Tag Archives: Shock Treatment

Oct29

October 28, 2024 – Heather Says Goodbye To Ace, 60th Birthday On Deck, Be Lured, Disturbing View, Treats Without Tricks & Dress

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What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Laura is surprised to see Heather, who says she’s a free woman. Isn’t that the most amazing news?

Anna goes to Jack’s office and says she needs to talk to him about Charlotte. He says, she’s not on the Bureau’s most wanted list, but Anna says, her father is, and her mother is undergoing major surgery. Charlotte needs to know what’s going on. Can he tell her where Charlotte and her father are?

Drew asks Nina, what’s so urgent? and she says, they have a major problem that might cost him the election.

Holly goes to Pozzulo’s and asks if Sonny has considered her offer. Do they have a deal? Sonny says, not yet, and she sees Jason in his office. She asks if she should come back, but he says, they’re all here about the same thing – Sidwell’s diamonds.

Cody asks if Holly is really Sasha’s mother. She told him that her mother was dead. She says she told everyone. She lied… about a lot of things. She doesn’t have time to list them, but this is one thing she’s not lying about. She wishes she was. Cody says, whatever it is, they can face it, but she says, they can’t because they can never be together.

Jack says, the Bureau has no information on Valentin’s whereabouts, and Anna says, he knows. He says, if he was her, he wouldn’t believe him either, and she says, don’t be a total ass. She knows Valentin worked for Pikeman, then the Bureau disappeared him so they wouldn’t be tied to it. He says, whether her unsubstantiated theory is true or not, Charlotte would be here if Valentin hadn’t been tipped off by Anna.

Nina says, the numbers indicate that blue collar voters feel Drew is out of touch, but Drew says he was raised in a group home. He’s a vet, a Navy SEAL. She says, they see him as the son of a successful doctor from a billionaire family and feel neglected. If the election was today, they wouldn’t vote for him. His opponent is starting a smear campaign about his rich playboy divorcee lifestyle, but he has something Chelsea Grimes doesn’t have – her. She knows what will save him from disaster.

Alexis sees Laura with Heather and tells Laura that Ric is responsible for Heather’s release. Heather says, she’s right. Ric took things in a new direction. Laura wonders how she wasn’t informed, and Elizabeth says, it happened so fast, but Laura says, the warden should have called the mayor’s office. Heather says she can’t believe her good fortune, and Elizabeth takes Steven aside. She asks if he’s sure about this, and he says, it’s best for everyone. Maybe they can even resolve things. Elizabeth says, he’s been down this road, and he says, but they won’t be in Port Charles. She asks if he’s taking Heather to Sedona, and he says, she needs to be far away from the people she’s hurt. Elizabeth asks when they’re leaving, and he says, in a few hours. They came to say goodbye.

Dante sees Steven and says, the day is full of surprises. When did he get back? Steven says, today, and Dante wonders what the hell Heather is doing here.

Heather says she won’t be a bother to anyone ever again. Her handsome son is taking her far away. Both Alexis and Laura ask, how far? and Heather says, Arizona. Laura asks, for how long? and Heather says she hopes this doesn’t upset Laura, but she’s leaving Port Charles for good.  

Holly says, Jason’s involvement doesn’t affect the split, and Sonny says, there’s no deal yet. He checked her story, and it turns out she wasn’t up front about everything. Now he has information that’s an absolute deal breaker. She says she was hoping this would end more profitably and asks for her diamond back. He says, of course (🍷). He doesn’t know if she’s heard, but her friend Sidwell is in Miami and he’s pretty sure Sidwell is on his way – he puts the diamond on his desk – to Port Charles. She says, on second thought, she’s too busy to look into other options. Why don’t they get down to business/

Cody asks if he did something wrong, and reaches for Sasha. She steps away, and says, he didn’t. He asks why she doesn’t want to be with him then, and she says, it’s not that. She can’t. They can’t… ever. He says she needs to explain, and she says she found out something she knew couldn’t be true, but she had to be sure… He says, she can tell him anything, and she says she found out his Uncle Robert is her father. He asks who told her, and she says her mother. He says, her mother also told him that she stole the Ice Princess, and Sasha says, she did. He says, she’s a con artist and therefore not a reliable source, and she says, that was her reaction too. She shows him the DNA test and says, it’s true. They’re first cousins.

Elizabeth asks if Steven is sure he can handle Heather, and he says he thinks Heather is sincere. He hopes she is. Dante asks if he thinks he can get her to leave, and Steven says, she knows it’s best. Elizabeth says she doesn’t know if it’s best for him, but he says he believes if they’re away from here, Heather can live a productive life. Besides, he’s not blameless. He did his time, and getting Heather out of Port Charles is a way of making amends.

Laura says she thinks it’s for the best for Heather and her victims, and Alexis says, sometimes in life, you need a fresh start and distance if you want to change your life or behavior. Heather agrees, and Laura says she wishes the very best for Heather, truly. She has to go, but Heather grabs her hand and says, before Laura goes, she needs to ask one favor.

Holly asks if Jason filled Sonny in on Sidwell, and Sonny says, he’s a dangerous man. Holly says she had Sidwell under control, but Jason says, if it wasn’t for the WSB, they’d be dead. Holly says, if it wasn’t for her, they wouldn’t have gotten to the airfield, but Sonny says, it doesn’t matter who did what. Sidwell is on his way, and they need to unload the diamonds before he tracks them and Holly. Holly asks, what are the new terms?

Cody says, Holly rigged the test, but Sasha says, it was done at a secure WSB lab. He says, she found a way, but Sasha says, stop. She hates it as much as he does, but it’s true. Robert is her father, which means they’re first cousins. He asks if her grandmother raising her was a lie, but Sasha says, no, she did. He says, where was Holly? and she says she doesn’t know. Anywhere she could find a rich mark to bleed dry. Holly told her that her father was dead. Even Holly believed it for a while. It’s a long story. Cody says, clearly, he was not dead, and Sasha says, Holly never told her or Robert. She broke news to him. Cody laughs and says he gives Holly credit. Better late than never. Sasha says, the only thing she gives Holly credit for is teaching her how to be a good conwoman. It brought her to Port Charles. He says, the job she did for Valentin, and she says, if she hadn’t agreed, she would have never met Brando or him. She thought she was on track to new life. She thought after all the loss, she was going to be happy. It turns out she was wrong.

Anna says, Valentin getting away is on her, but she thought it was the right thing for Charlotte, and Jack says, if she told him that she hadn’t been in bed with Valentin, he’d believe her about the girl she shot in the dark. Anna tears up and says she’ll never be free of the guilt. She didn’t want Charlotte to be without her father. Letting Valentin get away was her mistake. Tell her where they are. He says, her guess is as good as his, and she says, her mother could die. She’s the one who set this in motion and needs to be the one to bring Charlotte back. He says he wishes her the best of luck, and she says, okay. If he’s not going to help her, fine. She’ll keep going on her own. She’s betting there are things Jack doesn’t want her to know, but she’s going to find out. She’s going to find Charlotte and Valentin. What happened was on her, but what happens next is on him.

Drew asks, what’s the plan? and Nina takes his jacket off. She tells him to take off his shirt, and he says, really? Now? She says she picked out his suits and it worked out for what they needed. Now they need something casual. She hands him a flannel shirt and jeans, and he asks if their strategy is casual Friday. She says, they’re going to show people a different side of him. Less Drew Quartermaine and more Drew Cain. They’re going to go out, have a few beers, and meet the Everyman. He asks how a Park Avenue princess on his arm is going to help, but she says, no one is going to look at the Park Avenue princess. And if they do, she’ll point them in his direction. He asks where they’re going, and she says she knows just the place.

On the phone, Laura tells Doc that she has news. He asks if Lulu is okay, but she says she doesn’t have news about that yet. Heather was released. Heather waves to her from down the hall, and Laura says she’s standing right in front of her. The good news is, Heather is going to move to Arizona with her son, but she’s requested to visit Ace one more time. She has to stay at the hospital, so he’ll have be the one supervising. She has no problem telling Heather that it doesn’t work for them…. Okay, she’ll tell her. She goes over to Heather and says she and Doc agreed Heather can visit Ace. Heather hugs her.

Sonny says, Jason’s involvement isn’t the only new term. The WSB is going to keep an eye on Sidwell, then track him to the diamonds, then to her, then to them. 30% isn’t enough. 35% and he holds onto the diamonds. She has to make it worth his while. She asks if there are other terms, but he says, that’s it. She says, he’s taking advantage of a woman in need, and he just looks at her. She gives him the diamonds and says, trust is a two-way street. He tells her to remember that, and she says she’ll see them again, the sooner, the better. She leaves and Sonny tells Jason to keep the diamonds safe. He has to go to the hospital to see Dante and Sam. Jason says, they can’t hold onto them for too long, and Sonny says he gets that, but family comes first.

Cody asks if Sasha was ever going to tell him that her mom was alive, and she says she had no reason to. She never planned on seeing her again. It was right of her to come forward before they went too far. She guesses they should be thankful for the interruptions. They never… He says, became more than kissing cousins, and she says she was praying and hoping it wasn’t true, but she could see Robert believed it. He says, and the test confirmed it, and she says, it’s the only reason she’d ever break up with him. He says, that’s how he knows it’s true. Not because of the test, but because of him. He spent his whole life reaching for things he couldn’t have. Of course (🍷) when he finally finds the best thing in his life, it turns out he can never have it.

Sasha says she’s so sorry. She’s the reason he’s in pain. Cody says, her mother is the reason he’s in pain. Had Holly been honest with her, this wouldn’t have happened. She says, they can still be friends, but he says, he doesn’t want to be her friend… He didn’t mean that. She says she knows what he meant, and he says he’s just like her mom, but Sasha says, he’s one of the most wonderful men she’s ever met. He says, a lot of good it did him. He tried to turn his life around and for what? She tells him not to let that change. Don’t throw away the great people in his life. He says, just throw her away, and she says, they’ll get past it, as two people who love each other, even if it’s not the way they want to. She knows she’ll look back on their time together and cherish it. She hopes he does the same. He says he’s sorry, but he can’t turn off the feelings. He has no idea where his life is going to go. For the last few months, when he pictured the future, he saw her. He walks out.

Anna finds Jason at Pozzulo’s, and says she should have listened to him. She let her feelings for Valentin and her guilt about Charlotte compromise her. He says, they all make bad calls, and she says, if she’d let the Feds take Valentin, Charlotte would be here. She feels like she ruined Charlotte’s life. Jason says, Valentin will keep Charlotte safe, but Anna says, as a fugitive. She’s separated from her mother who’s gravely ill, and the support of the rest of her family. He says, what’s done is done. The only thing they can figure is how to find her and get her back. Anna asks if he’ll help her, and he says, any way he can.

Laura asks if Elizabeth called Steven, but Elizabeth says she went to pick Heather up and Steven was there ready to take her, thank God. Laura says she’s grateful it will be over soon.

