going with the big man’s plan. They’ve thrown a lot at Rick’s people, but they keep fighting. He keeps seeing the same answer – they don’t scare. I’m wondering why they would at this point, since they live in a world run by zombies.

Maggie gets a message from the milk crate person, asking for food and phonograph records in exchange for the key to the future. Michonne says they’re not Saviors. Rosita says if it’s a trap, it’s obvious. Maggie tells them that’s what makes it a trap. Michonne asks, what if they’re trying to help? Maggie thinks there are two outcomes; they can miss out or die. Michonne says she’ll go. The last time she took chance, it changed everything. Rick might not agree or understand, but eventually he will. Maggie keeps looking through the binoculars, and decides they’ll go.

Simon and Dwight decide to stick to the plan, and don’t engage. Looking through his binoculars, Rick sees the Saviors coming through. He sees Negan driving by, and gets in his car.

Rick follows Negan, who steps on the gas, and Rick gives chase. Dwight and Simon see, but don’t realize it’s Rick. They follow, and Simon tells the others to stay in their lane; they might have company. He thinks there might be others. He meets the rest of the Saviors, and tells them that someone pushed Negan off the road, but it looks like just one driver; nothing they can’t handle. Just in case, he and Dwight are going to check it out; it might be a ploy to divide them. He made sure no one else could come that way by turning the truck sideways to block the street. He tells the others to do the same on that end, and cut down anything that comes close. He and Dwight are going to locate their benefactor.

Negan’s car is on it’s side, and he opens his eyes to a car full of guts. Rick gets out shooting, and Negan scrambles out of the car. Zombies are coming from everywhere. For the first time ever, Negan looks scared, and runs into the closest building. Rick runs after him, but Negan is waiting, and whacks him with Lucille. Negan jets, and Rick runs after him, shooting. Zombies begin to amble in. Negan runs upstairs, and Rick runs out of bullets. Negan tells him to come on up, and Rick chucks an ax at him. Dodging it, Negan crashes into the railing, which breaks apart, and he falls. He manages to hang on, but as Rick is about to bring down the ax on his hands, he lets go, but doesn’t miss the opportunity to call Rick an a-hole.

Michonne, Maggie, and Enid come to a van turned sideways in the road. Three women stand in front, and the leader, an older blonde woman, introduces herself as Georgie. The other two are her dark-haired protectors, twins Hilda and Midge. Georgie thinks they must be curious to see what they get for food and music. She adds that the records must be music; no spoken word. Because they’re out there, she sees they can take care of themselves. She doesn’t share with the weak.

Rosita pats the women down. Maggie wants them to give what they have, but Georgie says she can’t do it. What she’s bearing is knowledge, which is primarily in her head, and she’d prefer to keep her head where it is. This isn’t a trick; it’s a trade. Maggie asks, why, and Georgie says, what else should she do? Rosita looks in the truck, but Georgie says what’s in there isn’t part of the deal. She asks how many are in the community, and Maggie says not many. Georgie says they have something special. The apocalypse has brought out the best and the worst of people. So far, the worst are out-pacing them, but it won’t last forever, and the good will be worthless without a sustainable future. Enid says there’s no way people survive doing what they’re doing. Georgie says they do, and will. She can divine that they’re a fine group, manners notwithstanding. Maggie says they’re coming back to Hilltop.

Negan whistles, the thing I hate most about him. Rick asks if he’s still alive. Negan says he’s a goddam cat. He looks for Lucille, and a zombie drops down. Rick asks where Negan’s people are; shouldn’t they be here by now? Negan says they’re coming, but Rick says this is where he dies, in the dark, all alone. Negan asks what the hell Rick’s problem is. He thought they were working through sh*t, but Rick is the most stubborn pr*ck he’s ever crossed d*cks with. Was Negan a sailor before the apocalypse? Negan asks Rick to let him save them. He’s good at it. Their kids will grow up safe. They haven’t lost one in the communities he’s taken over. They were doing fine until Rick came along. Rick sees a door with boards nailed across it. One of them says EATERS!

Negan says Rick failed his boy, and failed his people. It makes him sick thinking about it; the wasted potential. He says there’s still hope for Rick though. A onetime deal made in memory of Rick’s badass son, someone he actually respected. If Rick gets his people to fall in line, the arrangement is back in place and all is forgiven. He’ll even lower his take to 25%, but Rick has to work for him doing janitorial work. His people will live like 75% kings. It’s like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa all rolled into one. Rick says, after what he did to Tardis’s Jadis’s people? Negan is like, huh? and Rick says they killed a whole community of scavengers. A whole community wiped out; is that how he saves people? Negan says, son of a bitch. Rick says it’s times like this when you realize who your true friends are. No one is coming for him.

Rick finds Lucille.

Simon figures Dwight must have thought about clipping Negan himself. Negan took his wife and burned his face. Dwight says, no, not once. Simon is impressed, saying Dwight chose to survive instead of focusing on his own discomforts. Dwight says he did what he had too. Simon tells him their leader isn’t doing the same. If it was his call, he’d branch out, find new places, and make new relationships. He’d make sure the Saviors survive and move on from past discomforts (his word of the day), as Dwight chose to. What does he say? Dwight says, move on.

They see Negan’s car, but no Negan. Simon thinks he could be anywhere; alive, dead, or somewhere in between. They could face a distasteful moment, or walk away, get back to their people, and make things better. This is a critical point in history. Something to tell their grandkids about. Dwight lights a cigarette, which is what we’d all do at this point. He takes a drag, then flicks it at the car, which bursts into flames. Simon tells him, good answer.

Maggie tells Jerry that it will be dark soon, and to get ready. He knows what to do. Michonne says she should make a deal with Georgie, or let them go before the Saviors get there. Maggie says she can’t let them go. She has mouths to feed, and they have crates of food. Let me just stop here and say, excuse me? Is she suggesting they do basically what the Saviors do? Enid says Maggie is right. If they don’t take it, someone else will, and kill them. It’s a miracle they’re still alive. The Saviors are on their way, and they’re going to fight. Why give a sh*t about people who don’t give a sh*t? They need to stop pretending things just work out; they don’t. Michonne says Carl rescued Siddiq. Now they have a doctor and a friend. She says Carl was brave, and Enid says, now he’s dead. Michonne tells Enid to step back, and Enid wisely leaves without arguing. Maggie tells Michonne things just don’t work out, and Michonne says, no, they don’t. Carl knew that, but didn’t give up on what Rick wanted him to be, and they can’t either.

Rick tells Negan he can’t save him, his people, or anyone, because he doesn’t care about people. He uses them. The only thing he cares about is his bat, and he can’t even save that. He’ll make a deal with Negan. He can kill her goodbye. Negan says, don’t touch her, and Rick sets Lucille on fire. He tells Negan to come get her. He starts battering the boards across the door. Negan rushes him, and they both fall into the room.

Zombies grab at them. Rick tries to whack Negan, and sets a couple of zombies on fire. Negan calls him, a goddam psychopath, saying he’ll get them both killed. Rick says as long as he goes first. Negan shoves him, and they tussle. Negan gets Lucille back. Rick punches out some zombies, and Negan climbs out a window. Rick follows.

Negan comes out to the parking lot, and is like, dude, where’s my car?

Michonne brings out records. Georgie says she’s changing the terms. They can have a sizeable portion of the food. They need it more. Maggie wonders in exchange for what? Georgie says, records and good faith. It’s not a gift; it’s a barter. She’ll be back. Maybe not for a while, but she expects great things. She takes out a thick manuscript, with the title, A Key to the Future. She tells Maggie there are handwritten plans for windmills, irrigation, and such; a book of medieval human achievement. They can have a future from the past. The originals are in her head, but she made a few photocopies. Maggie thanks her. Georgie tells her to build the place up. She wants a crate filled when she comes back. Maggie says she’ll see what can do. Georgie and her friends leave. I swear, I saw the same guy walk behind Maggie in the exact same way twice during that conversation.

Enid tells Michonne that she killed Netanya. I’m hoping Enid feels like a big jerk right about now. She says Netanya was out there, killing whoever she came across, so she killed her. She killed someone, and is alive; Carl saved someone, and he’s dead. How are they supposed to do this? Stop fighting? Michonne doesn’t think Carl wanted them to stop fighting. He’d want them to fight for the future, but to get to the future, they have to do more than fighting. The Saviors are coming. They’re going to fight them, but they have to be something after.

The Saviors stand around picking their noses. Dwight and Simon return the group. One of the Saviors asks where Negan is, and Simon tells him that they couldn’t find him. Dwight says he wasn’t in his car, just blood. The Savior asks, what’s next? and Simon asks who he is. He says, Negan. Simon tells them that they’re all Negan. It doesn’t matter if he’s not there. They’re still Negan. They don’t know if he’s gone; he could be back, but their plan is Negan’s plan. They go to Hilltop, and put the fear of God in them until they get with the program. After what they just did, it’s beyond time for them to accept it, but once they do, it will become crystal clear. They have one thing left to do. They must expunge them; redact them. They’re a mistake that shall now be erased. They’re moving on. He sounds like Negan. Dwight ponders heavily about Negan.

Negan sleeps in a car, while someone else drives. It’s Xanax Jadis, who has a gun on him with her free hand. He opens his eyes, and laughs. He says, well, sh*t. She tells him to shut up, and whacks him in the head with the butt of the gun.

Next time, Maggie says, here we go.

😱 Next week, March 25th, Talking Dead will be on an hour later. Following Walking Dead, AMC will be showing a sneak preview of their new series, The Terror, which premieres on Monday, March 26th. Based on a true story, The Terror is about a Royal Naval expedition searching for the Arctic’s treacherous Northwest Passage. Instead, they discover a monstrous predator. From what I’ve seen, it looks freaky good, and I’m definitely giving it a look.

⛲ I’ve been watching To Rome for Love, but face it, we already know the end to these long-distance romance stories. Unless they end up on 90 Day Fiancé, it ain’t happenin’. Seriously, if you want a crappy relationship, you can find one here.

⚓ The Terror Trailer

http://www.amc.com/shows/the-terror/video-extras/the-terror-season-1-trailer?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=The%20Terror%20-%20Brand&utm_term=the%20terror&utm_content=The%20Terror%20Generic-ID:1000305&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi8TV0dL32QIVmbrACh3fXgVxEAAYASAAEgINafD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

🙈 I’m Scared Already…

Terror2

Terror

Mar12

March 11, 2018 – Gabriel’s Great Escape, a Bit of TV News & Weekend Over

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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

The Walking Dead

A carload of Saviors is out hunting for Morgan and Dr. Carson. Daryl sneaks around under a bridge. He’s leading a group scouting the roads. Tara tosses a zombie at Dwight, claiming it got away. Dwight kills it, and Daryl tells everyone to keep it moving.

Dr. Carson drives, and Gabriel asks if they’ve passed the Linus overpass, but the doctor doesn’t know. Gabriel says it’s going to be okay and have some faith. They’re on the right path if not the right road. He studies a map, but has difficulty focusing. Carson tells him that he’s is suffering from a serious complication. Does he really think God is leading the way? Gabriel says God is always leading the way, and Carson says maybe God should be driving. Gabriel jokes about Him leaving too many footprints, and a zombie drags itself along next to the car. Maybe Gabriel just needs glasses.

Carson asks about a mile marker, and if Gabriel can see it. Gabriel says he can’t, and Carson says he was stupid to let him leave, but he’s sick and there are antibiotics at Hilltop. Gabriel asks if he hears something, almost like a bell. I don’t. Carson isn’t too thrilled with leaving the car, but they walk through the forest, and come to a cabin. Gabriel says it’s not a bell, but might be their salvation. Carson doesn’t think so.

Rosita says the group needs rest. Daryl says, ten minutes. Tara asks why Dwight is still breathing; she’s done. Rosita tells her that he may have an angle, and tells her to knock it off; at least until they get to Hilltop.

Morgan and Henry guard the prisoners at Hilltop. Carol says she can take over. Jared yells that the kid is freaking people out, and they should move him along. The Saviors are going to roll up and let them out anyway. Henry asks Morgan, who killed his brother? Morgan tells him to go and eat. Henry asks Carol why they’re not telling him. She says he’s a child, and he’s done too much already. Morgan tells her that Henry knows how to live, and it doesn’t bother him. She says he’s not fine, and neither is Morgan. She tells him to take a break, and takes a turn as guard.