Steven brings Heather to Laura’s apartment, and Doc answers the door. She says, if it isn’t her favorite good twin, and he tells her, hello. It’s good to see Steven. Ace is there playing with his toys, and she says, if it’s not her sweetest little grand angel. He’s so big. He probably doesn’t remember her, but she’s his grandma. She’s so happy to see him.

At the Brown Dog Bar, Cody asks the bartender if they’ve got any good tequila. (Is there any good tequila? I just don’t like tequila, and it’s always tequila.)

Sasha tries to call Cody and wonders where he is. She leaves a message for Mac to call her back as soon as possible. She’s worried about Cody.

At the bar, Cody says, uno mas, when Nina and Drew come in.

Dante and Sonny hug, and Sonny asks how he’s doing. Dante says, crawling out of his skin, and Sonny suggests they take a walk.

Alexis says she’s impressed with Laura’s handling of Heather, and Laura says she hopes she made the right choice. Alexis says, just because Heather was found not responsible for her crimes, doesn’t mean Laura owes her anything, but Laura says she can’t shake the feeling she got the ball rolling by asking Alexis to look into the case. Alexis says, all she did was order copes of the sentencing transcript. Scotty took it to the court, then bailed. The only one responsible for unleashing Heather is Ric.

Sonny asks, what’s the latest? and Dante says he’s hoping to hear about Sam’s surgery soon. He hopes Lulu survives. Sonny says, as long as she’s alive, there’s a chance she’ll wake up, but Dante says he feels like he gave false hope to his son. He made Rocco a promise and Rocco is going to be devastated if it doesn’t work out. Sonny says, there’s nothing wrong in having hope. He doesn’t doubt Dante is a great father. They hug.

Spinelli goes into Pozzulo’s and sees Anna. He says, greetings. He thinks he left his headlights on. Anna says, relax. He’s fine. He’s here because she needs his help. More specifically, she needs The Jackal.  

Anna says she believes the WSB, or at least Jack Brennan independently, are helping Valentin and Charlotte stay off the grid. She needs Spinelli’s help finding them. Does he think he can do that? Spinelli asks if it’s professional police business, but Jason says, it’s off the books. Anna says, the department can’t find out or the WSB, and Spinelli says, far be it for him to deny help to Maxie’s godmother. The Jackal is on board. Anna says, Jason trusts Spinelli with his life and she trusts Jason with hers.

Holly walks into the stables, and says she knows Sasha doesn’t want to see her. Sasha says she’s lived most of her life without Holly. All she does is cause pain. This is the last time they’re going to see each other. She will never forgive Holly for this. Holly is dead to her.

A man goes over to Drew and tells Drew that he’s a Navy SEAL too. Drew says he’s sure the man has stories and tells him to have a seat and tell them a few. The bartender tells Cody, that’s Drew Cain. He seems like a good enough guy. Cody flashes back to Sasha telling him that Nina told her in confidence that she’s in a situationship with Drew, but during the fireworks on the 4th of July, she walked into the solarium and saw Drew and Willow kiss. Cody downs his shot and walks over to Drew. He asks for a word, but Drew says, the man is telling a story. Cody thanks the man for his service, and says he’ll bring Drew right back. Drew thinks they should let the man finish, and Nina says she needs to talk to Cody. Let the two vets talk… Cody says he doesn’t want to talk to her. He needs to talk to Drew. Drew tells the man, it will just take a second. He’ll be back. He suggests he and Cody go to a more private spot, but Cody says he’s fine here. Drew says, he seems drunk, but Cody says, nope. Drew says, Cody looks like he could use fresh air, and Cody punches him in the face. He asks who Drew thinks he is, telling him what to do. He gets louder and says, smug bastard. Making out with your nephew’s wife while you’re banging her mom. (D’oh!)

Sonny tells Laura that he’s sorry. Lulu is tough. She’ll make it through. She thanks him and says she knows he loves her too. Alexis asks if there’s any word, but Laura says, not yet. She sees Elizabeth coming over to them and says, that might change soon. Elizabeth says, Sam is out, and the surgery went very well. She’s resting comfortably. Alexis and Dante hug.

Heather says, Ace is so handsome. She’s not surprised. His Uncle Steven is a looker. So was his is late Uncle Franco. And his mommy Esme was a great beauty. Ace continues to play, and she says, his mom had her faults, but she loved him more than anything. Now he’s her only remaining connection to his mom and she’s so grateful. She misses her so much. She wishes she could stay in Port Charles forever and watch him grow up, but it’s not possible. She has to say goodbye and leave him. It’s the hardest thing she’s ever done other than lose his mommy. Steven thanks Doc for giving Heather time with her grandson, and Doc says, it’s not selfless entirely. He doesn’t want Heather to feel like she has any unfinished business. Steven says he gets it and tells Heather that they’ve got to get to the airport. It’s time. Heather says, okay, and tells Ace that it’s time. Grandma has got to go. It’s hard to say goodbye. Can she have one last hug for road? She hugs him and says she loves him so much, and he looks like a dog who does not want to be hugged and might bolt at any second. She tells him that she’ll miss him, then whispers, but she’ll be back.  

Tomorrow, Nina says she thinks she gave Willow some really bad advice; Tracy tells Ned that they have all the ammunition and just have to figure out how best to use it; and Dante asks Sam to marry him.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Everyone on the boat is looking for Cloyce, and Gary tells Captain Glenn that Cloyce is with the guests. The captain says, he’s not here to have fun. Bring him back now. In Captain Glenn’s interview, he says, what the hell? The guests are going to want to eat right away and it’s not going to be ready. If you’re as young as Cloyce, you need to err on the side of professionalism and be the kind of person who shows extra maturity. Daisy says, it’s like herding cats, and Gary tells Cloyce that he has to come back to the boat. In Daisy’s interview, she says, it’s the primary’s birthday, and she feels like a mom trying to get her toddler out of the f***ing jungle gym. Davide picks up Cloyce in the tender, and Captain Glenn tells Daisy that he’s having dinner with the guests. Daisy says, they also have the mermaid. Cloyce comes back and it’s 20 minutes until lunch. The table looks beautiful, decorated with palm fronds and green napkins on each plate. In Emma’s interview, she says she’s embarrassed about Gary snapping at her. We flash back to that, and she says she finds failure embarrassing. She’s struggled with it in the past. Growing up with a sister and brother who know what they’re doing was her security. She’s crazy Aunt Emma on the boat, alone on the sea. She’s hoping it’s just a bad day and gets smoother.

Gary suggests the guests stay on the swim platform, and he’ll haul them back. Glenn asks if Cloyce had a good time. When the guests come back, they like to have them eat as quickly as possible because they have to eat dinner. Cloyce says he’ll get things extra prepped, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says, Captain Glenn is seeing a chef out of the galley for the first time in his career. The other captains he’s worked for were laid back and chill with Cali vibes. They didn’t care. Have fun. Sit back and relax. I’ve got you. Daisy tells Danni that she placed the glasses backward, and in Daisy’s interview, she says she’s pretty direct. She wants the stews to feel good, but she has no energy to be constantly telling them that they did a great job. But everybody needs to be managed differently. The only person who should be crying on the boat is her. The guests are back, and Daisy tells Cloyce that they’re starting to sit. They’re ready when he is. He’s still chopping, and Daisy serves the wine. Amy says she feels bad for guest Grace who had no breakfast, and Grace says she’s feeling good, but she’s ready to eat. Glenn wonders if the guests have started eating, and Gary says he doesn’t think so. In Cloyce’s interview, he says he’s infrequently wrong, but he underestimated his timing. Everything is his fault. Awesome. He loves that. Grace says she has snacks upstairs. Maybe in two days she’ll be really thin. Well, that’s highly doubtful on any cruise. Unless you suffer from ongoing seasickness the entire time.

Daisy says, for f***’s sake, and finally, Cloyce gets it together. Daisy runs up with the food, and Amy declares it an amazing lunch. Emma tells Daisy that she f***ed up again. There was miscommunication between her and Gary. Keith asks how Danni is feeling, and she says she’s zen as f***. Amy decides to take a nap, and Captain Glenn asks about lunch. A guest tells him, it was so delicious, and he points out a jagged rock in the distance. He says, it’s an island called Es Vedrà. There’s no one there, and it’s said to be haunted by mermaids. One of the guests wants to go at night, and Glenn says, they’re spooking him out.

Cloyce shows Daisy the nut honey cake he ordered and says he’s making whipped cream and berries to go with it. In Daisy’s interview, she says, the most important thing is the food. That’s what the tip is based on. And now he’s going to serve a sh*tty cake from a sh*tty bakery. Good luck. It’s her 60th birthday. Bake a cake. In Keith’s interview, he says, Danni is an incredibly charming person, but it’s surface level stuff. His relationships are based on chemistry, and he has a sensitive side. He hopes they can connect on a deeper level.

Gary picks up mermaid Carla. The table is gorgeous, decorated with shells and glass beads. Carla arrives and Emma puts face jewels on Daisy. Diana walks out with perfect placement, and in Emma’s interview, she says she feels like she’s surrounded by people who are great at what they do. She’s struggling like a f***ing idiot. Daisy says she always looks like sh*t in this sh*t. She’s too old to play dress up.

Don’t listen to her. You are never too old to play dress up.

Carla puts her tail on, and Daisy radios the crew to come to the swim platform. Davide carries the mermaid to the platform, and in his interview, he says he helps during downtime and he’s glad for the mermaid. Daisy brings the guests to the platform and guest Stephanie screams, a mermaid! She runs down and hugs Carla and says she’s beautiful. The mermaid hangs out, splashes around, then swims. Daisy says, Danni is doing the cabins, but Danni says she’s been in laundry most of the time and not done much service. She did turndowns last night. Daisy tells Diana to do the cabins, and Diana whines. Daisy says, Diana is the housekeeping queen, but Diana says she doesn’t care. In Diana’s interview, she says she’s tired of making beds and cleaning poop. In Danni’s interview, she says she’s not going down without a fight. She’s going down kicking and screaming.

Daisy says, it evens out by the end of the season, but Danni says she doesn’t give a sh*t. It’s time for dinner and the guests say goodbye to the mermaid. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, after the Floatopia situation and since the captain is dining with the guests, the stakes are higher for Amy’s 60th birthday tonight. It needs to be flawless and he’s ready to rock and roll. Captain Glenn tells the guests that he’d always thought mermaids were a myth. She must have heard they were here. Daisy brings out magical mermaid martinis, which I think are basically martinis colored blue, and one of the guests sticks glittery stuff on Captain Glenn’s forehead. Gary leaves to pick up the DJ, and the guests marvel at how young Glenn looks for 63. Diana curses her life while doing cabins, and Diana and Danni apologize to each other. Diana says, all they do is complain about their job while doing their job. Gary brings the DJ to the boat and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he ordered a cake because he hates making them. He figures Amy just wants to drink because she’s an older woman and nobody in their 60s is super stoked about blowing out candles. They just want to go party. And so do women in their 20s and 30s and… WTF with this guy? I liked him at first, but no, just no. He’s so full of himself and such a know-it-all. Cloyce decides to warm up the cake in the microwave and it falls apart. Ha… ha… ha. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Cloyce took a shortcut and was being lazy. He ordered a sh*tty cake and microwaved it. Now it looks like a pile of dog sh*t.