Negan is disappointed. This crap should be over. His only doctor and that creepy-ass priest jumped ship without anyone knowing. He asks if Eugene has any idea how it happened, but Eugene is not venturing any guesses. Negan says Carson is a weasel like his brother, and once their asses are caught, he’ll get the whole story – one way or another. And Alexandria – Eugene asks what went down there, and Negan asks why does he care? They tried to blow him off the earth. He tells Eugene that he’s going to be in charge of his own outpost. He needs his bullet-maker to be making bullets. He’s going to provide the next bang-bang Negan needs to settle this situation for good. Eugene asks what about people as resources, and Negan says bullets are a last resort. If Rick and his merry band of pricks decided to pull sh*t, then they’ll have to pull sh*t. It will be some that they don’t want, but it’s on them. Eugene is going to have everything he needs to keep his head in the game. Eugene asks if there will be wine, which would be my first question, and Negan says there will indeed.

Inside the cabin, Morgan shakes a piggy bank and laughs. He tries to read something from a notepad. Looking out the window, Carson says, clear so far. He tells Morgan that he should be lying down. It’s lucky they found this place. Morgan says luck had nothing to do with it. Morgan gives Carson the pad, and Carson says the owner was a radio operator. He looks through the pad, the owner writing that even if he can’t be helped, maybe he can help someone else. There are pages of radio calls, but they all say, no signal. Morgan says that they don’t know if others might have been reached, but the operator never found out. Or maybe it gave them strength to go on, even if they didn’t reach anyone. Carson opens the bedroom door. He sees a zombie cuffed to the bed with a plastic bag over its head. He says, didn’t happen.

Daryl goes over the map. Rosita thinks they should keep moving. Daryl wonders about the swamp. Dwight says it’s one place the Saviors won’t be. Negan thought it was too dangerous and not worth the risk. Tara asks if Daryl is seriously considering what Dwight has to say. If it’s too dangerous for the Saviors, why send them? Why should they trust Dwight? He could turn on them like he did his own people. Dwight says they all saw what happens if one of them gets away. If they find him, his head will be on a pike. He’s not fighting for them, and he’s not going back there. He wants to help them beat Negan. After that, he knows how it ends. Daryl says, fine; they’ll try the swamp. Tara is stunned.

One of the Kingdom Hilltoppers tells Maggie that they finished taking inventory. They’re barely going to make it through another week, and it will be worse if they include the prisoners. Jesus is still out scavenging, and might bring something back.

Carson takes a gun from the corpse, and tells Gabriel to lie down; he’s fighting a serious infection. Gabriel gives Carson some prescription bottles, and he looks through them. He says two are antibiotics, and this may have just saved his life. Gabriel tells Carson that he’s not saying a word.

Dwight says he’s doing it for Sherry. She let Daryl out and ran; she must be out there somewhere. Daryl looks at the swamp. Rosita says they can do it. Someone suggests a small group push through, and make a path for the others. Rosita asks if Tara is coming, but she’s hanging back. The small group starts to walk through.

Maggie asks Gregory what he wants. He says they haven’t seen eye to eye, and loyalties have been questioned, but his behavior has been good. She says he’s staying in there. He says she can’t keep him there forever, and she tells him give her a reason to kill him and she won’t have to. Another prisoner says they’ve been good, and she still took one out; they don’t have to be enemies. Maggie asks what Gregory wants. They want to go outside on good behavior; one at a time under armed guard. Maggie says she doesn’t have the resources to oblige, even if she wanted to. And BTW, she’s cutting off their rations in a few days, maybe longer. Her people come first; she has no choice. Gregory thinks she does.

Rosita and the others continue through the swamp. A zombie pops up in front of her, and she stabs it in the head. Daryl is impressed. Groot! Never mind. It’s just a tree. Zombies start to rise from the water like something out of Creepy comics. Daryl and Siddiq go through the water, stabbing them one by one.

Tara tells Dwight he just volunteered to kill some zombies, and gives him a knife.

Carson says Gabriel’s fever has broken. He tells Gabriel that if there’s no improvement in his eyesight soon, there will be permanent damage. Morgan is like, oh well, and Carson asks if losing his vision doesn’t scare him or piss him off. Gabriel says he’s letting Him lead the way. He tells Carson that he can’t see it, but can feel the look on his face. He’s not saying God led them there, but to find meaning in it. He knocks the piggy bank over, and it breaks. Carson finds car keys and a map inside. He looks at the map, and says they’re no more than a few miles off.

Tara follows Dwight through the forest, covering him with a gun. He stabs a zombie. He tells her that he’s sorry about Denise. He truly is. He doesn’t expect forgiveness; he doesn’t deserve it. He just wants her to know. She says he should have stayed with the Saviors. He says he hates them. He hates Negan. Tara doesn’t care. She says switching sides doesn’t make it okay; it never will. He asks what killing him will do, and she says, make her feel hella better. She shoots at him, but he ducks behind a tree, and runs. He stops in a clearing. He says he knew it would happen, but he’d wanted to help them win first. They hear people coming, and hide.

It’s the group of Saviors from the car. Tara holds the gun to Dwight’s head.

Carson and Gabriel head for the garage. Gabriel looks up, and a warning sign comes into focus. He yells for Carson to stop, but it’s too late. Carson steps into an animal trap. His leg is caught, and here comes a zombie. Oh, great. Now they’re coming out of the woodwork… er, forest. Carson shoots at one, but another falls on him. He shoots that one, but there’s another right behind, and he drops the gun. Gabriel crawls over, and finds the gun. He blindly shoots, and miraculously hits the zombie and not Carson. Carson says he did it, and Gabriel says he might have had some help.

Tara continues to hold the gun on Dwight. She looks like a nut. Dwight walks out to the road. One of the Saviors says they thought he was dead. He says he got caught in an ambush, but got away. He spent the night hiding and running, and trying to make it back. He asks what happened to Laura, and they say, sorry, no one has seen her. They’re going to Alexandria, and thought they’d check out the swamp. Dwight tells them that he just came from there, and to steer clear of it. He takes a gun from one of them, and says he’ll lead the way. Tara can’t believe it. She’s surprised all over the place tonight.

Rosita tells Daryl that she saw Tara running after Dwight. He asks why Rosita didn’t stop her, and Rosita says, no one could have stopped her. When she gets back, Dwight gets in Tara’s face, saying he told her to wait. Dwight could tell them everything. She says he saved them; he led the Saviors away. Daryl doesn’t care, and starts cursing everything. Then he sees Tobin covering Judith’s ears, and says, let’s go. They start to maneuver through the swamp.

Gabriel asks if Carson wants him to drive, but that’s a no. They get in the car, and hear, hands up, a-holes. They turn around, and it’s the Savior group now joined by Dwight. They’re deposited in the bed of the truck. Gabriel tells Carson that He’s still leading the way. Believe it, and he’ll see it. What Carson sees is an unattended gun on a Savior, and grabs it, but gets shot. As the truck pulls away, Morgan weeps, and says, no, no, no. I say, no surprise this show is a total bummer. Always.

The gates of Hilltop open. Daryl and the others walk in. Carol runs to greet them. We only hear music, so we can’t hear what they’re saying, but Daryl shakes his head. Enid cries, and sinks to the ground. Siddiq looks tired. Maggie comforts Enid.

Morgan says Henry asked about who killed his brother. It was Gavin, and he got him, so…

Siddiq thanks Maggie for her hospitality. She says it’s not much, but he tells her, its everything. He asks if there’s an infirmary, and she asks if he’s hurt. He says he’s fine, but has medical experience. He can pitch in and help. She explains they’re using the trailers, and thanks him. She watches everyone interacting.

Eugene makes bullets. Frankie (I think – whoever the redhead is) says he was destined for this. He tells her to be there, she needs gloves and proper eye protection. She thought she’d help, and he says she can help by bringing some food – eggs nicely dancing with tomatoes. He’s going to designate the northwest corner as a breakroom and motivational presentation cubby.

Negan kicks the door open, and brings in Gabriel. He says Gabriel told him an interesting story about how he made his way out of their lovely home. We hold our collective breaths for a beat or two, and he says it was Carson. Negan asks if he called it or what. Gabriel asks why bring him here, and Negan says he needs an extra set of hands to separate casings. Gabriel’s eyes don’t work for sh*t, but his hands do. Eugene says it will still be a few days, but Negan says that doesn’t work for him. They need a more Biblical approach. Eugene says they could rig catapults, and launch dead arms, legs, and heads, creating traumatic theatrics. Negan thanks him. He believes a rose sprang into the pile of sh*t. He tells the guys, let’s roll, and whistles as he leaves.

Eugene goes to Gabriel. Gabriel says he thought he found what he was meant to do. Eugene says, he has, and so has Eugene. He tells Gabriel to get to work.

Maggie approaches the prisoners and points at one. She says they’re to be taken out in pairs for work, exercise, and medical attention. They can start by cleaning the stables. Gregory thinks since they’ll be working, they should get more food, but she says quarter rations, same as always. He appreciates it, but the Saviors are still coming. He thinks they should consider evacuation. If they run, they live. He asks how they could win, and she tells him to look around.

Outside, Negan addresses his people while standing in front of three zombies chained to a fence. He says they know how it works. You get a bite, something from them gets in you, and you join the club. But what if they can use it to their advantage? He whacks at a zombie with Lucille. He tells them Lucille is getting to know their friend. He bashes and pokes at the zombie, until Lucille is covered with blood and rotted flesh. He tells them to look at that. No more smashing and bashing; just a touch, just a kiss. Hilltop will learn to comply, dead or alive. Or some kind of sh*t in between.

Next time, Negan orders the Saviors to let them turn, don’t kill them; and Negan tells Rick that he failed his boy and his people – let Negan save them.

🎭 The Good News & the Bad News

Sunday, April 15th is a big day. Sadly, your taxes are due the next day, but Fear the Walking Dead (which Morgan will be a part of) also returns at 10 pm on AMC, and Southern Charm New Orleans premieres on Bravo at 9 pm. The original Southern Charm will be back on Thursday, April 5th at 9 pm. They’ve already tried with Savannah, which was a snooze, and IMO, it would be tough to top the Charleston cast. Who can resist the Peter Pan that is Thomas; his off-again-on-again squeeze, and mother of his children, fiery Kathryn; matriarch of the South, Patricia, and her baby boy Whitney; dreamer Craig; perpetual adolescent Shep; weepy roller coaster ride Landon; and Cameran, avoiding motherhood since the beginning of time, finally having a baby?

⏰ And We Lost an Hour…

WeekendBackToWork

WeekendMonkey

WeekendDog2

 

Mar5

March 4, 2018 – The Dead, Rambling About the Dead & a Comic Book Man

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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

The Walking Dead

Michonne

Michonne looks lost while Rick decorates the cross on Carl’s grave with a gun. She lets off steam by whacking some zombies’ heads off. As I like to do when I’m stressed. She looks at the half burned down Alexandria, and shuts the gate. Making sure to take half a zombie’s face off with it, and stabbing some in the eyeballs first.

Rick asks for some pudding. Just kidding. Nobody is saying anything, and I got bored. Michonne looks at Carl and Judith’s finger-paint handprints on the porch, and gets even more bummed. She goes inside. She tells Rick they have to go. They slip out the back door.

When they get to the car, Michonne grabs a fire extinguisher and runs with it; Rick following with another one. They try putting out a fire in the gazebo, but the zombies are forming a crowd, so they both run back to the van. Nice try. Alexandria has officially been taken over by zombies.

Rick asks what Michonne is thinking. Does she want to stop fighting? She says they could pull over, but he says not yet, not him. He wants to talk to Jadis. They have weapons and people, and they need them. She asks why now? He tells her that they went to the Sanctuary. They were seen, and will be a target too.

They sneak around where the trash pile is. Rick opens the door to go in, and it’s like a Three Stooges prank. A rope is triggered, and all this stuff on the roof above tumbles down. There are zombies all over the place.

Negan

Negan wants his men to check every nook and cranny. The Alexandrians had an escape plan. Rick’s kid is plaguing him; he’s built for this sh*t. Simon asks if he’s heard from Gavin. Negan says, no, but it’s coming. Gavin is perpetually pissed off, but has it together. Simon asks where Negan wants him; he’s not running down Rick. Negan says, the garbage people. Simon thinks it will be worth it to get the guns, but Negan says they may have pulled a triple-cross, but they’re still a resource. A deal with him is a lock, stock, and suck-my-barrel deal. He tells Simon to deliver the standard message. Take one out, and the rest fall in line. Just one. He asks if Simon has anything to say. Simon thinks maybe they should cut their losses. None of them can learn the lesson, no matter how many times they teach it. No one understands the situation one little bit, so maybe they should learn. Scrape the plates into the trash, move further out, and find other communities to save. Negan laughs. He’s doing his best to hold it together right now. He tells Simon to take own advice. The easy way isn’t their way. Saving people is hard, but it works. Simon says (it finally became unavoidable), not lately, and Negan tells him once he clips Rick, everything will be aces again.

There’s a knock at the door. Some guys bring in a delivery. It’s the crate from Hilltop. Negan tells them to get out, and he reads the lid: We have 38 more – stand down. We hear zombie noises from inside. Simon pries open the Crate, and Negan nail guns Dean in the head multiple times. Simon tells Negan that means the rest are from the outpost. They’re killing everyone, and he can’t let them get away with it. Negan tells him he’ll do his job. Simon is obviously not happy, but says nothing.

Enid

Enid and Aaron are shoved into a house by the Oceanside women. Aaron says, let’s talk about it, but they get chained to a radiator. One of the women tells Cyndie that Netanya was her family, and another says she should just kill them. The women leave, and Enid and Aaron are left alone.

Aaron says they’ll get out of it. Enid says it’s not about that. She had to do it. Netanya made her do it, and she’d do it again

Cyndie and her crew come back, and unchain them. They cuff Enid and Aaron’s hands behind their backs, and Cyndie says take them to the beach. Aaron says it’s her decision, but she has to own it (what is this? Real Housewives?), and she’d better have a good reason to kill them, other than making herself feel better. Killing is the punishment, but if Cyndie executes them, some of their people will come looking. They might kill a few more, but eventually, they’ll get wiped out. Her grandmother got herself killed. He tells her not to make the same mistake. Let them go. They’ll keep fighting, and the Oceansiders can keep hiding. Cyndie says, no… they live, confusing all of us

Aaron asks if she wants to know if they win, and she says, yes. He asks her to help them win. She says their contribution was not killing them, and they’ve taken everything else the Oceansiders can give. She tells him not to come there again. Aaron suggests they stop trying to kill strangers. They need to know the difference between friends and enemies. She says, don’t come back. Cyndie and her posse walk off, looking like weird Girl Scouts.

Aaron asks if Enid knows how to get to the car. She says they’re not going to help. Aaron wants to go home, but can’t leave until they join the fight. Enid says Beatrice and Cathy (which, no doubt, is spelled Kaythe) seem open to it, and Aaron thinks he can convince both. He tells Enid to go back and tell Maggie what he’s doing, but not to come. Enid thinks they’ll kill him if he goes back there, and he says he won’t go back there. No matter what happens, he’ll be okay. She makes him promise she’ll see him again, and he makes her promise she’ll be okay. They hug, and he tells her to go.

Commercial break. Talking Dead has a surprise guest. That usually means someone significant dies.

Simon

Simon is going to the landfill. He says, no worries, grabs some dudes, and they head to the heap.

Both the Saviors and the Heapsters draw their guns. Simon asks Tardis Jadis if they’re not friends, and she gives a nod. He says the bottom line is they need an apology – genuine. He knows she had a side deal with Rick, despite their preexisting arrangement. She saw them, and tried to kill them. By now, she’s had time to prepare a heartfelt act of confession. He tells her to feel free to use notes. Jadis says, no deal with Rick. They delivered him, brought him to the Saviors. Simon calls bullsh*t, but says no need to worry. They’ve cut themselves a big break. Negan is graciously willing to forego punishment. If they agree to revert to the agreed upon terms, all is forgiven. However, they will be taking all guns and ammo the Heapsters currently have. Jadis says danger is everywhere, and they need guns too. Simon tells her not when they have the Saviors. The Saviors will provide guns when they need them. Jadis nods because she’s used up her words for the day. The Saviors take their guns.

Simon asks about painting, if she learned it before or after. She says you don’t learn, you just know, which I kind of agree with. He asks why the dump? There had to be a better place to call home. Jadis says, our place. He wonders what the deal is with the helipad and solar panels (which is a clue to something, according to Robert Kirkman), and asks what it was before. She says, a dump. Simon laughs, but he’s not buying it. He wants to know if she understands they have guns and a deal, and he wants the full definition of an apology. What he got was a transgressional acknowledgment, and the guns as restitution, but no remorse. She says, there is remorse, and he shoots Brion. She repeats, there is remorse, and he shoots Tamiel. (Her two main people. I got their names from Talking Dead.) Jadis punches Simon, knocking him down, and says, there is remorse, you SOB. He says, no, no, no. He doesn’t think she means it. He says, light it up, gents. Everyone starts screaming, and they shoot… everyone? I’m not so sure Negan is going to like this.

Simon returns. Simon tells Negan that they got guns that and then some. Negan asks how it went, and he says the standard mess and delivery. They showed and told him they had remorse. There’s a call for Negan on the radio. It’s Rick.

Jadis

Michonne and Rick knock off the zombies at the trash pile. They climb up, since zombies aren’t good at climbing. Jadis is there. Michonne asks what happened, and Jadis says, Saviors. Rick asks how they get out, and Jadis says the same way they got in.  Jadis starts to talk, and loses her woman-of-few-words shtick as she goes along. She says they weren’t heaps. There was just trash far as the eye could see. She would go there to find things to paint on – metal and fabric. When everything changed, she realized the whole place was a canvas, and they were the paint. They could create something new, become something new, and they did. This was their world, apart from everyone else in every way. Rick says, you did this because of you.

Rick picks up a car door, and twirls it around. He bends some pieces of it; he’s going to use it as a shield. Jadis says she’s coming with them until they’re gone. Rick says he’s done with games. She can’t help them anyway. He goes down, and uses the door to knock some zombies around, and shoots some others. Michonne shoves the stuff in front of the door out of the way. Jadis asks them to just let her get out, but no deal.

All is quiet at the trash piles. Jadis pounds on the ground, and the zombies come toward her. They’re stopped by a chain several feet from her. She flips a switch, and a grinding machine turns on. I assume it was once used to crunch up trash. It’s between her and the horde, and she releases the chain with a stick. As they continue forward, they fall in and get chopped up. Cool. She watches as people she knows fall in. She cries. It churns out chili con zombie. When all of the zombies have been dispatched, she shuts off the machine.

Jadis digs a file cabinet out of one of the trash piles. She takes out a box that says apple sauce. I think it must be something else, and just says that to throw people off, but it’s apple sauce. She eats some, and I reflect on Carl’s pudding, and eat a piece of beef jerky, which somehow seems appropriate.

Rick

Rick tells Michonne he shot above Jadis’s head; he saw she made it. He didn’t want her dead, just gone. Michonne says they have a choice. He stops the van, and says he needs a second. He gets out and walks through a field next to the road.

He takes out Carl’s letter to Negan, and looks at it. I guess we don’t get to know what it says, but Rick looks like he has a headache. He radios Negan, who asks where he is, saying they should talk face to face. Rick says Carl is dead, and Negan is visibly shaken. Rick tells Negan that Carl left some letters, and wrote one to him. He asked Negan to stop, and asked Rick to stop. He asked them to make peace, but it’s too late. Even if Negan wanted to deal, it doesn’t matter. He’s going to kill Negan. Negan asks how it happened. Was it them? The grenades or the fire? Rick tells him that Carl went out to help someone, and got bit. Negan says, goddammit. He says he’s sorry, and I totally believe it. He’d wanted Carl to be part of things; he had plans. Carl was the future. Rick says the only future is one where he’s dead. Negan asks why Rick is making this hard. Carl is dead because he couldn’t leave sh*t well enough alone. Maybe he would have died anyway, but in this case, he’s dead because Rick wasn’t there to stop him from doing something stupid. He set the course; who’s next? Rick says, Negan is. Negan says, someone is. He stops people from dying. He’s the answer. It might be a hard lesson to hear, but it’s time. He tells Rick not to let another sh*t decision cost him the people he loves. That garbage sticks with you forever, like Carl will. He’s feeling it, and will for a while. He could have let Negan save all of them. That’s why he killed them in the first place, so Rick could say he’ll kill him when he won’t. He’s failed as a leader. He should just give up. He’s already lost.

Next time, Gabriel is up and running, Dwight says it’s too dangerous, a swamp full of zombies, and Eugene makes something.

👂 Although I’ve long grown weary of this show being so one note – now Rick even seems to have perpetual tears in his eyes – I actually got something out of the episode. Negan’s methods need some serious tweaking, but he makes sense to himself, and is better leader than Rick, especially at this point. Rick should have waited a hot minute before going against Negan, since he was originally taken by surprise and didn’t have a plan. Instead, he went on his emotions. It seems odd that now he doesn’t want to take a stab (no pun intended) at making Carl’s vision a reality. What spoke to me, is that Carl had a revelation of an idyllic new society, and instead of trying to make that happen – which seemed to be his original plan – Rick has put up his own road block. It made me think of how we often get in our own way of attaining what we say we want. Of course, zombie stories are rarely really about zombies. I just wish this one were more balanced. To be fair, I doubt Carl’s dream could be achieved. It’s like socialism. Great in theory, but there’s always somebody who is going to want more. And in this case, that somebody is Negan.

📡 As much as Walking Dead annoys me, I love Talking Dead. It’s nice to see that nerds are finally getting a voice, and not just on the Sy – we can’t spell – Fy channel. I’m sure The Big Bang Theory made a big contribution to that. Along with Comic Book Men, this show is a nerd’s dream. Lots of getting deep into things that are pretty much meaningless. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a nerd myself, and labeled myself as such long before it was fashionable. I used to stand out at Star Trek conventions. I’d probably just blend in now. Anyway, Chris Hardwick fooled us. The surprise guest was Enid (Katelyn Necon), who did not die. There was some discussion as to whether Rick did the right thing not helping Jadis get out. The general consensus was that he did, because she’d screwed him over. I’m of two minds on that. Yeah, there is that, but she got left alone with a load of zombies after she’d just poured her heart out to him about her art – and probably used more words than she had in the past two years. On the other hand, while I don’t think her wanting to get the best deal for her people was that horrible, Rick might have done her a favor in having to be on her own, and rely on herself. Who knows? Maybe she’ll end up at Oceanside. The highlight of the show for me was when they had the factoid segment. According to his portrayer, Steven Ogg, Simon is a multi-layered persona, who is a bit of a bully, but loves musical theatre. Who knew?

🏥 Speaking of Comic Book Men, glad to hear Kevin Smith is on the mend.

https://pagesix.com/2018/03/02/kevin-smith-mistaken-for-kevin-james-as-he-recovers-from-heart-attack/

✌ The Two Kevins…

KevinSmith    KevinJames

 

 

Feb26

February 25, 2018 – A Somber Start to the Dead, a Bit of Ash, an Atlanta Mention, McWhat? & a Song

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

The Walking Dead

When last we left, teens and tweens everywhere were crying into their Skittles because Carl got bit. They’re thinking he might make a cute zombie though.

Rick prays that mercy prevails over his realm. I think this is a dream. There are kids running around, and Jerry is there. Everyone is all happy, and things look normal. In the here and now, Michonne and Rick dig what I assume is a grave. He tells her to go, and we flash back to Carl fighting off a zombie. This time we actually see him get bitten. It gets shot from behind, and Siddiq asks if he’s okay. He says he is. Siddiq and Carl drop down to the sewer tunnel.

Back home, Carl checks out his wound, and the bite holes in his shirt. He waits for Rick with a guard, who gives him a note from Michonne, saying she had to see for herself. Carl writes letters to everyone. He and Siddiq go back through the tunnel. Carl sets up a cot there. He rocks Judith on the porch, and they do some finger-painting. He takes a Polaroid selfie of the two of them. Carl and Siddiq share a candy bar. I guess this is his bucket list? Such as it is during the apocalypse.

Carl does some planting, and waves to Michonne as she drives by. He enjoys the sunshine.

Across from the Sanctuary, Morgan tries to get a bead on Negan. The Saviors shoot at the zombies outside, and Morgan tells someone on the radio, it’s not now. He says the Saviors are trying to make a path, using the zombie bodies as a block. Suddenly, the room Morgan is in, is being riddled with bullets. He stops, drops, and rolls out the door.