Daisy suggests they start doing the DJ thing, then serve cake and champagne. Cloyce smooshes the cake together and puts whipped cream flowers all over it. The guests go to the upper deck and Gary brings up champagne. Bubbles float all around and the crew sings Happy Birthday. The cake is served, and Amy goes to bed, saying, nothing good ever happens after twelve o’clock. Personally, I have not found that to be true. Daisy thinks the DJ was the perfect distraction for Cloyce’s poo cake disasterphy. DJ Elliot gets in the hot tub with several guests. Guest Amber flirts shamelessly with him, and the others leave. Elliot wisely gets the hell out of there and asks for a lift back to shore. Gary obliges. Daisy tells Emma, if Cloyce has time to swim, he can make a cake, and Emma says she doesn’t understand. Um… He thinks he’s better than everyone else? And while I’m on the subject, Cloyce has one of the most irritating laughs I’ve ever heard. Like a heh-heh-heh nervous laugh. I can’t.

Cala Tarida. Last day of charter. Breakfast is served and the boat heads for Igy Marina. Diana says she needs to look at the margarita recipe again, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Diana’s lack of knowledge of a basic popular cocktail is scary. She suggests that Diana and Danni get practice by having the crew order cocktails when they’re off charter. She’ll be the cocktail queen. The guests pack, and the boat docks. Gary instructs Emma on tying the lines, and in his interview, he says, it’s the first thing you learn working on boats and she’s been working on boats for years. Does she not care? Does she not know? Is he a bad teacher?

Gary tells Emma to put her whole weight behind it, and she says she understands. In Emma’s interview, she says, another thing to add to her list of f*** ups.

It’s time for guest departure, and they’re sad to leave as we all would be. There are hugs and thanks, and Amy says she never imagined a 60th birthday with her daughters and all her girlfriends. It was a dream party. As they leave, Glenn toots the horn as per usual. Daisy asks to talk to him and says she thinks the chef is an issue. She likes him and wants him to succeed, but thinks they’re getting the bare minimum. The captain says, it’s not his place to be on the beach. He tells Daisy to try her hand at getting what they want. She says, okay, but if he hasn’t improved after the next charter, then Glenn comes in. Glenn agrees.

It’s time for the tip meeting, and Keith says, it’s his favorite part. Captain Glenn thanks the deck crew for the Floatopia, and says, Daisy did a great job keeping the guests happy. The Under the Sea party was fun. He tells Cloyce to be professional and make meals not play on the water toys. He’s never seen that from a chef before, and he could have made better use of his time. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, that was harsh, but it’s good to be humbled and have a little wakeup call. I have the feeling he doesn’t really mean that. The tip is $25K US dollars, or $2700 each. Daisy says, at 6:30, the stews are going to make the crew one cocktail each. The crew gets dressed, and Emma thinks people are getting loose tonight. Danni and Diana get through making one cocktail, when Diana decides she’s had enough. She goes upstairs and tells Gary that she needs to rest. She wonders why they need to work. Why don’t they do it tomorrow? It’s stupid. Danni wonders where Diana went, and tells Daisy that Diana abandoned her and left her to do it on her own. Daisy says something to Diana, and in Diana’s interview, she wonders why Danni told Daisy. Danni knew where she was. She tells Danni that she wasn’t in the mood.

Emma tells Daisy that Diana was upset because she had to make drinks, and Daisy says, the girls are so sensitive. Emma thinks it’s bullsh*t, and in Emma’s interview, she says she can’t be bothered to be honest. Daisy asks Diana is she’s okay. It’s just practice. Diana says, they’re off the clock, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, normally, she’d do anything for her girls, but this is a level of sensitivity she’s never seen. They’re getting too much into their heads. To be a yachtie you need to have thick skin because you’re working with bitches and serving a-holes.

The crew goes to a restaurant, while on the boat, Captain Glenn puzzles over number puzzles. Or maybe his financial statement. It’s not clear.  Cloyce suggests they hit the f***ing clubs, and in the taxi, Emma asks if Diana fancies Gary, but Diana comes quickly back with an emphatic, no. Emma says she’s the only unf***able girl on the boat, and in Danni’s interview, she says, Emma is being dramatic and drunk. She’s bringing the vibes down so hard.

They go to the VIP section of the club, and Danni and Diana tell Daisy that Emma is being aggressive. Daisy asks Emma what she said in the taxi. Diana and Danni came back petrified. She and Emma go to the bathroom to talk, and Daisy says she’s not calling Emma out. She’s just curious. Emma says she’s not getting involved anymore, and when she comes back out, Diana asks if she’s okay. Emma says she’s fine, but Diana says, she doesn’t seem like it. She didn’t realize that Diana and Danni were upset and are now petrified of her. She’s already over this f***ing game and she’s not giving her opinion when it ends up out of context. In Diana’s interview, she says, Emma started this sh*t. She’s got no patience. Emma says she’s not getting involved in either of their sh*t anymore.

Next time, Tiffany, from The Real Housewives of Dallas, and husband Daniel are guests; Daniel is a total a-hole; Captain Glenn says, Emma isn’t getting it; and Danni says, Gary is giving her the attention she needs.

🌄 Haunted Island…

Check out the island of Es Vedrà without leaving home.

https://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/magazine/2024/04/es-vedra-why-go-myths-and-where-see-it

👺 Prepare For Disturbia…

I’m not sure how disturbing they are, but some of them look ridiculous.

https://ew.com/the-view-halloween-costumes-most-disturbing-8732557

🎃 And You Get a Treat…

Cute animals enjoy a Halloween snack.

https://people.com/animals-across-disney-world-enjoy-carved-pumpkins-watch-8735388

💃🏼 Amok, Amok, Amok…

Join me tomorrow for soap, a little City, and what was, should be, or maybe not be watched. Until then, stay safe, stay not dipping into the Halloween candy early, and stay understanding that sometimes in life, you need a fresh start and distance if you want to change your life or behavior.

Oct28

October 27, 2021 – Nikolas Asks Alexis What Her Price Is, Andy Puts Erika On a Skewer, Why Am I Watching This Trash & Shock

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

TJ and Curtis spar at the gym, and Curtis asks TJ what he’s got. Usually he has to work twice as hard to get a hit in. They stop, and TJ says, sorry. His head isn’t in it. He’s been thinking a lot about that patient he lost.

Portia is walking past Kelly’s, and literally runs into Marshall.

Michael says good morning to Willow, and tells her, it’s renegotiation time for the broadcast station; it always goes down to the wire. What’s her day looking like? She says, same old, same old. Nothing as important or powerful as his. He says she was pretty quiet last night. She didn’t say a word before they went to bed. She says she has a lot on her mind, and he asks if it has anything to do with what happened to Nina.

At the MetroCourt, Ava hugs Nina, saying, that was fast. An overnight extradition to Pennsylvania, and Nina is back, looking no worse for the wear. Nina says, looks can be deceiving; she’s exhausted. Ava says, gutsy move, showing her face there, and Nina says, she can’t very well stay away from her own business. She thought she’d just get a quick caffeine fix, and go to her office to see how many fires her arrest caused. Ava says she’s surprised Scotty’s strategy worked, and they let her leave the state. Although she did tell Nina that he can be fiendishly clever. Nina says she’s impressed too. All she had to do was give them her passport. Ava says, sounds like she got off pretty easy, but Nina says, far from it.

Sonny gives Avery a stack of cinnamon pancakes, and tells her not to put too much syrup on them. Kristina is taking her trick or treating tonight; she’s going to get a sugar rush. Know what he means? Can he get a little sugar rush? She hugs him, and he laughs. Carly says, this is just perfect. She’ll never take moments like this for granted again.

Spencer is reading For Whom the Bell Tolls at Kelly’s, when someone clears their throat, and he says, be right with you, not looking up. Molly says, is that any way to talk to a customer? Can they get some service, or is she going to have to speak to a manager? He runs around the counter and hugs her, saying, it’s good to see her. Shawn stands there looking… I dunno… Like he’s studying this.

Nikolas visits Alexis at Spring Ridge, but when he moves to hug her, she steps back. He asks if everything is all right, and she says she needs to talk to him. They sit down, and he says he has some news for her too, but she can go first. What’s this about? She says, Hayden Barnes.

At the MetroCourt, Josslyn thanks Jax for breakfast. She hates to eat and run, but she’s meeting Trina at Kelly’s for a study session. He asks if they don’t live together, and since when did Kelly’s become a study hall? Oh, that’s right. Cameron works there. She says, please. A ton of people study at Kelly’s, and change is good. They both have a very big exam next week. He says, getting an early start, huh? And he does mean early. She asks if he’s forgotten what Halloween is like in college. They need their evenings free. He says, has she forgotten he went to college in Australia, and Halloween was considered an American influence their country was trying to battle? She says, yet here he is, a venture capitalist, having drip coffee with his American daughter. So she wonders who won that battle. He says, touché. He’s glad that she’s not letting this thing with her mom and Sonny get to her, especially after everything that went down last night. She says she learned to compartmentalize early. She wasn’t going to bring it up, but since he did, how is he doing with everything? She thinks Nina got what she deserved, but still, watching her be arrested last night must be hard on him.

Ava asks if Nina has heard anything more from the Corinthos clan. She can’t believe Sonny stood by, and let Michael do that to her. She’s tempted to go and tell him what he can do with his offer for Charlie’s. Nina says, that’s not necessary, but she appreciates the support. Let Sonny buy Charlie’s. She has no choice but to let things play out. Ava says, so much for their hope that Nina and Sonny could co-exist in peace.

Willow tells Michael, having Nina extradited to Pennsylvania is part of it, but mostly it’s about their breakdown in communication. He says, that’s a pretty big statement, and she says she thought they had a good talk the other night about Nina. She went away thinking they were on the same page, but clearly, they’re not. He says they agreed not to do anything about Nina and Wiley while tensions were high, but he didn’t. She says he convinced the DA of Lantano County to have Nina arrested, and he says he’s confused. Didn’t she agree that what Nina did was wrong? She says she did, 100%, especially after he told her about the confusion it caused for Avery and Donna. She’s not opposed to pursuing legal action against Nina. If that’s what the family decides, she supports it. He says, so what’s the problem? and she says, the problem is, he wasn’t honest with her.

Marshall says he’s sorry if he startled Portia. He’s just as bad as those kids who walk and text, or tweet; he’s sorry. She says, that’s quite all right. She supposes she’s a little jumpy; the spirit of the holiday. She asks if that’s a map he has, and he says, it is. He probably looks like one of those throwback tourists. Maybe he could pretend this is his costume, like she said, in the spirit of the holiday. She laughs, and asks if he’s from out of town, and he says, just checking up on family. He was looking for the Chuck. Is it nearby? She says, it is, but she happens to know it’s closed today; she’s a member. Is he an art lover? He says he is. In fact, he appreciates all forms of art. He just read about a relatively new music venue, it’s called… The Savoy. Does she know it?

Curtis says, he’s sorry TJ lost a patient. That’s got to be hard. TJ says he’s talking about that guy who vanished from the exam room the other night. He asked around the hospital, and the volunteer meeting the guy said he was there for wasn’t real. He thinks he freaked the guy out when he asked for identification. Curtis says, there could be a number of reasons why he took off. Hell, he could have been undocumented. Or maybe he was just trying to get a prescription for some drugs. TJ says he thought about that, but it wasn’t the vibe he got. Something about that encounter felt almost personal. Curtis says that’s because TJ is an empathetic doctor; it’s his superpower. On the positive side, TJ gets two days off. Just let it go. Correct him if he’s wrong, but two days in a row is like luxury for a first year intern, right? TJ says, it definitely is. He plans to live his best life. As a matter-of-fact, what is Curtis doing tonight… and tomorrow? Curtis says, TJ is off, he’s not, but forget about him. What about Molly? He’s sure Molly would appreciate seeing more of TJ now that he has time off. TJ says, Molly’s fine. She’s catching up with Shawn right now. Curtis says, is that what all this was about?

Spencer says, it’s been too long, and Molly says, he’s the one who’s been in town for months, and didn’t bother reaching out to his cousin. Spencer says, they have this new thing called texting, and it works both ways. She says, true. She’s been super busy. From what she’s heard, he has too, and they’ll leave it at that. She asks if he remembers Shawn, and Spencer says, of course (🍷), of course (🍷), and shakes Shawn’s hand. Shawn says, look at Spencer, all grown up. A working man, he sees. Spencer says he’s come a long way from the son who could get his father to do anything for him. It’s been years since he’s seen Shawn. He’s been away; Shawn’s been away… They’re both back now, so that’s good. Molly says, from what she’s heard, he should be focused on his own legal issues, and Spencer says, right. She’s at the DA’s office. She says she’s had to recuse herself from his case. He says, no hard feelings. Duty calls. Grab a seat, and he’ll be right over.

Nikolas says he knows Alexis and Shawn were looking into what happened to Hayden, but he doesn’t know how Alexis thinks he can help. She says, they’re close, right? And despite the last few years, she’s hopeful that the Nikolas that she loves and that she trusts, and that she knows, is operating in there somewhere. So she needs Nikolas to tell her the truth. No lying. No dodging. Just be honest with her. He says, think long and hard before she goes any further with this, and she says, true or false? He hired the hitman who shot Hayden Barnes. He says he knew this is where she was going, especially after that tense moment with Shawn the other day. He hoped her was wrong, that it was all in his head, but here they are. He gets up, and she follows him. She says, that’s not a denial, and he says, it’s not an admission either. He’s insulted that she would think so little of him. She says, that’s even less of a denial. She’s known him since he was born. She knows him better than almost anybody. She said to herself, if she can look him in the eye, she’ll know if he’s telling her the truth. Please tell her that he did not allow a man to be locked up for six years of his life for a crime that he committed.

Molly says she hopes Shawn doesn’t mind that she roped him into breakfast. He says, not a bit. He barely sees her and TJ at home. He enjoys spending time with his daughter-in-law of sorts. Is that an okay term to use for domestic partners? She says, especially the in-law part, and he says, say it with pride, Assistant District Attorney. She says, it’s a far cry from writing romance novels, and he says, don’t knock it. Her lover man had chops. He guesses he can admit it now, but the notes she asked TJ for were actually suggestions from him. She says she didn’t know he read her manuscript early, and he says he volunteered to write articles for the armed forces newsletter. He was trying to help, but she didn’t need it. He thought they had a prodigy on their hands; a future bestselling author. She says, as much as she loved writing, she ended up finding a new way to express herself, trying to improve the justice system from the inside. But she’s not the only one with an appreciation for righteousness, is she? Is he looking to make a difference too?

Michael asks how he was dishonest, and Willow says, he agreed not to challenge Nina about visiting Wiley, because the whole time he knew he was going to get the Lantano DA to file criminal charges against her. He says, one thing has nothing to do with the other, and she rolls her eyes and starts to walk away. He says, the whole point of charging Nina with identity fraud was so it wouldn’t involve Wiley. It solely has to do with what she did to his father. She says, this is what she means by dishonesty. She’s sure he’s right about the legal tactic, but she’s also sure he didn’t let her in because he thought she wouldn’t approve. He didn’t ask her, or the rest of the family. He took it on himself to deal with Nina, and he handled it. He says, she’s right. He did.  

Sonny watches Avery pour syrup on her pancakes, and tells her, what did he say? She’s got a lot of candy ahead of her. She says, Mama Carly said she can’t have it until tomorrow. Carly says, that’s not true. She said Avery could have a piece for how old she is, so she gets six pieces. Avery says, but the Kit Kats always disappear. I feel her pain. Sonny says he knows where the Kit Kats go, and Carly says, Halloween is a magical night. Who knows where the Kit Kats go? It’s kind of like the socks in the laundry. Sonny and Carly go over to the sink, and Sonny says, Carly is in a good mood. She says, thanks to Michael, she doesn’t have to run into Nina at every turn.

Ava tells Nina that she accepted Sonny’s offer before his family had her arrested. She’ll be happy to take Nina’s counter-offer. Nina says, what’s done is done. Besides, she doesn’t want Ava turning the sale of Charlie’s into a battleground. If she wants to make amends to Phyllis, she can’t buy Phyllis’s forgiveness, can she? You cannot pay for absolution. Ava tells her to take it easy on herself, and remember there are plenty of people in this world who will give Nina hell for her mistakes, but she’s not one of them. She leaves, and Nina hears Jax call her name. She turns to see Jax with Josslyn.

Nina says she just came in for a quick cup of coffee, and Josslyn asks why she’s there. She was arrested last night, and extradited to Pennsylvania. Nina says, she was. She made bail, and was allowed to come home until the trial. Josslyn says, that’s it? Nina stole Sonny’s life for nine months, and took him away from his family. She’s finally arrested and didn’t even have to spend the night in jail. Jax asks if Josslyn doesn’t have some studying to do with Trina, and Josslyn says, and Nina shows up at her mother’s hotel, acting like nothing happened? Jax says, Josslyn, and she says, fine. She gets in the elevator, and Nina tells Jax that he doesn’t have to feel like he has to protect her from his daughter. Josslyn’s made it crystal clear how she feels about her. He says, she’s her mother’s daughter; what can he say? She says she can take it from Carly, but Josslyn broke her heart. He says he’s sorry, and she says they haven’t talked since the night of the fire, and they couldn’t really talk in the hearing room. He says he’s been keeping his distance, especially since he figured out she’s been keeping her true relationships with Mike – or Sonny – a secret. She says, Sonny is not the man she fell in love with. And he’s not the man who fell in love with her.

Willow says, it’s like Michael was honoring the letter of their conversation, but not the spirit. He says he realized he was doing that while she was saying it, and it wasn’t right. She says she’s not thrilled by his strategy, but she’ll admit it’s affective. The DA thinks he can win the case, and the fact is, Nina did commit the crime. If he’d told her from the start, she would have had his back, but he didn’t give her the chance. He made a preemptive decision and went around her. He tells her, everything she’s saying is valid, and he’s sorry. He thinks because of the last few relationships he’s been in, he’s more guarded than he realized. He should have told her, but at the same time, he stands by his actions. Nina needs to be held accountable. Not for anything to do with Wiley, but because of what she did to his family. Willow says she thought she was his family too.   

Portia tells Marshall, The Savoy is great. She feels a little responsible for it coming into being. The owner is a good friend. He says, really? He read that the owner never ran a club before; is that true? She says she doesn’t remember there being any profiles on Curtis when the club opened. Where did he read that? He says, somewhere online. Anyway, he’s just curious, what made him jump into the nightclub business? She says, he seems more interested in the owner than the venue, and he says he’s just a people person. She says, okay. It’s been nice speaking with him, but she has to get going. Enjoy his visit to Port Charles. He thanks her, and she moves on.

TJ says, it’s okay if Curtis can’t hang, and Curtis says, it’s not that. He’s noticed all the extra time they’ve been spending together, as much as he loves it, all started when Shawn was released, and came back to town. TJ doesn’t see what one has to do with the other, and Curtis says, for six years it’s been him, TJ, and TJ’s mother; they were a family. Now TJ’s biological father is in the picture, and he’s okay with that, but TJ doesn’t have to demonstrate that their relationship isn’t different. He’s not insecure in any way about TJ’s relationship with his father. He thinks it’s important, so he encourages that, and he knows he and TJ are rock solid. TJ says, always have been and always will be, and Curtis says, they’re family. Nothing is ever going to change that.  

Molly says Shawn has been staying with her and TJ at her mom’s for few months now. She always hears him talking to TJ about finding out what his next step in life should be, but when they talk, it’s non-stop news and current events and social justice issues. It’s clear he’s passionate about these things. Maybe there’s a path in the social sphere that he can explore. Somewhere he can bring awareness to the issues he cares about. He says, like what, a podcast? He has no idea how to pod or cast. He doubts his criminal record will support any bid for being a public official. At least not until he clears his name. She asks how that’s going, and he says he does have a new lead to follow, but it could send him down a bath that could cause a lot of trouble. She says, whatever he decides, she’s behind him. She trusts him.   

Nikolas tells Alexis, Shawn Butler is far from an innocent man. He showed up to kill Drew, the father of her granddaughter Scout. It’s only due to bad luck and bad aim that Drew wasn’t hit by Shawn. She says, the salient point is, Shawn didn’t shoot Hayden. A hitman or hitwoman did, but only Nikolas would know that, since he hired them? He had Hayden shot, didn’t he? He tells her, don’t. If she keeps pulling this thread, he’s going to make helping her impossible, especially since he’s secured her release.

Nikolas says he and the governor got quite close, ever since he dated the governor’s daughter. He thought he’d play his card at the right time, and the right time presented itself last night at a fundraiser they both attended. He spent most of the evening championing Alexis’s cause with him. She says, what a fortuitous coincidence. She doesn’t suppose it had anything to do with their conversation the other night. He says he reminded the governor of her role in exposing the corrupt Judge Carson, and he suggested the state show its appreciation by offering her a pardon. They sit again, and he says, it’s incredible, right? The governor plans to issue her a complete pardon for her attack on Detective Falconari, which is a little dicey for him, her stabbing a cop and all. But the governor is prepared to take the hit as a personal favor to him. Of course (🍷) if he has to fend off groundless charges and allegations, it can tarnish his reputation, and his political sway could disappear, along with her pardon.