Morgan is outside, and sees the zombies wandering to the opera music. He bangs on the fence, distracting them. They come his way. Some Saviors pop out, but he’s able to slip away while they’re busy with the zombies. A Savior caravan goes by, and Morgan jets out of the forest as soon as they’re gone.

Elsewhere in the forest, Carol tells her Kingdom group about a place the Saviors don’t know about, and tells them to hide there until she comes back. Henry says he’s going too. They killed his brother, and he’s not going to let them kill her too. He wants a gun, but she says that’s not happening, and heads toward the Kingdom.

Carl shows Rick his wound and sweats bullets. Daryl holds Judith. Carl says, sorry, like he dented the car. He says if he doesn’t make it, he wanted to make sure he said goodbye, and gives Rick the letters. There’s shooting outside, and Rick says it’s them. Carl tells Rick about bringing Siddiq back, and that he’s the one from the gas station. It wasn’t the Saviors; it just happened. He got bit.

Gavin tells Ezekiel that Negan is going to kill him, and there’s nothing he can do to stop it. Ezekiel says he buried his people, and what happens to him matters not. Gavin says he liked him. He accepted things for how they were, and didn’t get any big ideas, but then Rick planted one, and here they are. Ezekiel says he made a choice he can live with; now it’s Gavin’s turn to do the same.

Morgan sneaks around the Kingdom. He runs into Carol, who’s also sneaking around. Morgan thinks they can take them one by one, but she thinks it’s better to avoid them until they can’t. He says they have Ezekiel, and she says they have to take them now.

Michonne tends to Carl. Siddiq has some OTC inflammatory that will help with the fever. It did for his mom and dad. Rick’s son should have them. Rick asks if he was a doctor, and Siddiq says he was a resident… before. Rick asks if he’s Siddiq. Carl says he wasn’t going to make it alone, and needed them. That’s why he brought him back. He starts coughing, and Rick gives him the medication.

Michonne tells Dwight to make it stop. He’s one of them. She begs him. Rosita says if Hilltop is safe, they should go there. Dwight says they’re looking right now. Their best chance is to stay until they’re gone. They’re almost done. It wasn’t about destroying the place; they don’t have the ammo for that. After they’re gone, that’s when they go. Rosita says they wait then. He asks if she thinks Hilltop the best plan, and she asks if he has another one. He says, all of them together, and Daryl finishes, it will be their worst nightmare.

Two Saviors are putting out fires (literally), while Morgan and Carol watch. He says they have to go through the courtyard, exposed; this is it. He taps one guy on the shoulder, and knocks him out with his staff. Carol knocks out the other. Carol thinks they should just do it. Two more Saviors run out, and they knock them out too. Morgan impales them with the pointy end. He and Carol go inside.

Gavin tells everyone to hustle. He asks Ezekiel if it’s going bad; if it’s going to turn into something else. Ezekiel says he’s the author of this nightmare. I’ll have to remember that one.

Michonne strokes Carl’s face. He says she’s supposed to be resting, but she tells him that she’s not tired. He says it’s going to stop; it’s not supposed to be like this. She’s having a hard time keeping it together.

Dwight thinks it sounds like it’s letting up. Rosita says it looks like he was right – about everything. Daryl decides to take a look, and hands Judith off to Rick.

Morgan and Carol sneak around some more. They start to go inside another building, but Morgan hears something. He looks around the corner of the porch, and sees some Saviors unloading a car. He silently goes down the steps, and kills all three of them, but another pops out of the building with a gun. Carol shoots him before he can shoot Morgan. Morgan takes one of their guns, and they go inside.

Ezekiel is packed into a pickup truck, and Gavin says it’s his last ride; try to make him comfortable. He tells Ezekiel that you try, and hope, and want things to finally settle, but no. it always comes down to this. It always has to get dark and ugly and inhuman. He doesn’t like it. Ezekiel says it’s not too late to walk back from something decided. Gavin says Ezekiel did, and look what it’s got him. Gavin gets on the radio, and calls Peter, but gets no response. He starts to get nervous, and calls Gomez, and also gets no response. Ezekiel tells him again that it’s not too late. They hear gunfire, and Gavin says to get Ezekiel inside now. Morgan and Carol creep around one of the trailers.

A tear rolls down Rick’s cheek. In his mind, he sees a cookout. Eugene jokes with Judith, who is around five. Rick and Michonne continue to dig.

The gunfire stops. Michonne says they can get to Hilltop. Rick says Carl won’t make it. He has to stay with him. She says they’ll both stay. He asks her to take Judith; she needs to be there. He starts to cry, and Daryl says he’ll take her and keep her safe. He’s got this. Rick wants to let her say goodbye, and brings her to Carl. Carl tells her that his hat was dad’s before it was his; now it’s hers. It always kept dad with him, and helped him. Maybe it will help her too. He tells her before mom died, she said he’d beat this horror, but he didn’t. She will though; he knows it. She starts howling, and Rick gives her to Daryl. Daryl says Carl saved them all. Everyone starts to leave.

Siddiq says Carl helped him, and he’s going to honor his memory. Carl brought him there and gave him a chance. Siddiq can never repay him, but can honor him by showing his people, friends, and family that what he did wasn’t for nothing. It mattered and meant something, and because it did, he’s going to honor Carl. Carl smiles, and shakes Siddiq’s hand. He tells Saddiq congratulations; he’s stuck with them. Siddiq leaves to join the others.

Commercial break. They need to stop trying to make Red Machete happen. It’s not going to happen.

Gavin tells everyone what to do. They’re ending this whatever the hell it is. He smacks Ezekiel, and says it is too late. He’s the author, and Ezekiel is the dead man. He lives, and Ezekiel dies; it’s the way it is. Ezekiel says the compromises he made were done to save lives. He realizes the compromises Gavin is making are to save only his, but no more. There’s an explosion, and everything is pretty dark. The Saviors start shooting. Gavin holds up his hand, signaling them to stop. He tells Morgan and Carol to give up, or Ezekiel is dead. Carol and Morgan come out, machine guns blazing. Gavin is so startled, he forgets all about Ezekiel, who dives for cover.  Gavin gets hit in the leg, and drops his gun. Morgan has turned into a serious badass. We already knew Carol was. Ezekiel grabs Gavin’s gun, and now he’s a badass too. One of the Saviors gets Morgan down to the floor, and starts punching the crap out of him. With some bizarre burrowing skills, Morgan puts his hand into the guy’s wound, and practically disembowels – no, I spoke too soon – he disembowels him. Yep, he’s pulling the guy’s intestines out right out. Wow. I did not see that one coming.

Gavin gets up and tries to run (yeah, I’d be scared too), and Morgan shoots at him. He gets away, and Morgan picks up his staff/pokey stick. Ezekiel says they should leave, but Morgan tells him they don’t need to go, and heads after Gavin.

Violin music plays (I’m not kidding) as Rick and Michonne make Carl comfortable. He doesn’t want Michonne to be sad or angry. She’ll have to be strong for Rick and Judith, and for herself. She says she will, and he tells her not to carry this; not this one. He calls her his best friend. She says he’s hers too, and smiles through her tears. She kisses his hand. Rick says they need to get him out of there.

Gavin stumbles around like a blind bat out of hell, while Morgan walks steadily behind him like Michael Meyers in any one of the Halloween films.

The town is burning. Michonne and Rick walk out, with Carl between them. Rick says he can make it. They take Carl to the church, which is relatively unscathed by the fire.

Morgan drags his staff along the ground, like Freddy Krueger’s knife fingers, and Gavin shakes. He sees Morgan’s shadow. This is great. Morgan opens the door to Gavin’s hiding place, and he tumbles out.

Carl thanks Michonne and Rick for getting him there. He tells Rick about when they were back in the prison. When they got outside, there was a kid a little older than him with a gun. He was starting to put it down, and Carl shot him. He was giving up, and Carl just shot him. Carl thinks about him and what he did, and how easy it was to just kill him.

Morgan kicks Gavin. Gavin says Morgan is a sick man; he kept his word. Morgan’s not having it, and walks around him. Gavin says they can go back to Hilltop. Ezekiel and Carol arrive on the scene. Gavin says they think they can beat Negan. They can’t, but it can go back to how it was. Morgan says, no.

Rick tells Carl that what he lost, what happened, all those things he had to do; he was just a boy. Carl says Rick saw what he did, and how easy it got.

Gavin asks if Morgan killed all those men because of the kid. Morgan has his staff a few inches from Gavin’s nose. Gavin tells him killing him won’t make any of it go away. He’ll still wake up in the same sh*t tomorrow. Morgan drags him to his feet.

Carl says that’s why Rick changed. He brought them in, and they all lived together; frenemies. Rick put away his gun. He saw how Rick changed, so Carl could be who he is now. How he stopped fighting. It was right and still is. It can be like that again. He can still be like that again.

Ezekiel tells Morgan to cease this revenge. It’s the coward’s way. They don’t have to kill him. Let him see what he’s wrought, and let it be his to live with.

Carl says Rick can’t be who he was. He’s different now. He can’t kill all of them. There has to be something after. For Rick. For them.

Carol tells Morgan to stop. He doesn’t want to do this, and doesn’t have to. He’s the one who told her that they can be better than them. She can see he doesn’t want to do this. Morgan says he has to. Gavin looks petrified. Suddenly, there’s a hole in his neck, and blood starts pouring out. He drops to the ground, and Henry stands behind him with a pokey stick like Morgan has. Morgan looks slightly freaked.

Carl doesn’t know how it could be, but he’s seen it. We see it too, as he describes it. Rick has a beard, longer and greyer. Michonne is happy, and Judith is older, listening to songs he used to… before. Alexandria is bigger. There are new houses, crops, and people working. Everybody is living together, and everybody is helping everybody else. Rick can still be who he was. That’s how it could be. Rick says it was all for him from the start. Everything he did was for Carl and Judith; it still is. Nothing is going to change that. Carl says he wants this for Rick. Rick says he’ll make it real. He promises.

Ezekiel tells Henry that it’s all right. Henry says he had to. Carol scolds him, saying it’s not what he was supposed to do; it wasn’t for him. Ezekiel says all will be resolved, and hugs him.

Rick tells Carl that he’s sorry he couldn’t protect him. A father’s job is to protect his son. Carl says it’s just to love. Carl isn’t looking too good, and reaches for his gun. Michonne starts to say, it should be – and Carl says, he knows. It should be someone you love, but you should do it yourself if you still can. He has to do this. He tells her that he loves her, and she says she loves him too. He tells Rick that he loves him, and Rick says he loves Carl so much. Everyone is crying except me, since I stopped investing a long time ago. It’s a beautiful tableau though, with the light coming through the broken stained glass window, and the three of them in semi-darkness.

Rick and Michonne are outside, and we hear the gunshot.

Michonne and Rick dig. We see Carl’s idyllic world. Judith tells Negan good morning as he picks tomatoes.

Rick sits under a tree. Panes of stained glass hang from its branches.

Next time, Simon thinks they should cut their losses, Negan says to do the job, and Simon approaches the Heapsters.

🎶 Side knowledge: During the opening scenes, the song At the Bottom of Things by Bright Eyes was playing. Loved. It.

🍑 I’m half paying attention to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, where they’re infecting Barcelona with American reality TV. The amusing highlight of the evening – besides my husband asking if everyone was Nene, since that’s the only name he knows – was when the women were leaving their hotel. Apparently, it wasn’t up to the standard these peaches are used to, and a few of them were saying, “Goodbye, mildew,” on their way out the door. For a moment, I thought mildew was someone’s name.

👹 Ash Vs the Evil Dead had its season premiere tonight. Ash opened a hardware store/sex emporium in his home town, but his retirement from chasing deadites was not to be. The book was back, via an idiot on an Antiques Roadshow type program reading out loud from it. Why does everybody always read out loud from age-old spells? It’s really a bad idea. Ash had a wife and a daughter he knew nothing about (nor did we), but the wife didn’t matter, since she got her head sliced off with a cymbal in the high school band room. It looks like Ash’s daughter, Brandy, will be coming along for the ride this season, as well as Kelly’s boyfriend sidekick whatever-he-is, Dalton, who is also the descendant of an ancient order of knights who fight evil.

🔫 AMC has a new show coming up on Monday called McMafia. I’m wondering if it’s about an Irish mafia guy, or if the mafia is a franchise now.