Josslyn walks into Kelly’s, saying, she had to see for herself, and Spencer says, and smirk? She says, yes. Watching him work at Kelly’s is like watching the Lock Ness Monster play the tuba. He should wear it as his Halloween costume. Grandma Bobbie loves her employees to dress up for Halloween. He says she’s loving this, and she admits she is. He tells her, please enjoy his utter humiliation, but do it from across the room; he’s not in the mood. She says, there’s nothing to be humiliated about. As a matter-of-fact, she’s impressed. He’s not relying on his inheritance. He’s making money on his own, and that’s admirable. He says she realizes that all three of her parents are probably as rich as his, right? She says, which makes her incredibly fortunate, and she tries not to take that for granted. By the way, she never betrayed her parents trust, or used a good friend and lied to her. Or committed several crimes and wound up awaiting trial. Shawn, who’s been listening in, asks Molly to tell him more about Spencer’s legal difficulties.

Michael says, that came out wrong. He didn’t mean she wasn’t part of his family, because she is. The two of them, and Wiley are a family together. She says she gets it, but she doesn’t look at him, and he says, after their conversation about taking things slowly and that she’d be more comfortable with boundaries… They’re already living together, they’re sleeping together, they’re raising Wiley together, it’s hard to figure out where those boundaries are. She says he doesn’t have to explain, and he says, it’s hard to find the line between moving too slowly and moving too quickly when they’ve been in love for so long, and they finally get to be together. She takes his hand, and says she loves him too. He says, he’s glad to hear it because he’s clearly blowing it. He’s sorry for keeping her out of the decision making process. He guesses maybe on some level, he was trying to keep her in the clear. She says, what about him? and he says, he did what had to be done. And he always will to keep his loved ones safe. He hopes she understands.

Jax and Nina go to the bar, and order coffee. He says they have a chance to talk, but she says, they don’t really have much to say, do they? She’s in a no-win situation, and in order to respect Sonny’s wishes, she has to continue to lie about the nature of their relationship, even though she’s facing criminal charges. So if she can’t fix her legal problems, she’s just going to focus in on Crimson. That is, if she still has a job there. He says he’s not going to force her out, and she asks if he wants to rethink that. It’s bad optics having a convicted criminal at the helm. He says she can’t run Crimson from behind bars, that’s for sure, and it was a mistake to come back to Port Charles without consulting a lawyer first. They could have protected her, and maybe stopped things from escalating further. She says, there he goes again, trying to be her white knight. If this ordeal taught her anything, it taught her that Jax has to stop trying to save her. She’s a lost cause.

Ava comes into the former home of the beloved moss bowl 🎍, and Avery hugs her. Ava calls her Miss Sticky, and asks if she’s been eating her father’s pancakes. Avery says she was, but she thought she wasn’t staying with Ava until tomorrow. Ava says she thought right; she came by to talk to Avery’s daddy. Carly suggests Avery go upstairs and see what Donna is doing, and Avery runs out. Carly says, if this is about custody… but Ava says, no, and walks over to Sonny, giving him a manila envelope. She says it’s the closing papers. She had her lawyer look them over already, so just have his lawyer do the same, sign them, and Charlie’s is his. Carly says, that was fast, and Ava says, especially since there was a bidding war. Carly says she wasn’t aware of it, and Sonny says, things were kind of crazy last night. Ava says, right, with Nina. It must have slipped his mind. She thought he shared everything with Carly.

Portia arrives at the gym, and sees Curtis with TJ. She asks if someone forgot to invite her to the party. TJ’s not working? He says, he’s not playing hooky; he has two days off. She says, he scored. She’s on her way to a kickboxing class. Enjoy his days off while he has them. TJ says, while he has her, has she heard anything around the hospital about a patient of his who skipped out before he could grab their ID? She says, oh, one of those. She hasn’t heard anything, but she’ll let him know if she does.  Did he say or do anything fishy? Curtis says, TJ is taking it a little personally, and TJ says, maybe he is. The gentleman was so amiable, he can’t figure out why he would lie to him, and then ghost. They hit it off, and were talking about life, family. Curtis says, he’s going to find, working in a hospital, he’ll meet all kinds of people. TJ says he even asked questions about Curtis, and Portia says, wait. What did this patient of his look like?

Shawn asks Molly, Nikolas wouldn’t even post bail? He thought Nikolas adored Spencer, and vice versa. She says, a lot has happened since Shawn was around. Starting with Nikolas pretending to be dead for three years, and ending with him marrying Ava. Spencer feels Ava double-crossed him when he was trying to get justice for Nikolas, who, as it turned out, wasn’t actually dead. He says, that’s a damn shame, and she says, it’ll all work itself out. The funny thing is, all Spencer needs to do to make things right is apologize; like a real, sincere apology, where he holds himself accountable. Nikolas feels so guilty for staying away, he would be putty in Spencer’s hands. He says, that easy? and she says, that may be a slight exaggeration, but it would be a good start. Nikolas has that Cassadine ruthlessness, and a seemingly cold heart, but that heart melts when it comes to his son. Spencer has always been his Achilles heel.

Alexis tells Nikolas, so they have quid pro quo, huh? She and Shawn drop the investigation, and forget Nikolas initiated the a hit on Hayden, and he facilitates her pardon. Her silence buys her freedom. He says, he never said that, and she asks if he thinks she’d be tempted by this blanket attempt at extortion? He says he has no idea what she’s talking about, but for argument’s sake, he contends that everyone has a price. The question is, what’s hers?

Willow says, just because she and Michael aren’t on the same page right now, doesn’t change how she feels about him. She missed snuggling with him last night. He says, so did he, and she says, knowing how hard they fought to be together, and they already know they want to spend their lives together raising Wiley, maybe taking it slow made it messy. He says, he’ll go with confusing, but she says she’s not confused. One thing she knows for sure, she doesn’t want that division between the part of her life where he lets her in, and the part of his life he shields her from. That might work for some relationships, but she doesn’t want that for them. He says he doesn’t either. Other than their son, there’s nothing more important, and he’s going to spend every day proving it to her. Starting now.

Sonny says he’ll have Diane look it over, and Ava says, when the papers are signed and the money is wired, she’ll leave the keys with Kristina, and they’ll be done. She’d like to say goodbye to Avery before she leaves, and he says she knows the way. She goes upstairs, and Carly says, that was quick. She loves the way he does business. She hopes Phyllis takes him up on his offer, and stays there. She has to go to work, and says she loves him. He says he loves her too.

Jax tells Nina that he’s hanging up his armor. He didn’t do so well, trying to shield Nina from the truth about Nelle. But he can’t help but wonder if that didn’t set this whole thing in motion. She says he’s got to stop. Part of her making things right is is taking full ownership for her actions. He had nothing to do with her choices. They’re her responsibility, and she’s going to face the consequences. It’s the only way that she can move forward. He says, for that, he appreciates her, and she says, enough to respect her wishes? She’s talking about Carly. Is he planning on telling Carly the truth about her and Sonny?

Curtis tells Portia to enjoy her class. He’s going to check on his new sound system upgrade. She tells him to wait. She ran into someone on the way over here, and he was asking questions about Curtis too.

TJ goes to Kelly’s, and asks Molly where Shawn is. She says, he had someplace to be. She thought TJ was busy all day, and he says he was planning to be, but came to his senses. Instead of spending his precious time boxing with Curtis, he could spend it with his beautiful partner. They kiss, and Marshall looks through the window. Spencer tells Josslyn, on the bright side, he’s learned how to make Kelly’s famous hot cocoa, and she says, yum, giving him an A+ for it. He gives her a check, and she asks if he can leave her tab open. She’s meeting Trina there for a study session. He asks if she wouldn’t mind studying at the Bistro. He doesn’t want Trina to see him like this. She says, she’ll take Trina someplace else for today, and today only, because he has nothing to be embarrassed about. To work is a good thing; it’s an admirable thing. When she sees Cameron doing his shifts there, it not only makes him hotter, it makes her feel prouder of him. He says, that’s a horrible pep talk, and she says, there’s always the easiest solution. He says, pray tell, enlighten him, and she says, he can get over himself, and make things right with his father. Keep the change.    

Nikolas tells Alexis that she doesn’t have to give him an answer now. Just think it over; the benefits, the consequences. Shawn comes in, and Nikolas says he’ll let them get caught up. He leaves, and Shawn asks, what happened? Did Nikolas say anything they can use against him?

Michael says he’s finished talking himself out of this, and Willow says, out of what? He gets down on one knee, and she asks what he’s doing. He says, what does it look like he’s doing? He’s asking her to marry him.

Nina walks Jax to the elevator, and says she’s not the only one who’s been rethinking her life. He needs to focus on something other than her and Carly, which means staying out of the war zone. Carly won’t hear the truth Nina has been keeping from her. Not from him. He gets in the elevator, and Nina turns around, coming face-to-face with Carly.

Sonny’s phone rings, and the operator says Sonny has a collect call from Flatlands Federal Prison inmate Cyrus Renault. Will he accept the charges?

Tomorrow, Curtis tells Portia that it would be a mistake to ignore that feeling, Spencer asks if Nikolas is at Kelly’s to gloat, Nina tells Carly that Sonny was better off in Nixon Falls, and Sonny asks Cyrus what he wants. I guess he accepts the charges.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – The Reunion – Part Three

Kathy over doing the show, and Andy wondered if they would have felt differently had they seen it. Kathy burst into tears over her mother not being there anymore, and Kyle told her it was okay to cry and hugged her. Andy asked if Kyle regretted doing the show, but she said she didn’t do anything wrong; it was a love letter to her mom. She felt bad that her sisters thought it was something it wasn’t, and if they’d just watched it they would have seen that. She’d never do anything to shame her mother. Andy asked who called who first, and Kyle said it was the kids. They’d been bummed that holidays weren’t the same, and eventually, she and Kathy realized they had to do something. Andy asked if they’d hashed out their issues; he got the sense they still hadn’t worked it out. Kathy said he was their psychiatrist. I wondered if they were desperate. Kyle said it had been poorly handled on both their parts, but it was all good now. Andy asked if the show had brought them together, and Kyle said they’d been speaking already, but Kathy had never done things like a girls trip, and it was fun seeing her do them for the first time. He asked who The Lady was, referring to someone who works for Kathy, and we found out her name is Paula. We also saw a clip of Paula serving Kyle and Kathy on TV trays. In another bombshell, Kathy said she, Rick, and the kids ate off of TV trays every night. We flashed back to when Garcelle had forgotten her sister Carol’s name (Garcelle is one of seven kids), and she said, something had happened, and they had let it fester. Andy wondered if it was Freudian, which I guess was the psychiatrist in him coming out. Kathy had been voted favorite Richards sister on Watch What Happens Live, and Andy asked if Kyle was jealous, but even Kyle isn’t that stupid. Andy asked if Kathy had gotten any advice before coming on the show, and Kathy said Kim told her, just don’t lose your temper. He asked how Kyle’s relationship with Kim was now, and Kyle said she now had Kim’s current phone number, and they were good. Andy said he was hoping to see all three of them this season, and Kyle was cagey, but it sounded like Kim will make an appearance.

We saw clips of newbie, and descendant of Confucius, Crystal. Her stint at an escort agency in college was touched on, and a vote was taken on who would wear her ugly leather pants. I think it was everyone except for Sutton, and Kathy, who said they wouldn’t look good on her. Sutton said she wore a lot of things people hated, and to each his own. Andy moved on to the coat that launched a thousand tweets, and asked if when Crystal finally saw the show, did it look like less like a violation than an awkward mistake? There is no way Crystal is every going to back down from using the word violation, so she didn’t even answer that, saying, how she was feeling was something that had compounded over two days; it wasn’t an isolated thing. We flashed back to the  color conversation, and Crystal said, it was cumulative. She wished they’d started off on the right foot. Sutton said she thought violate was a strong word – as does every other person on the face of the earth – and it inferred Sutton had done something purposely to hurt Crystal. During the season, Crystal had admitted to having an eating disorder, and Andy wondered if her body image issue was a factor in feeling violated. She agreed it was, and I began to think, maybe he should hang a shingle out. He father’s experience with racism was discussed, and she said he handled it in the classic Asian way – don’t speak about it. She started crying at the thought of her dad, and how fearful he’d been. Andy said he’d been upset to hear Crystal had getting threats and hate speech about being on the  show because she was Asian. She said she still got hundreds of messages a day like that. I’m not a huge Crystal fan, but that made me sad to think that people are still behaving like that in 2021. She said she came on the show because she thought Asians needed representation. It was an incredible opportunity to speak out for people who were too afraid, like her dad. Sutton said she was sorry for any part she played in that, but I’m sure people like that will find any reason to spread their hate. Andy said Crystal should feel great about sharing her culture, and not let a percentage of a-holes on social media define her experience, or what she put out there for others to experience. She said she was grateful to the group for being open and accepting, and she’d been excited to show her culture. Andy asked what everyone enjoyed about getting know Crystal, and Kyle said making the dumplings was the best, which was no surprise. She also loved the Chinese New Year celebration, as did I. LisaR said Crystal was like a little sister to her.

Andy said the women had been eager to dress up again. Let glam squads rejoice. Beverly Hills is back. We flashed back to Dorit saying, it had been a hundred years since they dressed up, and then we saw a billion fashion moment clips. The vintage designer collection LisaR kept in her garage was discussed, and Andy said he’d been concerned that she basically inviting thieves to help themselves. She said she’d realized that, and it was now in special storage. Since Garcelle had been a legit runway model, Andy asked who had the most fashion sense, and she said, Dorit. We found out Dorit pays full retail, because she wants to wear what she wants, and not what someone else fronted her. Andy asked Kyle what the most over-the-top gift was Mauricio had ever given her, and she said a pair of diamond earrings that he’d sent to WWHL. We saw a clip of Andy giving them to her, and they were stunning. Unfortunately, they’d been stolen, along with Kyles whole jewelry and bag stash, when they’d been burglarized.  

Kathy said she was surprised to have been voted fan favorite, since the group was dynamic, intelligent, and fierce. Which is debatable. She said it was nice to be received well. Apparently, daughters Paris and Nicky were disgusted when she’d signed on, but were okay with it now. We saw a Kathy retrospective, and Andy said, we’re all hunky dory for Kathy. He asked if it was a surprise to Kyle, but Kyle said Kathy had always been hysterical, and a practical joker, and has a laugh like their mom’s. Andy said Kathy reminded him of Kim, who was eccentric. That’s one word for it. Kathy said no one knew the real Kyle, but I’m not sure what she meant by that. She talked about living at the Waldorf Astoria for nine years. Andy asked about her connection to Hilton hotels, and she said Rick’s grandfather had founded it, but it had been sold ten years ago.

Erika said she’d love it if Andy wasn’t hard on her, but he said he was putting her on a skewer and firing up the barbecue. She said she was so ready, and we flashed back to all that. Erika said she was keeping score of who was for or against her, and Kyle said she hoped Erika knew the difficult position they were in. Erika said the thing that had hurt her the most was when Dorit and PK got together with Kyle and Mauricio, and mocked her life and family; it was hurtful. Kyle claimed Mauricio had said all along that he believed Erika, even though we just saw him say just the opposite. Erika said whatever anyone needed to ask, she was there, and Garcelle asked why Erika didn’t understand their concern over being possibly pulled in. Erika said there was nothing that legally tied anyone there to her. The tabloids were going to project, but they couldn’t be fearful. They knew the truth. Sutton said it felt like Erika had run from questions in Palm Springs, but Erika said she left because of the altercation with Garcelle. We flashed back to Garcelle letting the cat out of the bag about Tom calling Erika. Andy said the difference with Erika’s legal issue was that there had been actual victims. It wasn’t like RHONJ where Teresa and Joe had defrauded the IRS. Erika said she understood, however, they were a long way from finding out what happened. She’d loved her husband, and he was now accused of defrauding widows, orphans, and burn victims; she felt horrible. There were also boundaries as to where she could and couldn’t go, but if anyone was proven wronged, she wanted them to be remedied. Andy said the way people perceived it, it looked like Erika saw herself as a victim. Sutton agreed that’s how it was coming across, and Erika (no surprise) got pissed, saying, her life was broken. What should she have done? Andy said her sympathy didn’t seem to be landing with the group or the viewers, and Erika said she had a limited way she could express herself; everything she said was picked apart. The best thing to do in the situation was to sit and be quiet. She wasn’t surprised at viewer reaction, but she was at the women. Kyle said Erika was doing herself no favors with Instagram, and Andy said she had the attitude of consumption and indifference. Erika said she was paid to post, and had to pay the bills, but Andy said it landed differently when there were victims. LisaR said she could understand why Erika was doing it, but she was feeding the fire, and she didn’t think it was helpful. Andy asked what she’d known, and if she had any sense that an alleged theft was happening, and she snapped that she didn’t work for the Girardi law firm. There’s his answer. He asked who didn’t believe Erika, and that was no one, and LisaR added that nobody knew anything. Garcelle suggested there may have been signs that Erika didn’t want to see, and Crystal wondered where Erika’s anger was at Tom, which really riled her. She asked what Crystal wanted her to do. Before the show, she’d said she wondered who she was married to for twenty years. She was very angry. Besides, they didn’t know what she had done or what she was going to do. Andy asked what she was going to do, and she said he’d have to wait and see. We flashed back to a lawsuit against Tom that Erika had been named in some time ago, and Erika said she’d gone to him, and said, what is this? He told her it was bullsh*t, and don’t worry. Everything was resolved like that. She asked Crystal if she seemed angry enough, as she steam came out of her ears.  

Next time, the conclusion of the Erika Show Reunion, Erika says Tom called five times that day, Erika says they can’t find the police report for Tom’s accident, Erika insults Sutton again with the c-word, Erika wants to know if someone will back her TF up, and Erika wants to know why everyone in Beverly Hills is so precious.

🏚 On the godawful Winter House, Gabby (an actual model) thought she was in love with Luke because of his rugged ways. He did build a legit igloo – ice bricks and all – which was pretty impressive, but IMO, he’s bad news. Like any of these guys are good news, but that’s beside the point. He said in his interview that he was oblivious to women coming on to him, but I’m not sure if he actually is, or just pretends to be to make himself more desirable. Paige made out with Andrea in the hot tub, and was already married and living in Italy in her head, and friend Julia was already living vicariously through Paige in her head. After their hot tub make-out session, Andrea fist bumped with Craig, which was juvenile creepy. Ciara was in love with Austen and they made out, but then Lindsay showed up. Apparently, Austen and Lindsay had hooked up back in 2018, and Craig told Austen that he thought Lindsay would have left any boyfriend for him.

Amanda said Kyle was ruining the mood by working. When he wasn’t doing that, he was ruining the mood by drinking too much, and complaining about things like no winterizing in the house. In Lindsay’s interview, she said she and Austen were both single at the same time in a long time. She passed out small bottles of Fireball upon her arrival, and didn’t seem happy when Austen told her that he’d made out with Ciara, pulling her hood up, and pulling the drawstring to hide her face. Because she’s five. In her interview, she said, when Austen came to NYC, they hung out for four days straight. They were having an emotional relationship, and had FaceTimed on New Year’s Eve. Austen told Craig that he loved Lindsay, but had feelings for Ciara, and he was over the love triangle. Ciara, who was keeping her eye on all this, said Austen and Lindsay had the longest hug she’d ever seen. In her interview, she said, since Lindsay walked in, she’d literally been trying to take all of Austen’s attention.

Lindsay ended up getting so drunk, she fell on the floor, and Austen had to carry her to her bed. She told him that she was in love with him, and it wasn’t just because she was drunk. He hated that Craig was right, and in Ciara’s interview, she said Lindsay was f***ing up her sh*t. She thought she was going to have a cute vacation romance. Perfect timing… They did some winter sports, which was cool, no pun intended. I love the snow. They made snow angels, which is the thing I love doing most during the first snow of the season. Gabby thought she totally go to the Arctic with Luke. She’d never go hungry, but she’d need to learn to sew. I’m guessing the Arctic might not be quite as primitive as she thinks. Austen told Lindsay that he loved her like a sister, totally friendzoning her.

I finally noticed Carl was missing, but if I remember correctly, he had a lightbulb moment where he realized he was too old for this sh*t. Which is exactly what bothers me about this whole show, along with its summer counterpart.

Next time, Ciara and Austen go on a double-date with Kyle and Amanda, and Andrea bench presses Paige.   

💬 Dashing Off…

See you tomorrow for soap and fashion, possibly made out of soap. Until then, stay safe, stay appreciating other cultures, and stay honoring both the letter and spirit of the agreements you make.

Nov3

November 2, 2017 – One Jason Too Many, You Need a Bit of Shock Treatment & Tidbits

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What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Real Jason visits Sam’s room. She says, it’s you, and he says, yeah, it’s me.

On the docks, a very popular spot, Klein sees Valentin, who’s been ignoring his messages. He says Valentin owes him a debt, but Valentin says it’s been paid in full. Klein promises to do him a favor if Valentin gets him out of Port Charles.

Cassandra sees Finn at the MetroCourt. She tells him about being evacuated the night before, and he tells her he was at the hospital and missed the chaos at the party. She says it must be hard on him, tearing himself away from Anna.

Andre visits Anna. He’s come to say goodbye.

In Andre’s office, Franco takes the paper out of the printer. He says there are two Jasons out there with the same memories, and remembering how much they hate him. Elizabeth shows up, and asks what he’s doing there.

Real Jason asks how Sam is. She says she feels like she’s going crazy; she’s losing her mind. He tells her it’s okay, and sits by her bed, hesitantly taking her hand. He tells her again that it’s him. Sam says it doesn’t make any sense, and he says not for him either. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen, but wanted her to know she’s not crazy. He’s here, and he’s Jason. Danny comes bouncing in, and asks who he is.

Real Jason asks if he’s Danny, and tells him he’s his mom’s friend, and a friend of the uncle Danny was named after. Danny wonders why they’ve never met, and he says he’s been away since Danny was a baby. Danny asks why Sam is crying, and she tells him that she’s happy to see him. He shows her a card he made. Real Jason helps him up on the bed, and Other Jason is suddenly in the doorway. He tells Real Jason to let go of his son.