👀 It Takes a While, But They Get to the Song…

 

Feb20

February 19, 2018 – An Election Wrench, a Weekend at Big Bear, a Little Bit of Butcher’s Block & Freyja

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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Curtis tells Julian that Charles Street is lit. The polls are jumping. He says it’s more than choosing a new mayor. The future of the neighborhood rests in the balance.

Alexis and Ned vote.

Molly asks for “Julian’s girlfriend’s coffee.” Julian tells Curtis that he doesn’t know what she likes better – the drink or that he has a new friend.

Griff asks Mike to repeat the three words he’d said earlier. Mike’s brain stalls. Griff tells Mike that he’s going to show him drawings, and to tell him what he sees. Mike says inkblots all look like butterflies, but these aren’t inkblots. Griff shows him a lion and Mike says, cat. Griff shows him a rhino, and Mike says, cow. Sonny tells him to take his time, but he says he knows a cow when he sees one. Griff says he’s doing great, and wants to move on.

Peter brings flowers to Nathan’s grave. He says he can’t make them fill the hole left in Maxie’s or the baby’s life. He didn’t mean for Nathan to get hurt, and didn’t imagine it would end up like this, but here they are. He gets choked up, and says they were the only two who could stop their father’s twisted legacy, but even that won’t bring Nathan back. He wishes more could do more. Maxie appears, and says he’s done enough. I have to admit, although I wasn’t thrilled with him at first, Peter is growing on me.

At the will reading, Sam says it’s another one of Faison’s mind games. Anna adds that it was designed to create maximum destruction. Even from the grave, he’s pitting them against each other. Sam thinks it’s a crock, and Faison just wants them to destroy each other. Anna says if anyone could get satisfaction in hell, he’d be the one to do it.

Griff wants Mike to repeat some numbers in reverse. He stumbles on it, and asks for water. Sonny says he’ll go get some.

Jordan meets Curtis at Charlie’s. She says the polls are running like a machine. She’s excited about TJ and the kids canvasing. She wonders where Alexis is, but Curtis hasn’t seen her.

Alexis looks at Post-It notes in the alleyway behind Charlie’s. Bringing out the trash, Julian asks if it’s now the hangout for future mayors. She tells him it’s a madhouse, and she may very well lose the race. She’s working on both victory and concession speeches, and he tells her that she always did want to win both sides of an argument. She says he can’t fault her for being prepared.

Olivia-Q tells Ned to take a minute and relax. He says he and Alexis are still in a dead heat. Olivia is relieved that the special interest attack ad didn’t have an impact, but he says not to be so sure. Alexis is the underdog and getting the sympathy vote. He could still lose.

Maxie brushes snow from Nathan’s headstone. She wishes she’d said something sooner, but thanks Peter. He saved her and her baby that day. Nathan would thank him too. Peter says there’s no need; he’s so sorry. She knows that, and says she should feel honored about all the flowers, but it’s just annoying. She wonders if it’s selfish not to want strangers near him. She comes here to be closer to him, but it doesn’t help. It just makes her want to go home, but he’s not there either. She can’t shake the feeling that if she finds the one right place to go, he’ll be there. She knows it’s not rational, and that he’s dead, but then she doesn’t. Peter says grief is tough for the mind to accept sometimes. She thanks him. He says he didn’t do anything, and she says, exactly. He didn’t give her a bunch of platitudes, and is the first person not trying to make her feel better. He knows he can’t, and she says neither can anyone else. Only Nathan coming back can do that. How is she going to do this without him? She says coming there was a mistake, and Peter asks if he can take her home.

Jason wants the provisions of the will read again. Diane reads that Faison leaves Drew the one thing he wants more than anything else. There’s a detailed account of Andre’s work, including the reversal procedures, locked in a safe to be released when the provisions are met. He leaves to Jason the alias and last known whereabouts of his son, the man who let him live. Only his executor knows the information, and will only release it to the other if one of them dies. Sam says Andre only made one copy and it’s lost. Anna tells them Faison would like them chasing around the world as much as he would like them killing each other. He relished the ability to make people search for answers.

Molly tells Alexis the polls are off the charts. Alexis is proud that Molly is her daughter, but Molly tells her not to take anything away from her own accomplishment. Alexis doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal, but Julian does. He knows it’s not his place, but he’s proud of her too. He calls her Madam Mayor, but she says not yet. He tells her it’s only a matter of time.

Sonny asks Mike how it’s going, and Mike tells him they’re playing Simon Says next. Griff has to leave for a moment, and Mike tells Sonny the tests are pointless. Who cares if he misses a few things? It’s expected at his age. Sonny says Griff is the best, and can tell them what they need to know. Mike says he’s only doing this because Robin asked him too. She’s a sweetheart, and he couldn’t turn her down. He says Sonny must have things to do, and can go, but Sonny wants to be there. He set aside the day to spend time with Mike. Griff comes back, and Mike says they should be done by now, right?

Maxie invites Peter in. He doesn’t want to intrude, but she doesn’t mind; she’d like someone to talk to. Peter looks around, and she says it’s not just her; Peter can feel him here too. Peter says he can tell they had a happy life, and Maxie says, the best.

Jason tells Diane there must be an address for the executor. Diane says the solicitor of record died, and the papers were delivered by messenger from a Swiss bank. They claim they have no information. Someone must have been left in place, but there’s no indication of who. Drew thinks it’s a waste of time, but Sam suggests they hear the rest. Diane brings out a small display case, saying it was left to Anna. I was hoping it was the Wellington Dog, but it’s a figurine of a goddess.

Molly says it’s too close to call. There are a lot of people still at the polls, but she knows Alexis is going to win. Jordan says soon it will be official that Alexis is the next mayor of Port Charles.

Ned practices his speech. Jim comes by, and Ned tells him not to get too excited; it’s still too close to call. Jim says while Alexis has gained substantial ground in the game, a few key votes in key districts can make the difference. He suggests they have a drink and keep an eye on the race together.

Griff tells Mike the tests are done. He can’t give a diagnosis yet, but a CT scan can rule out some things. Mike says he and Sonny are overdue for a meal, but Sonny says they might as well wrap it up now. Griff goes to set up the test, and Sonny thanks Mike for humoring him. He says he’ll be right back, but I’m not so sure I’d leave this dude alone.

Sonny asks Griff what’s wrong with his dad, but Griff says he can’t discuss it without Mike’s permission. Sonny tells him not to give any details, just a general idea. Griff says the CT scan should tell them a lot, and he thinks Sonny is correct to be concerned about Mike’s cognitive abilities.

Maxie tells Peter that he has a unique connection to Nathan. He was there when Nathan was shot. Peter says he was on the floor, but Maxie says he was there. He tried to stop the bleeding like she did. She thinks she knew then that Nathan was dying. She wonders why Peter was there that day.

The figurine is of the Norse Goddess, Freyja, who represents prayer, fertility, love, sex, beauty, war and death. Anna says it’s part of Faison’s sick obsession, and wants no part of it. Diane thinks she should have it appraised. Even if it’s a reproduction, it might bring in some decent money; she could donate it to charity. Anna says Faison has put them in an untenable position, and left her a token she wants no part of. Diane tells them the remainder of the estate has been left to his son.

Curtis tells Julian that he did some additional digging into Roger Calvin, the guy who mugged Stella. Two sizable amounts were deposited into his account; one the day before Stella was mugged, and one the day after. Julian says he was a hired gun. Jordan has joined them, and wonders why pay someone to mug Stella? Curtis has a theory.

Sonny asks Griff, hypothetically, what would a CT scan tell them? Griff says it can rule out certain possibilities, like mini-strokes. He says Mike’s medical history is also important, but Sonny can’t help with that. Mike wasn’t around when he was a kid, and they only had sporadic contact after he moved to Brooklyn. Griff asks if he knows of any recent falls, and Sonny says Mike hasn’t said anything, and Rita didn’t mention it. Griff asks if there’s been any head trauma; did Mike box or play football? Sonny says Mike had a rough life, and was in plenty of fights. A few Russians beat him up pretty badly. Mike comes out in a hospital gown and robe, and gives Sonny his watch. He says Sonny’s mother gave it to him, and there was never any pay off big enough for him to pawn it. She deserved better than him, and so does Sonny. Griff walks Mike to the scan room. I’m already wondering if that watch is really the one Jason gave to Rita.

Peter tells Maxie that he was dropping off some budget changes; Nina had been fighting him on cuts. Then, Faison showed up. Maxie says if he hadn’t needed to drop off the paperwork, Faison would have kidnapped her. Peter says a glad coincidence put him there, but he wishes he could have done more for Nathan. Maxie says she remembers Nathan bleeding, and Faison was going to drag her away, but Peter showed up with Shane’s gun, and Faison took off because of him. Peter says she’s making him sound like a hero, but he didn’t know what he was doing. She says he did it anyway, and that’s what a hero is. When nothing makes sense or you’re scared, you find a way to do the right thing. Nathan was a hero too, but training only gets you so far. He was willing to put himself on the line for others, and did it every day. Peter did it for him on his last day. She thanks him.

Diane tells the group there’s no indication of which son it is, but the will was made on January 13th, 2018. Sam says it was after they wrote the article, and Anna says since he detested Henrik, Faison must have intended for Nathan to be his heir. Sam says the estate should go to Maxie then. Diane says because the son isn’t named, Henrik could make a claim. Anna was planning on visiting Maxie, and asks if she can tell her about the will. Diane says it’s Faison’s last word, but Drew says it’s just his next move in the game. He’s still taunting them.

Curtis says the dude is paid to mug Stella, and then leaves town. Big guns are going after his little aunt? Jordan asks when Curtis last saw Stella, and he says she was manning the poles. Jordan says the day she was mugged, she was out canvasing; she’s not the main target. Alexis and Molly come in. Alexis says it’s still too close to call, but Molly thinks there will be a big surge in her favor. Julian thinks someone is playing huge stakes to throw the election.

Ned says it’s still too close to call, and there could be a last minute surge for Alexis. There are still people in line to vote. Olivia says there are plenty of undecided voters out there, and Jim says it’s not over until the finish line is crossed. Wow. What a philosopher. Ned tells them he has to find a way to be gracious in victory or defeat. He thanks Jim for his support. Jim tells Ned that he’s got this.

Outside, Jim calls someone, and says, right.

Jason shows up at the hospital and asks Sonny how Mike is. Sonny says they don’t have the whole picture yet, but it’s pretty clear something is off. Once they do the CT scan, they’ll know more. Jason asks what Sonny is going to do, but he doesn’t know. He spent years despising Mike, and said he would never be like him, weak and running from things. When Mike came back into his life, he tried hard, but Sonny wouldn’t let him in. Finally, they came to terms as adults. Not father and son, but more like man to man. He doesn’t know if he can be the son Mike needs him to be right now.

Maxie thanks Peter, saying she hasn’t been able to talk to anyone else. He’s a good man, like Nathan was. Maybe when the baby is old enough, he can help her explain how brave Nathan was that day. Peter says he’d be honored. There’s a knock at the  door, and Anna gives Maxie a baby gift from Robin. Peter says he has to go. Maxie hopes they get a chance to talk again; it meant a lot.

Drew tells Sam that he’s tired of being thisclose to nothing; feeling like he has a memory, and then back in no man’s land. Sam tells him that he’s not killing his brother; that’s not an option. Drew says he’s just venting. She says it’s exactly what Faison wants; them at each other’s throats, frustrated and angry. But they’re too smart to play Faison’s game.

Molly reads some online comments, telling Alexis that people realize the attack was because of her opposition to the redevelopment project. Alexis says comments don’t prove anything, but Molly tells her that she can’t ignore the evidence. Alexis knows she’s hoping for a last minute surge (word of the day), but she’s not calling herself mayor until the polls close and the results are tallied.

Ned tells Olivia that no matter what, he couldn’t have done it without her. She thinks he can still win. He’s been honest from the start about who he is and what he wants to do for Port Charles. A city is a living thing, and generates taxes, which are used to pay for things the city needs. Ned thinks she’s the one who should have run. No one else could make road maintenance sound patriotic. She says nothing could be more patriotic than making the city and it’s people’s lives better. She believes he’ll have the chance to do that. She looks at her phone, and makes a shocked face. Ned takes a look, and says, omg.

Molly looks at her phone, and says, no. She shows Alexis. It’s an article with the headline Con Job, talking about Alexis visiting Nora on behalf of Julian.

Sam tells Drew the ornament is still out there, and he says it’s still a needle in a haystack. She says they own a media company. They can use their resources and do everything in their power to find it.

Sonny asks Jason about Faison’s will. Jason tells him that Faison claimed there was information on Henrik and the memory reversal procedure locked in a safe. The catch is, the only way one of them can get the information is if the other is dead, but he’s not playing Faison’s game. To the best of their knowledge, Henrik is still in Port Charles. Faison left his estate to his son, but didn’t specify which one. If he surfaces, Jason will be waiting.

Anna tells Maxie that Patrick and Robin donated money in Nathan’s name to the PCPD, but she also has some unpleasant news. Faison left his estate to his son. Maxie says, to Nathan? Nothing tainted by that murderer comes into her house. Anna understands, but tells Maxie that he was very wealthy. Maxie doesn’t want his blood money; she doesn’t need it. She and the baby will be fine. Anna tells her that with Nathan’s passing, the missing son could try to claim it. Maxie says he can have it – all of it. She wants nothing connected to the man who murdered her husband.

Peter finds Sam and Drew. He tells them he’s been doing some soul searching. He’s not ready to leave Port Charles after all. There are people there he doesn’t want to leave.

Tomorrow, Monica tells Nelle that her timing is perfect, Ned’s odds are improving, and Doc asks what Franco remembered.

Vanderpump Rules

Tom, Scheana, and Ariana are working some shifts at Villa Blanca while SUR is recovering from fire damage. Lisa tells us there’s a litany of things they have to accomplish. It would normally take three weeks, but they’re doing it in three days. Scheana’s boyfriend, Rob, has a house in Big Bear, so she’s taking some of the friends for a weekend. She reads a text from Jax, saying he doesn’t want to come because everyone is being mean.

Brittany, Katie, and Kristen decorate their scooters, which Brittany tells us are a necessity with LA traffic. Katie says Stassi didn’t just run off from her party, but stuck her with the bill. She’s not backtracking to the days where they enabled and coddled her. Stassi arrives, and immediately apologizes and starts crying. She seem to be the most upset over binging, rather than getting skinny, over her neurosis. Patrick called her out on causing drama for her friends and not just him. She knows she’s wrong about everything, and claims it’s stress. She and Patrick aren’t in the best place, it was eating at her, and she lost it. Patrick is a condescending twit with a man bun. Are women really this desperate? Stassi wants them to know, other than that, it was one of the best birthdays ever. Kristen tells her to just let it go, and Stassi writes a check. Kristen wonders what you do with one of those.

The girls go scootering. Stassi compares the scooters to broomsticks. I could see that.

Jax and Brittany pack for the trip. He thinks he’ll have to channel a lot of his meditation skills to get through the next few days. Lala joins them. She’s excited, but it’s early in the day for her. She tells Brittany about the driving arrangement. Brittany tells her that Jax is having problems with James. Lala says whenever James has a drink too many, a switch flips. Brittany thinks James might still have a thing for Lala, since he attacks her when he’s on a drunken, belligerent roll. Gee, ya think? Lala says others have told her the same thing, but that ship sailed long ago, and has sunk since then. She says he’d better get in the friend zone if he’s not there already.

And they’re off! Rob’s cabin is three bedroom waterfront property, hot tub included. Scheana calls Rob, whose trying to fix the boat. It’s more the life she’s envisioned for herself than the one she had with Shay. When the others arrive, Scheana goes over the sleeping arrangements, telling them that Jax said he needed a bed because of his back. In her interview, she says if she had a dollar for every time old man Jax referenced his age, she wouldn’t have to work at SUR. Ariana hopes he isn’t a bummer, and Tom says he wants to talk to Jax tonight. On the way to the cabin, Tom bought a survival knife, and has already cut himself with it. Scheana asks the group to be respectful of the property. Good luck with that. The guys make a liquor store run.

Lisa says they have to nearly rebuild the restaurant, and are limping along. She talks to a guy about painting the floor olive green. The place looks like a huge mess.

The guys buy every liquor known to man, along with some ice cream and spinners. James has cut down on drinking, but says something comes over him on group trips. The bill is nearly three hundred bucks. When the clerk asks how long they’re going to be there, they tell him two nights.

Scheana tells the girls about how Rob is the handiest person she knows, and how hot that makes him. Oddly enough I understand this. A guy building stuff or cleaning the house is the biggest turn on in the world. Lala wonders if he can rescue kittens and save babies. Raquel thanks her for inviting James so she could come along. Lala tells her that James was talking smack about her man. Raquel asks what he said, but Lala doesn’t want to repeat it. She tells Raquel that she’s about to snap, and Raquel needs to keep him in check.

Rob arrives, the boat having been fixed. Jax says the way Scheana talks about him, you’d think he invented air. He thinks there must be a lot of pressure not to fall off the pedestal.

Katie visits Stassi. Stassi gives her a drink, telling her that she has a request. Katie is handier than any boyfriend she’s had, and Stassi asks her to fix a padded bench. My husband told me that he was impressed when he found out I had my own toolbox, so I guess this works both ways. I’m not sure how else I was supposed to fix stuff though. Wait six weeks for the super to get around to it? Stassi says Patrick wasn’t happy with her meltdown. Katie thinks she’s more docile around Patrick, like she’s afraid to say something wrong. Stassi says she does walk on eggshells, and Katie says she’s better than this. Stassi tells her the same patterns are happening; the same ones she said weren’t going to this time around. It’s time to go to the tarot card reader. In her interview, Stassi says she used to pretend to be one in high school, but had no idea what she was doing. She just made it up as she went along.

Raquel tells James about what Lala said to her. James says Raquel is going by what she sees, but he’s going by what he knows. He wants Lala to be happy, but doesn’t think she will be with this guy. How can he respect a man he never sees? Raquel thinks he should be more respectful of Lala, and be supportive of her relationship. He says you can’t support something that’s rotten. That James, he’s a real raconteur.

Peter is surprised that SUR is back open so quickly. He tells Lisa everything looks brilliant. She says SUR is like her baby, and thinks they should celebrate. She orders a spicy margarita. Well, that’s a first.

At the cabin, the girls prepare dinner, and James kibbutzim. I looked this up, and it’s the only accepted plural form of kibbutz. The more you know… Lala says she’s an easy target for him when he starts drinking, and that he’s a hurt human being. Rob approves the food, and dinner is served. Brittany gives Rob a group thank you. In his interview, Jax says Scheana wants everyone to believe Rob is perfect, but she did the same thing with Shay. Rob toasts to Tom opening a restaurant. James remarks that Jax is left behind working at SUR, and Scheana says, technically, Jax could be James’s dad. Ha-ha! Jax must be feeling pretty small right about now. Ariana thinks James should reel it in with Lala.

After dinner, the group plays a card game where couples are asked a question sexual in nature. If they don’t want to answer, they have to drink. In his interview, Tom says he and Ariana are doing better, but it’s a work in progress. The game is actually pretty boring.

Stassi and Katie go to see Angie, the tarot reader. Stassi thinks after four years, she and Patrick need to figure things out. Angie has her pull out some cards, and flips things around. She tells Stassi she’s meant to have babies, and thinks she’ll be pregnant in 2019. Stassi starts crying. She’s been worried she couldn’t have children, because she has a medical condition where she only dates a-holes. Angie says she sees a guy with a lot going on, and the end of a difficult situation. Stassi says she and Patrick have been going back and forth. Katie says they haven’t been solid, and Angie is picking up on the issues. Angie says she doesn’t think it’s worth it to keep going. I think tarot cards are bullsh*t, but I agree with her. For all I know, she’s been watching the show as long as I have.

James is getting sloshed, and babbles about the country being made by people like him. Drunken idiots? Jax tells Tom they have a good time, but know when to shut it down. He thinks it’s a lot. Kelsey told him to separate himself from people who cause him anxiety and anger. He says he’s mentally burnt, and his hat’s off to Schwartz and Tom, who can still party hardy. In his interview, Tom is worried that Jax thinks just because the other guys have things going on, he’ll get left behind. He wants to help Jax, but Jax is concerned about the time frame. He says Tom is doing it, while he’s thinking about his future as a bartender forever.

Scheana and Rob go to bed, and the others decide to play truth or dare. Lala thinks there should be rules. James tells her to shut up, and Lala says one more time, and she’s going to pop him one. He starts to leave, not even realizing she’s talking to him. Lala tells Raquel he’s a bitch. James tells her to change her attitude, and she tells him to stop coming for her. He tries to hug it out, but she’s not having it. Brittany says he should apologize, and he asks what Lala wants. Brittany says he’s mean to Lala, and the girls decide to give them a moment. In her interview, Lala says they go from zero to one hundred in an instant. James says he needs respect, and starts to leave again. Lala asks if they’re friends or not, and he says not. She asks why they can’t have a conversation like friends do? He says she thinks she’s better than everyone else, but without her boyfriend, she wouldn’t have the Range Rover, the Chanel, or the private jet. Lala tells him that Raquel doesn’t like it when James insults her, and he should apologize. She talks about him goofing around with her physically, and how Raquel doesn’t seem cool with that either. She tells him that he wouldn’t like it if the roles were reversed.

Scheana comes out, and tells the group that Rob is trying to sleep. Tom suggests going to bed. Jax asks Brittany what’s up with the yelling. Lala takes James outside, and asks why he feels the need to come for her. He calls her an idiot for about the fourth time now, since he can’t come up with another word. She tells him to STFU, and the next time he talks about her man, she’ll draw blood. I believe her. Inside, Jax tells Brittany that he has super high anxiety around James, and he’s in a fragile state. Maybe he should be more concerned about Lala. Lala says she tells James things that she doesn’t tell anybody, and asks him to stop using it against her. He insists he doesn’t do it… that much. She doesn’t want him to do it at all. Jax tells Brittany that he didn’t want to come here; it’s not fair. Lala tells James to stop coming for her man. Jax wants to talk about his problems, but Brittany tells him to relax, and that she’s going to sleep. Lala says she and James were intimate at one point, and to stop coming for her and her man. He says Lala’s man has put the one he loves in jeopardy, which makes no sense whatsoever. She’s been talking about future things that he wants. He loved her, and he’s not used to it yet. Lala says he has Raquel now. He wonders why their friendship has changed, and she tells him they owe respect to Raquel and her dude. In her interview, Lala thinks James believes he’s losing her to her relationship. It doesn’t mean he’s losing her as a friend, but he doesn’t know how to make the transition. Lala tells him that they need boundaries, and asks if he’d like to apologize. He says, yes, but that might change in two seconds. Obviously annoyed, she goes back inside, telling him that they’re good, but not really meaning it.

Next time, Lisa is a guest on Stassi’s podcast, Jax almost drowns, and Scheana tells Kristen that she and Rob are in love. After which, we all roll our eyes.

🍖 I just got done watching the second episode of Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block, and it did not disappoint. Zoey came back a changed woman, apparently having been up the stairs to nowhere. We got a little more history of the Peach family, finding out that Joseph’s daughters had been murdered. Louise joined Alice in her quest to find out just what the hell is going on in Butcher’s Block, and they got a midnight supper invite from the Peach family for their trouble. It was really creepy cool when the candlelit table in the woods turned into a candlelit table in the Peach’s house, which the townspeople had burned to the ground decades earlier after finding “something” in the basement. Joseph explained that the vanished family had changed to a different type of energy. He literally got into Alice’s head, and the candlelit table turned into a table of cannibalistic delights. This show is intense, gruesome, and certainly unique.

💃 Freyja

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Feb13

February 12, 2018 – After the Funeral, Two Birthdays, an Atlanta Mention, a Creepy Town & the Visible Man

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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

At the cemetery, Lulu says she’s sorry abut Maxie’s loss. Maxie says she should be; she killed him. Lulu asks how she can say that. Maxie says Lulu wanted to be the next big thing; journalism’s next superstar. She asks if Lulu got her story, and what the going rate is for her husband’s life.

At The Floating Rib, Anna asks if Felicia and Mac need anything. Felicia tells her, a time machine. Yeah, we could all use one of those.

Kim goes to Charlie’s to get take-out. Julian tells her they have couple’s dinners available for Valentine’s Day, and gives her the menu to check out. She says it’s a little over the top for her son.

Finn and Alexis are leaving an AA meeting at the hospital. Finn asks Alexis if he agrees to buy coffee, will she get off his back about sharing? She says she will, if he’ll add telling her one significant detail.

Sam asks Drew why the staring contest with Franco. He wonders why he’s making Franco nervous. Franco suggests to Elizabeth that they leave, but she wants to wait for Maxie to get there. Mac wonders where Maxie is.