Valentin can’t believe how Klein screwed everything up, but Klein says it wasn’t his call. Valentin says his wife was at the party, and Klein says he had no idea what was going to happen. Valentin tells him their was a siege, and he couldn’t even get his wife home without running into one of Klein’s goons. He was shot and on the docks, throwing Klein’s name around, and Valentin wanted no part of it. Klein says he was fulfilling an obligation to a client, but never knew the price would be so steep. Hasn’t Valentin ever wished he could change the past? Valentin flashes back to Cassandra showing him the picture. I get a good look at it this time. It’s Claudette holding a newspaper toward the camera. Klein says Valentin is his only option. Valentin says he understands more than Klein knows.

Andre tells Anna that he’s leaving Port Charles today. She asks if there’s an explanation, and he says he came to town suddenly, so it makes sense to leave the same way. No, it doesn’t. She asks about his patients, and he says they’ll be in good hands. She says capable hands, but not his. He helped her when she thought she’d killed Carrrlos, and was having panic attacks. He tells her that he was happy to remind her of her inner strength. Anna tells him that he gave her back her life. She was lost in grief, and he showed her the way out. Andre says it’s nice to have a satisfied customer. He tells her no matter what she hears about him, he tried to help people. She asks what happened.

Franco tells Elizabeth to go back to her room, but she says she’s cleared. She wants to see the boys and sleep in her own bed. She tells Franco that she has a few days off, so while the boys are at school, they’ll have the house to themselves. He likes the sound of that, and asks how she knew he was there. She says she wasn’t looking for him, but thought she’d make an appointment for Jake while she was walking around. She saw him looking at the painting and knows why he’s there

Other Jason tells Real Jason to get out. Danny asks if he did something wrong, and Other Jason says Real Jason shouldn’t be there. Danny doesn’t understand, since he’s mommy’s friend. Other Jason asks if that’s what Real Jason told him. Carly shows up, and says they all had the same idea. She asks Sam how she is. Sam says she’s doing great, and shows her the card Danny made. Carly tells Danny there are some new, cool games in the playroom, and she’ll take him there. Other Jason acts like a cretin, saying he doesn’t know what’s going on and couldn’t care less, but he wants Real Jason out. He says Real Jason will be lucky if he doesn’t have him arrested. Real Jason says he doesn’t know what happened any more than Other Jason does, but he knows he’s Jason.

Cassandra tells Finn she’s more convinced than ever that he’ll put her on the road to health. She asks about the test findings, but Finn wants to discuss it in the proper setting at her appointment later. She says she’ll bow to his professional etiquette. Assuming the results aren’t dire, she’s inviting Finn and Anna to dinner tonight. Finn says there’s something she should know about his relationship.

Andre tells Anna that in both their professions, they see people at their best and worst. She says sometimes their work overlapped, and she’s grateful to have used his ability as a profiler. He says his ability to determine a person’s character. She says he turned his back on a WSB job to work at GH (apparently, I missed that conversation), and asks if he doesn’t want to settle anymore. He says he’s not going back to the spy game, but GH wasn’t settling. He loved his time there, helping all sorts of people, and will miss it. Anna says something is wrong, and asks him to tell her about it; she’s his friend and won’t judge. He thanks her. She proved he could trust her when they danced disco together. Anna says there’s no distrust on the dance floor. Andre gives her a mini disco ball to remember him at his best.

Franco tells Elizabeth he can explain. She says he never meant to sell the painting that Andre bought, and thinks he wants it back. He says it means a lot to him. She asks were Andre is, and Franco says he received life-changing news and split. He hasn’t just left the hospital, but left Port Charles altogether. He says he should be offended that Andre didn’t take the painting. Elizabeth is upset because Jake was having sessions with him, and they haven’t reconciled him seeing the man with Jason’s old face in the park. Franco puts his shirt tail over the paper sticking out of his back pocket. He’ll be happier when he gets her home, and says he’ll come back for the painting.

Other Jason tells Real Jason to let whoever set this up know it’s not going to work. Real Jason says he doesn’t know where he’s been for the last five years, but Other Jason doesn’t need to hear his lies, and says Sam doesn’t either. Real Jason says he needs to know one thing, but Other Jason says no, he doesn’t. Real Jason tells Sam that Danny looks like Jake. Sam says that Heather lied, and so did Franco. Danny is her son with Jason. Other Jason tells him to leave. He says Real Jason is a threat to his family, and he’s going to stop him. Carly returns, and says she got here just in time. Other Jason says this man refuses to leave, and to call security before things escalate. Carly says she can’t do that. She’s the one who told him that he needed to see Sam.

Anna asks Andre. please don’t leave; a good dance partner is hard to find. He wishes there was another way. A choice he made before coming there caught up with him. She asks if it’s about the WSB. He says it started out like all the devil’s work, with good intentions. He never told her, but he’d set out to conquer humanity’s great fear – the loss of one’s identify by loss of memory. He touches his briefcase, saying it’s his life’s work, so many pieces of paper. He’d hoped it would be his legacy, but it’s his curse. Anna says she’ll help, and he says he wants to tell her. She suggests making some tea, saying the ritual of pouring and drinking tea helps you focus. He says it sounds good, and I say, don’t leave him there alone! He looks at the disco ball.

Cassandra asks Finn if there’s anything wrong. She wouldn’t be surprised if there were problems. Her first impression was that Anna isn’t right for him. He’s so dedicated; practically married to his work. Anna is lovely, but she doesn’t get the sense Anna understands and appreciates his work. Finn says it was Anna who encouraged taking her on as a patient. She stands corrected. He tells her that Anna makes her own schedule, and it’s a bad idea for him to speak for her. He’ll see if she’s available, and let Cassandra know when he sees her at her appointment. When he’s gone, she asks herself what that was about.

Klein says there’s no need to involve Valentin’s family. He just needs safe passage out of Port Charles and a new identity. Valentin knows people who can make that happen, and he’ll help Valentin in the future like he has in the past. Valentin gets on the phone, saying he has a friend who needs the help they can provide. He’ll be waiting at Dock 55.

Carly says Real Jason and Sam need to talk, but Other Jason says Real Jason has nothing to say to his wife. Epiphany arrives, and when she sees Real Jason, says, I’ll be damned. He says hello, and she asks if he’s the cause of the disturbance. He tells her, pretty much, and she says he needs to go. The patient need to rest. Real Jason and Carly leave, and Epiphany tells Other Jason he has to go too. Sam was prescribed rest, and she’s going to rest. Other Jason tells Sam he’ll be right outside. Epiphany says it looks like Sam’s had a shock, and asks if she wants a sedative. Sam says she just needs time to think, and Epiphany says, I’ll bet.

Carly babbles at Real Jason about how it’s all her fault. She badgered him, and shouldn’t have told him to come, but it was important that he did. He tells her that he’s glad she made him do this. He got to see Sam and Danny, and found out Danny is his son. She says Danny looks just like him, and acts just like him. He’s a terror running around the Quartermaine mansion, driving everyone nuts. Real Jason sees Franco talking with Elizabeth. He strides over, and punches Franco out. Carly is like, uh-oh.

Epiphany calls security. Carly tells Real Jason it’s not worth it, and he asks why Franco is still alive.

Anna finds Andre gone, as I predicted. She grabs her phone and runs out.

Epiphany tells Real Jason he can’t be attacking anyone. She’s disappointed; he used to used to have better sense. Real Jason keeps going after Franco, even after security grabs him. Carly says it’s not his fault, but they take him away.

Klein tells Valentin that once he’s relocated, he’ll wire more than enough; name his price. Valentin says you can’t put a price on payback, and suddenly we see flashing lights. Klein says he heard Valentin on the phone, and Valentin says so did the PCPD. He asks if Klein thinks he would help after Klein almost got his wife killed. He tells the cops this is the man they’re looking for, and Klein calls him a treacherous bastard. He says what goes around, comes around, and someone will sell Valentin out the same way. Probably, but I don’t think this will be why.

Other Jason sees Carly and says, that’s it? She believes Real Jason? Carly knows it’s hard, and he says it’s impossible. He wouldn’t have known who he was if she hadn’t proved it. Now all that’s out the window? If that guy is Jason, what doesn’t that make him? She wishes she knew.

Elizabeth doesn’t understand. Carly called the guy Jason, and he looks like Jason used to look. She flashes back to everything Franco has told her about Jason having and not having a twin, ending with Monica saying the only way it’s possible, is if there are two Jasons. She says, omg, he’s alive, and Franco knew.

Valentin orders a drink at the bar. Cassandra says it’s early for happy hour, but then again, he doesn’t look very happy. He says he just severed a significant tie with his past, and would rather drink alone. She says not their past; they’re still bound together. He says she doesn’t need him, and she says she doesn’t need anyone, but wants him. No one else is able to meet her exacting standards. She tells him that he’s free to walk away, but there is the small issue of the woman who carried his baby, and it’s time to consider the next step. She has an appointment with Finn, and hopes he has an insight into her health issues. She bemoans that all the good ones are taken. Valentin says he isn’t positive, but he thinks Finn’s girlfriend dumped him.

Anna runs into GH, and tells Finn that Andre is leaving Port Charles. His office is empty, and she asks if Finn knows anything. Finn says Andre goes his own way, and asks if they’re friends. Anna says they were almost more than that, and Finn says he’ll be in good company with the rest of her exes. She says technically, Finn is one of them, but he says not yet. Cassandra invited them to dinner, and he hasn’t told her. Anna asks why not?

At the station, Carly babbles some more to Real Jason, who wonders why Franco isn’t in jail. Real Jason tells her to call Diane, and she says Diane can explain, since Franco is free because of her. He had a brain tumor, making him not accountable for his crimes, and the charges were dropped. Franco had thought Jason was his brother, but Heather lied; they’re not related. She asks Real Jason not to hate her, but she almost married Franco. He asks why, and she says that she thought he was Jason’s twin, and was desperate to hold on to him. She married Sonny instead. Real Jason is like, wtf? and she says she was a real mess. She needed him so much; she was a rolling disaster. He says he gets it, and he’s sorry she had to go through all that. Carly says everything is okay; he’s back. Klein is brought in.

Andre is at the docks. He takes his life’s work out of the briefcase, and puts it in a trash can. He sets it on fire. Nice going, Andre. Now you’ll never be able to reverse anything. You could have given that to Franco too. He watches it burn. Idiot.

Finn tells Anna that she has unfinished business with Cassandra, and he doesn’t want to screw it up. Anna thanks him, but says it wouldn’t be the end of the world, or the operation; couples break up all the time. He says unexpectedly too, and she’s like, oops, sorry. He tells her that he’s giving the test results to Cassandra, and she can finish the job. Finn tells Anna to be careful of Valentin. She says she can take care of herself, and he says he never doubted it.