Lulu tells Maxie that she didn’t fire the gun. Maxie says she didn’t shoot Nathan, but she put him in a position to be shot. And for what? A stupid article? A pat on the back from her boss? Lulu says she understands Maxie’s heart is breaking and needs to lash out, but Maxie says, no; she needs her husband. She tells Lulu don’t dare cry, and Lulu says she loved Nathan too. Maxie says she used him to advance her career. She actually believed she’d become a prize-winning journalist after two weeks. Her ego knows no bounds. She exploited Nathan. She knew he wanted to get Faison away from his family, and Nathan agreed because she put the idea in his head, making him think it was the only way when it was just her way. Peter listens from behind some bushes, looking pained. Maxie says Lulu did it to get an interview, and she knows it’s true. Dante says they’re not doing this, and Maxie tells him she knows he told Lulu to leave it to the police. Lulu says Nathan was the police, but Maxie says, no. He was a husband and father-to-be who would do anything to protect his family, and she took advantage of that. Why not? She had nothing to lose. She risked nothing, and in turn took everything from Maxie.

Oscar and Josslyn enter Oscar’s apartment. He tells Josslyn she has to be fast; his mom will be home soon. She asks what if she hurts him, but he tells her to hurry.

Finn wants to go to Charlie’s, but Alexis says Julian is Charlie. Finn wonders when that happened, and says he has to get online more. He asks if she wants to go somewhere else, but she says, let’s just do it.

Franco ponders the rabbit’s foot. Drew asks how it’s going. Franco says it’s a funeral, and leaves the table.

Spinelli tells Anna that his deepest regret is not finding Faison sooner, and Anna agrees it would have played out differently. He asks if she’s still looking for Henrik, and she says, absolutely. He could be planning on picking up where his father left off. Spinelli says Henrik’s trail is as cold as Faison himself. Anna tells him that no one can stay lost forever.

Dante wants Lulu to leave, but she says she needs to make Maxie understand. Maxie says, of course that’s her response. No I’m sorry; no I was wrong, and made the biggest mistake of my life. It’s Maxie’s problem, and Lulu has to make her see she’s right and Maxie is wrong because Lulu is always right. The one thing that could bring her closure is Lulu admitting her part, but she’ll never get it. It’s not Lulu’s style or in the Spencer DNA. Lulu says she admits it when she’s wrong, and Maxie asks when was the last time she did that. Lulu asks if she wants an example, and Maxie says she does, but she doubts Lulu will be able to find one. When Maxie screwed up, she felt terrible and apologized over and over until Lulu forgave her, but she’ll never get that from Lulu. Her ability to feel regret or remorse doesn’t exist. She’s incapable of it, and also a murderer, but a morally superior one, so there’s that.

Lulu says she can’t mean it. She asks Maxie to talk, but Maxie says it’s not her job to make it better for Lulu. Nina tells Lulu to stop; she’s done enough. She tells Lulu to please go, and leads Maxie away. Dante takes Lulu in the opposite direction. Nina asks if Maxie is okay, and suggests they go to the reception. Maxie doesn’t want to leave him; she doesn’t know how to do this. She asks Nina to please tell her how. Nina doesn’t know, but they’ll figure it out together. They hug, and Valentin takes Nina’s hand.

Drew tells Franco that he thought the condolences went well. Franco says the whole thing is sad and awful. Drew asks if Franco is avoiding him.

Julian tells Kim that she’s not walking home alone. She says a free drink, take out, and delivery, and Julian says he aims to please. She says, or make someone jealous. She sees him staring at Alexis, and he says he’s just making sure the customers have what need. Kim hands him the bags to carry. At first, he acts like the bags heavy, giving me hope that one of the actors gets it, but then, not so much. (sigh) Finn asks Alexis about getting something to eat, but she says she’s not hungry.

Peter stands by Nathan’s grave with tears in his eyes. He says it’s strange to say goodbye when they weren’t formally introduced; not as brothers at least. He wishes he’d known Nathan. He seemed like a good man; loving, kind, heroic – all the things their father wasn’t. He says it’s so clear how much Maxie loves him. He’s tempted to say he was a lucky man. He’s truly sorry that his luck ran out.

At The Floating Rib, Anna tells Maxie it was an honorable send off for an honorable man. Maxie looks at the pictures, and says she knows how much Nathan loved her. Sam tells her that she was great today. Nathan would be proud. Maxie excuses herself, and tells Nina that she can’t be there. Everyone is so sad and sorry. Nina tells her to take care of herself. Felicia wants to take her home, but she wants to be alone. After she leaves, Spinelli tells them that what Maxie says she wants and what she needs are often different things. Mac tells him to take care of their girl, and he follows Maxie.

Franco thought Drew would prefer he keep his distance, and Drew says he does. He asks how long Franco has known Jim. Franco says as long as Drew has, since they were little kids. Drew asks if Franco recognized him, but Franco says it was the other way around. Jim showed up at his studio. Drew wonders why he wouldn’t have said something about meeting someone from their past. Franco says there is no “our past,” just the past. The were toddlers, and don’t remember. Drew asks to see the rabbit’s foot.

Valentin sees Anna in the hallway. She asks how Nina is doing, and he says as would be expected. He wants to help, but can’t. Anna says he’s helping more than he knows. She tells him that she’s still processing their conversation. He wonders if there’s anything he can do or any questions he can answer. She asks why keep quiet? He hated her for so long, and all this time, had ammunition at his disposal. If anyone found out she had Faison’s child, it would kill her career and damage her personal life. He had the means to take her down, and didn’t. What stopped him? He says there’s a thin line between love and hate. He loved her, hated her, and everything in between, but could never bring himself to destroy her.

Josslyn is in front of Oscar, who’s sitting on a stool. She’s doing something, but we don’t see what. Kim comes into the apartment with Julian, and Oscar and Josslyn scramble around; Oscar running into the kitchen. Josslyn asks why Julian is there, and he says, love you too. Oscar messes around in the kitchen, and Kim asks what he’s doing. He says grabbing some food, and she tells him to say hello to their guest. He walks over, and we see he has a black eye. I laugh because I thought Josslyn was waxing his eyebrows or something.

Alexis says there seems to have been an uptake in Finn’s attendance at AA meetings, and asks if it’s because of Anna. Finn says he has a tendency not to know what has until it’s gone. Dante and Lulu come in. Lulu tells Dante it won’t shut off. It’s not just the words, but the way Maxie said them. Maxie hates her. So do I. Her point?

Maxie hesitates before going into the apartment. She finally does, and sits on the couch without taking off her coat. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Spinelli, and she asks what he’s doing there. He says her mother was right; she shouldn’t be alone. She says, but she is.

Elizabeth asks Franco if everything is okay, and he tells her Drew was just asking to see the rabbit’s foot. Elizabeth asks why, and Drew thinks he recognizes it. Franco hands it to him. Sam says, anything? Drew says, no, but he appreciates it.

Anna thanks Valentin. Felicia sees them in the hall, but goes back inside. Anna is grateful he kept quiet. She asks if he knows where her daughter is, and if he kept track of her, but he says he only knew what the midwife told him. It was a private adoption; no birth certificate, and no records exist. She went to a good family, and has a good life where Faison doesn’t exist. If Anna found her, she would have to tell her the truth. She says, Robin too; it would turn her life upside down for a multitude of reasons. Valentin says she knows what she has to do.

Oscar tells Kim that he got in a fight. Kim says, that’s clear, but with who? He asks if she remembers the friend he told her about that identifies as a girl, and says he stood up for her. She says next time, tell a teacher, and don’t provoke the bully. He says there wasn’t any time. Josslyn says if he hadn’t stepped in, their friend would have been seriously hurt. Kim says she cares about her son, not their friend.

Finn tells Alexis that he keeps making the same mistake over and over. She asks who left who, and he says this time, it was all Anna. It’s like she opens a door with one hand, and slams it shut with the other.

Dante tells Lulu that he was with Nathan every day. Nathan wanted Faison caught. Lulu admits she pushed him about the interview until he gave in. She should have stayed out of it. Dante takes her hand.

Spinelli gives Maxie some tea. She asks if he thinks it’s strange that she didn’t want Georgie at the funeral. He says on the contrary. She was looking out for their daughter, who is too little to understand what transpired. She also would have missed her school outing. Maxie brightens a little, and says, her first field trip. Spinelli tells her that Georgie went to the Portland zoo, but she doesn’t have to only imagine it. She asks if he has a video, but he was referring to her coming home with him. Their guest room goes unused, and Georgie would be ecstatic to spend more time with her. She tells him that going to Portland won’t make her forget that her husband is dead.

Peter looks for Maxie, and Sam tells him it was too much for her. He says it’s understandable. Drew and Sam hope he’s had a chance to regroup, and rethink leaving. They’re not shutting any doors.

Valentin tells Anna that she made a bold choice. Does she continue going forward with the consequences, or pass it on to her children? He gives her some advice that he ultimately borrowed from her. Let the past be the past. They’ve all made mistakes. The difference between him and her is that she wants to be better; so be better. She wonders if it will be enough, and he says it will have to be. He leaves to be with Nina.

As the kids are leaving, Julian tosses Oscar the bag of frozen peas. Josslyn says she’ll tell her stepdad that he said hello. Kim asks if Sonny is a friend of his, and he says, not exactly.

Finn asks Alexis, where is he supposed to go with this?

Maxie tells Spinelli she can’t jet off to Portland and forget Nathan. She forgot before, when she could have been at home instead of wasting precious time. She’s not wasting more by running away. Not feeling the loss, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Spinelli says he wasn’t suggesting that. She knows he was just trying to help, but don’t. She tells him don’t show up either. He doesn’t understand what happens when she hears a knock or footsteps or the elevator door. Every moment of every day is a reminder that Nathan is gone. All the brief, blissful moments of hope are the hardest to get over. She needs to be there until she does. She doesn’t need reminders. It’s horrifyingly real, and he can’t help her with that. She tells him to leave. He kisses her forehead and goes.

Peter tells Nina how sorry he is. She introduces him to Valentin. Valentin says it’s kind of him to come, and he says they’re all family at Aurora. Nina leaves them to help Felicia. Valentin says he hopes Peter has reconsidered leaving town. Some people might get suspicious. Peter thinks Valentin is overestimating his importance, but Valentin says Drew is going to follow every lead. Peter says there were complications, and Valentin says it was a shame about Nathan being collateral damage. He tells Peter to trust him, since he’s always looked out for him in the past.

Lulu tells Dante she has to quit her job. He says she loves it, but she says she loves Maxie more, and needs to make this right.

Alexis tells Finn she’s a master of mixed signals, both giving and getting them. She says that people can hold mixed truths in their hearts. If Anna is finding it that hard to keep away, she’s not ready.

Kim tells Julian that Oscar is her everything. He’s all she has. Julian says that’s not entirely true. She says she has her work, and it’s meaningful, but he says she also has friends.

Elizabeth asks where the rabbit’s foot came from, and Franco tells her it was in a box with his stuff from New York. It’s been with him ever since. She says it’s done it’s job. They’re happy, in love, and about to get married. Who’s luckier than them?

Sam tells Drew to remember the last time he got that familiar feeling. It was about Kim, and she ended up being a big part of his life. The rabbit’s foot could be a missing piece of the puzzle.

Felicia says she saw Anna talking to Valentin, and asks if she should be worried. Anna says it’s taken decades, and they have no more wars to fight.

Nina places a ticket stub from the Natural History Museum on Nathan’s grave. She talks to Valentin about taking Nathan there, and thanks him for bringing her. She needed one more chance to say goodbye. He tells her that he’s been in a lot of dangerous situations, but he never met someone as brave as she’s been today. She says she doesn’t feel brave. He tells her that she doesn’t have to, and holds her.

Maxie put on Nathan’s jacket and smells it. She talks to the baby, saying she’s so sorry. Sorry the baby won’t get to meet the dad who would have loved them; he already did. She’s sorry she lost it earlier, and hopes she didn’t scare the baby by freaking out about the future. She swears its mom isn’t psycho, just sad and angry. She’ll pull it together. It’s what the baby’s dad would have wanted. He’d want her to sing songs and make the baby laugh, like he was looking forward to doing. She’ll do it for both of them. It’s not the same, and they’ll always miss him, but she thinks if they’re brave and lean on each other, they’ll get through it and be okay.

Tomorrow, Robin thanks Jason for killing Faison, Michael says he’s selling the building, and Sonny tells Mike he’s not going anywhere.

Vanderpump Rules

Stassi and Katie go shopping at Dapper Cadaver. Stassi is having a death/murder-themed birthday party, and I guess this is the place to go. She’s celebrating the death of her 20s. When she dies, she wants to be taxidermized with a glass of wine in her hand and let people take photos with her. I actually think this is a cool idea. She has a list of the various items she wants to get, and goes over the guest list with Katie. In her interview, she tells us that Patrick blocked her when he went to Amsterdam. She tried sexting him, he turned her down, and she got angry, telling him she was going to find someone else. He’s finally unblocked her, so she’s hoping he comes to the party. She thinks she and Ariana having the same birthday is like Bride Wars.

Billie, Scheana, Lala, and Ariana go outfit shopping. Ariana is having a kings and queens party, because she’s a queen. I could make a lot of jokes here, but I’ll leave it. The girls look through the fabulous dresses, lingerie, and accessories. Billie tells Ariana that her 30s is her prime, but Ariana says she’s not having sex. In her interview, she says she’s not a fan of her nether regions. Really. She said that.

Tom and Schwartz go to the restaurant site. Today is the day to find out if the permits are approved. Without them, they can’t start the construction. Tom says they’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, and we flash back to those. Lisa and Ken arrive. Lisa says Tom smells like alcohol. He tells her the triplets are on their way home, but last night they went to a strip club and made it rain. Lisa wonders if Schwartz’s wife knows he went to a strip club. She tells them the permits have been approved, and they start Monday. Tom counts it among one of the best days of his life. He writes a check, but tells Lisa not to cash it until the end of the month. Schwartz is having PTSD from writing the check for the wedding. That’s why they catch you at the end for that. You’re a little drunk, so it doesn’t hurt as much. He didn’t say that last part. It’s my personal observation.

Ariana visits therapist Julia. She says it’s long overdue. She wants to do more to help herself and get her head right. She tells Julia about her self-criticism, and how it’s amplified over the years. Her ex-boyfriend added to the problem. She says in the beginning, she thought it was a fling, but he wanted her to stay, and after she moved in, held it over her head because she had no money. Julia asks about her support system, and she says Tom is a true partner. Julia wonders about marriage and family, and Ariana says she never wants to give birth. Her goal is to just be able to function without so much anxiety. In her interview, she wants to communicate her feelings to Tom, but doesn’t want him to think it’s him. She tells Julia she’s frozen. Well, let it go then. BA-DUM-CHH!

James, Lala, Brittany, and Schwartz go to Villa Rosa to discuss World Dog Day. Lisa wanted a festival that was diametrically opposed to the Yulan dog meat festival. In his interview, James says it’s not the most extravagant or exciting gig he’s had, but on the road to success, you have to pay your dues. Lisa suggests Schwartz make out with the guests for a fifty-cent donation. Brittany asks if Lisa is coming to either of the parties, but she doesn’t have the time. Giggy! Schwartz tells her that she wouldn’t have to dress up for Ariana’s party, since she’s already a queen. Once again, I have to squelch my jokes.

Lisa asks Brittany to stay behind. She wants to talk about Jax. Lisa says it’s been challenging to say the least, and she doesn’t want him there tomorrow. She tells Brittany that she doesn’t want him anywhere near her.

Tom makes breakfast and serves it to Ariana. He asks how therapy was. She says she’s a work in progress, but she’s glad he stuck around. He says he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with her, but when they first started dating, they had sex all the time. In his interview, he says he understands the excitement dies down, but thinks she’s afraid to tell him. He tells her that he knows the newness wears off, but she says the only thing that wears off is confidence; there’s no pretending. He thinks she felt it more back then, but she begs to differ, telling him she was just saying it to impress him. In her interview, she says she knows it must be confusing for him. Ariana isn’t thrilled that they haven’t been spending much time together. Tom says he got a high off of helping Tom’s brothers and we see clips. He gets that some things turn her off, but she says there’s no closeness if they don’t do things together. In her interview, she says when he does other things, it makes her think he doesn’t want her. He tells her that he can’t read her mind.

Katie does Stassi’s makeup. She says she wants to be a hot dead girl, and is going for shot-in-the-head chic. Kristen says they’re like sluts in a morgue. Katie tells them about Kevin Lee bringing her flowers, and we see a clip. He tells her that he’s sorry, and she tells him that he should never make comments about weight to anybody. Ever. She tells the girls it was awkward. His apology doesn’t affect her, but she feels badly for him.

Tom loves dressing up and going over the top. Jax stops by while Tom is trying on costumes. He tells Tom that he and Brittany decided on prom king and queen. He’s wearing a prom style tux, and stopping by Burger King for a crown on the way there. Tom puts in creepy white contacts. Brittany calls, and lets Jax know about Lisa not wanting him at World Dog Day. He doesn’t know why Lisa is holding a grudge when others have done worse. I hate that. I hate when people won’t take responsibility, and try to deflect by pointing at someone else. He tells her just go without him. She says he’ll miss the beauty pageant, and Tom adds there are a lot of hot bitches there.

It’s party time! We visit Ariana’s party first. Tom, wearing a Maleficent costume, introduces Queen Ariana, who is dressed in gold with a huge spiky crown. James says everyone is killing it with the costume game tonight. I would agree, but Scheana and Lala are basically dressed in lingerie and wearing crowns. I’m not sure if that qualifies as a costume. Lala says she’s never missing one of Ariana’s birthdays again. Billie tells Tom that she’s heard amazing things about his drag, and we flash back to that.

Schwartz says Stassi put her name on the party – it’s macabre. He thinks the scariest thing is the ranch dressing fountain, and has no doubt people will put their fingers in it by the end of the night. Peter brings a bottle of Dom Perignon from Lisa and Ken. Stassi is thrilled, since a year or so ago, she would have gotten a bag of Giggy’s flaming dog poopy. Patrick comes in wearing a man bun, which is scarier than everything else combined. Stassi’s mother asks how the trip was, and Patrick says he had a great time. Stassi feels like she’s walking on eggshells, trying to make things work. Her best solution is to drink. She orders Jager bombs all around. Bleh. I think that’s even worse than the fountain. It tastes like cough medicine.

Jax tells Billie that he’s not going to Stassi’s party. He doesn’t want to be around the anxiety; he’s trying to surround himself with better people. Ariana tells Tom that experiencing things together is a huge thing for her, and he apologizes. He says he needs her; she’s his foundation. Well, that beats saying she completes him. It kills him that she’s doubting herself and being self-conscious. He tells her that she’s his number one, and she says ditto. She says if she doesn’t feel the closeness, it’s hard to get busy. They kiss. She says he’s not perfect, and she’s a work in progress (all right already), and she wants to be close to him. He suggests they make magic happen, and she asks if she can keep her crown on.

Katie tells Patrick that he and Stassi need to stop breaking up and making up. He says he doesn’t care if she has sex with other people, but he doesn’t want her to have emotional commitment with anyone else. Kristen says Stassi has always been the conductor in relationships, but with Patrick, she’s second fiddle.

Ariana’s brother, Jeremy, is wearing a little crown that reminds me of Blaine and Antoine (Men on Film) on In Living Color. He takes the mic, and wishes Ariana a happy birthday. The cake comes out, and Ariana tells everyone how glad she is they came. She breaks up a plastic crown, and tosses the pieces out like in Mean Girls. She says she’s not a queen amongst peasants; they’re all royalty.

Katie has brought in Arielle the stripper from her party in in Las Vegas, and wants Stassi to take a shot off of her body. Stassi says she wanted her as a guest, not a serving tray, and declines. She’s nervous about Patrick being there, because they’ve been fighting, and she’s effed-up on Adderall and tequila. She walks outside. Kristen and Katie follow. She tells them she hasn’t been able to talk to Patrick the entire night, and she’s annoyed by how everything turned out. They try to talk her into coming back in, but she tells them to go eff themselves; she’s leaving. Kristen says back in the day, she would have gone after Stassi, but she’s an adult. Get a grip and grow up.

It’s World Dog Day. This year, they’ve taken over the street where the rescue center is. Cute dogs everywhere! Brittany’s Monroe wins the beauty pageant, and title of VP Posh Pup. Brittany hopes it doesn’t go to Monroe’s head, since she can’t deal with two big-headed divas at home, the other one being Jax. Scheana asks Peter about Stassi freaking out at her party. He tells Ariana that Stassi was ticked off about the body shot. Ariana says this is why they’re not friends.

Brittany tells Lisa that Jax will have to do a lot of work before she ever makes him another sandwich. Brittany asks if Jax has texted, but Lisa says no. She tells Brittany his apology doesn’t cut it now. He was in enough trouble at the Beverly Hills Life party, but by not reaching out, he’s dug a deeper hole. Lisa says she supports them, and expects the same in return.  Stassi texts an apology to Katie. Katie says the meltdown was Stassi circa 2012, and immature bullsh*t. They also had to pick up a $1400 tab. Schwartz is surprised, thinking it had just been a mini meltdown.

This season, horses, dancing, the Toms are late for a meeting, Stassi thought it would be different with Patrick this time, drinking, more drinking, Tom doesn’t want to be around Katie, Brittany kicks Jax out, and Jax gets fired… maybe.

🍑 On The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Porsha had a vegan dinner for the ladies, and Cynthia invited them all on a trip to Barcelona. Kenya seems somewhat separated from the pack this time around, probably due to being a newlywed and having an ongoing feud with Kim. I’m lukewarm about this season, but this episode did give me what could possibly be the best quote of the millennium:

💥 What kind of fraggle knackle bullcrap is this? – Sheree Whitfield

🔪 I’m already loving Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block. In this latest effort, the plot revolves around an odd town with a strange history, where people keep disappearing. Sisters Zoe (Holland Rogan) and Alice (Olivia Riccardi) are making a fresh start there. Alice is a budding social worker, and Zoe is being treated for the “insidious onset” of schizophrenia, as well as battling a drug addiction. Landlady Louise (Krisha Fairchild) made it clear from the start that she wasn’t their mom, not even their cool aunt, but their landlady, yet she shared a joint and a story with Zoe not long after the girls arrived. Louise was also a reporter back in the day, and is working on a book about the town and the disappearances, her brother having been one of them. I adore her already, and hope she doesn’t meet an untimely end.

During Alice’s first day on the job, a child disappears while waiting to be picked up by CPS, vanishing inside her own home. Alice’s supervisor chalked it up to the mother running with the child, but Alice wasn’t so sure. That night, she followed a small, shadowy figure to an old park, thinking it was the little girl. At the entrance, she found Rutger Hauer instead, who was creepy, yet somehow grandfatherly. Out for his nightly walk, he told her his family once owned the park and he lives close by. Further into the woods, Alice discovered the figure, sitting at the bottom of a staircase that went nowhere, and what she had thought to be a little girl, was a little person, with a weird, unnerving baby’s face. It went after her with a mallet, but she was saved by a tall creature – what it would look like if Groot and the Visible Man had a baby – who took the whatever-it-was up the stairs. Later, Alice saw Louise’s research board for her book, which included a photo of the Peach family, who owned a lot of the town way back when. The focal point of the town is a huge brick building labeled Peach’s Meats with a logo of Joseph Peach’s face. He’s the family patriarch, and oddly enough, looks just like Rutger Hauer.

Zoe realized that Alice had concerns about following in her mental footsteps. Feeling smothered and weirded out – there’s also a nutcake lady running around town looking for scissors, which Louise has informed them not to give her – Zoe decides to book. While at the bus stop, she meets Joseph. Being musically inclined, I’m super aware of soundtracks (Vanderpump Rules always has a great one), and I almost fell off the couch when I heard Timothy by The Buoys in the background while Louise was working. For you youngsters, it was a hit in the 70s, written by Rupert Holmes, and is about some miners who eat one of their own when they become trapped. How this became a hit, who knows? but I do have it on a 45 somewhere. This clinched the deal for me with Louise. She also gave me the second-best quote:

🌏  When you set out to change the world, the world changes you.

Creepy babies, creepy Groots, staircases to nowhere, a strange landlady (her hobby is taxidermy) who smokes weed, a mysterious town, and Rutger Hauer. Seriously, what more could you want?

💀 The Visible Man

My sister had one of these when I was a kid, and I was fascinated with it.

Visible Man  Visible Man 2