Valentin tells Cassandra that he doesn’t know Finn, but he’s pretty sure his fiancé walked out on him. She says she didn’t know it had progressed that far with Anna. Valentin says, who? and Cassandra says, Anna Devane. She asks if he knows her.

Franco tells Elizabeth that he doesn’t know anything. She says Monica claimed to have seen Jason at the MetroCourt, and Jake saw him in the park. Franco knew there was more to the story, and knew Betsy was lying. There was a twin. Franco says yes.

Other Jason returns to Sam’s room, and Epiphany says she needs to rest. Anything else can wait. She leaves, and Other Jason tells Sam that he doesn’t know what’s going on, but everything is going to be okay. She knows who he is. She opens her eyes, but doesn’t look at him.

Real Jason tells Carly to tell Diane not to work too hard to get him out; not yet. He says Sam’s husband is right about one thing. This is a set up. Somebody did this to the both of them, and he has to find out who.

Tomorrow, Griff won’t take no for an answer, Franco tells Elizabeth everything, Curtis has Other Jason’s back, and Real Jason and Klein meet in jail.

💍 Still working on my 90 Day Fiancé diatribe thesis.

👯 Not a Sequel, an Equal

Once in a while, I recommend a film, and this is one of those times. Released in 1981, Richard O’Brien‘s Shock Treatment was billed as a sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, no doubt contributing to its downfall. Due to Tim Curry not wanting to reprise his Frank-N-Furter role, among other obstacles, the script was revised until the only remaining ties were the main characters of Brad (Cliff De Young) and Janet (Jessica Harper), who are now married and living in Denton. There’s where all links to its predecessor end.

In a nutshell, Denton is a place much like Stepford, where everyone gets along, there’s “tolerance for the ethnic races,” and just about everything is a reality show. Any comparison to our world today is merely a coincidence. Brad and Janet, who is disappointed with her marriage, become contestants on a show called “Marriage Maze.” Brad sucks at the game, and ends up in “Dentonvale,” which is a hospital, insane asylum, and yet another reality show, while a little black dress is whipped up for Janet, and she’s groomed to be the next big star.

The brains behind the entire operation is TV executive, Farley Flavors (also Cliff De Young), who turns out to be Brad’s twin. They were separated at birth, and Farley grew up poor. Now that he’s wealthy and powerful, he’s on a mission to ruin Brad’s life, and seduce Janet. On national TV of course. His plan is foiled when Janet snaps out of her ego trip, reveals that she never signed any contracts, and Brad gets sprung.

While the characters are different, some of the RHPS actors returned – Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, and Charles Gray. Two favorites of mine are also in the cast – Rik Mayall (BBC TV’s The Young Ones and Drop Dead Fred) and Barry Humphries (Dame Edna Everage). The music is an absolute treat, and Jessica Harper has a voice like honey. She also starred in Phantom of the Paradise (another film I highly recommend), and I could listen to her sing all day long. Funny story about Barry Humphries. Just after the earth cooled, and before Tickmaster was omnipotent, I worked for a place that took ticket orders for shows in NYC. We frequently got freebies, he was doing a Dame Edna show, and a bunch of us went. One of the girls was late, and naturally, her seat was right in front of the stage. Dame Edna stopped the show, had a spotlight follow her to her seat and stay there a while, and kept referring to her throughout the entire production, calling her “Lobes.” It had something to do with her earrings, maybe because they looked heavy. It was seriously a long time ago. I can still see her walking to her seat though. I’ll bet she remembers too.

The film also has an interesting development history, the script constantly evolving because of continuous wrenches being thrown in the works. Originally slated to be filmed in Denton, Texas, when an Screen Actor’s Guild strike happened, everything had to be rerouted to a studio in England. This also caused the story to now take place entirely in the DTV (Denton Television) studio. They were nothing if not resourceful.

Although not well-received at the time, I’ve always loved this film. Maybe even more than RHPS in some ways, and more so as time has gone on and I’ve watched as my world becomes more and more like Denton. Besides the suggestion that it was a sequel, there were also “floor show” screenings and audience participation, which I think worked against it. Having been one of the RHPS “pioneers” (a title bestowed on me in Sal Piro’s Creatures of the Night), take it from me, it can’t be forced. Go ahead and give it a look. A bit of Shock Treatment will get you jumpin’ like a real live wire.

👵 My mother used to say that there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet. She’s now in a maximum security twilight home in Australia. – Barry Humphries/Dame Edna

😄 Never be afraid to laugh at yourself. After all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century. – Barry Humphries/Dame Edna

🌞 The sun never sets on those who ride into it. – Narrator, Shock Treatment

😎 I Will Forever Be Brad…

 

 

 

Sep27

Extra! Extra! I Started the Rocky Horror Show Cult

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While these aren’t exactly random, rambling thoughts on what I watched today, in honor of the 40th anniversary, HBO is having a midnight showing. Not quite the same as seeing it in the theatre, but an homage all the same.

Gather around, children, and you shall hear of the midnight show called Rocky Horror. I’ve often thought that I should write about it, and the time is now. Since I was just totally ignored by the new generation.

It was my first week in NYC. I was young, headed to acting school and the world was my oyster. A friend of mine had come along on the moving trip to get in a little R&R. My family was staying a couple of days and he was staying two weeks, but I was there permanently.  We were hanging out at a gay bar called The Ninth Circle in Greenwich Village, getting our drink on and meeting people. One of the people hanging out with us was the manager at the New Yorker movie theatre uptown. The Rocky Horror Picture Show had recently started its midnight run. He asked if we would like to go, tickets on him. I didn’t know much about it, but knew it was a musical, as I had seen the soundtrack for the L.A. production.

“Is it a horror film?” I asked.

“That depends on what you’re scared of,” he answered.

I was definitely intrigued and game for anything, so he told us to pick up the tickets at the box office that Friday night. He also handed us a joint. Smoke a joint? In a movie theatre? I wasn’t exactly naïve, but I had never heard of such a thing. Apparently, I wasn’t in Kansas Ohio anymore.

There weren’t too many people there, and my friend was pretty exhausted. He promptly fell asleep, leaving me to my own deductions, and an entire joint. At first, I didn’t know what to make of it, and it wasn’t because of the pot. When I saw Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) dancing backward in a graveyard, I thought, Is this a joke? But by the end of the film, I thought if it was a joke, it was a well-written one.

A few weeks went by, my friend went back to Ohio, and I was already meeting loads of new people. The RHPS had stuck in my mind though, and I really wanted to see it again. I got together a few new friends, and we decided we would go to the Waverly in Greenwich Village, rather than schlep all the way uptown.

It was a totally different atmosphere there, crowded, the crowd brimming with excitement. We staked our claim on some balcony seats. At the time, there were no fans dressing up or yelling things, but there were a lot of joints being passed.

Rocky Horror had a highly addictive property, and it wasn’t the weed. It was a well-crafted film, to be sure. (Although, don’t shoot me, I actually think Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment is better and more relevant in a lot of ways.) The music is excellent, no stone left unturned in detail, and it couldn’t have been cast any better. But there was more to it than that. In 1976, the idea of “don’t dream it, be it” had found its perfect home in New York City. It was the right time at the right place.

At the time, I had also found the perfect home. While NYC will always be one of the greatest cities in the world, in the late 70s and early 80s, it was still affordable, and I’d landed there like Columbus discovering the New World. I was attending morning classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (less impressive than it sounds) and living in the Webster Apartments, a women’s residence on West 34th Street. It was a cross between a dormitory and a Tennessee Williams play. Rooms with sinks, shared bathrooms on each floor, two meals a day included, and no men above the first floor (unless you were my dad, who insisted on inspecting it when I first arrived). If a guy showed up, you received a phone call from the front desk telling you that you had a “gentleman caller” and there were rooms on the first floor called “beau parlors” where you could receive your male company. You could also have a guy over for dinner, but he had to wear a jacket between October and May. If he didn’t have one, it could be provided for him at the desk, and that orange jacket got a lot of play from my friends. If you missed a meal, you could get a voucher for a friend, and broke friends need to eat. The meals were surprisingly good, cafeteria style, and there was often a sundae bar. Women weren’t excluded from the dress code either. While you were free to wear what you liked during the week, there were rules for the early Sunday dinner and you had to wear either a skirt or a pants suit. My grandmother had given me a polyester pants suit that I’m sure she thought was very chic (it wasn’t) and I can’t count the times I rolled out of bed on Sunday and into that suit and downstairs for the meal. It wasn’t always the most convenient place to live, but it was great for starting out and a good place to meet other women. I met my eventual roommate, Anna, there, who also became my cohort in Rocky Horror crime.

We started going downtown to the Waverly every Friday and Saturday. The line was long, the excitement was high (no pun intended), and I’m sure every merchant on West 4th Street hated us. Since the movie had originally bombed and been shelved, there was no soundtrack for the film, but the soundtrack for the LA Roxy cast was still available, so I immediately got a copy. We would often act out the musical numbers in our rooms after coming home. It wasn’t long before our private shows translated into audience participation.

The first person to dress up has never been mentioned in any of the books. I don’t know his name; otherwise, I’d totally give him props. One night, when it got to the part where Frankie asks if Janet heard “a bell ring,” someone in the balcony rang a bell, causing us all to convulse into laughter. I noticed the guy was dressed up like Eddie, the motorcyclist jazz musician played by Meat Loaf in the film. Afterwards, I sought him out and complimented him on his costume, which included the LOVE/HATE tattoos on Eddie’s knuckles. I asked him if they were real. “I’m a psychiatrist,” he told me. “If they were, my patients might get a little disconcerted.” Good point.

RHPS was a little like therapy, a way to let off some steam, without waking up with a hangover. At least I didn’t. I don’t know what other people were doing. Ironically, it was both therapeutic and addictive; both the rehab and the habit. We had made our home in the balcony, and made friends we saw week after week. The party started in the line that stretched down the block, where we waited to get in. We were always early, getting ready by nine and out by ten.

Louis, who sat in our row, was the first one to shout back at the screen. As Janet holds a newspaper over her head in the pouring rain, he yelled out, “Buy an umbrella, you cheap bitch!” A line that lives on to this day.

I went home for Christmas break, and it wasn’t long after my return that I got my first apartment, on West 27th Street, not far from where I was already. We walked most of my stuff over. I had a roommate for a while, a woman I had met at Webster, but it didn’t last very long. She had trouble adjusting to the city and decided to move back home. By then, I had my first job at Chargit. They took ticket orders for Broadway shows before Ticketmaster was the place to go. I’m sure it got absorbed by them at some point. Anna moved in with me, making it easier for us to be Rocky Horror fangirls together.

Our place was even decorated in early Rocky Horror. We purchased everything we could get our hands on. There wasn’t much merchandising , and certainly nothing like there is now. The only T-shirt you could get was one being sold at the record store near the Waverly.  It was black with the dripping words The Rocky Horror Show, sans Picture because it was from a stage play. My guess is that the store bought out someone’s stock and made a nice buck.  There were a couple of tchotchkes that had come with the Roxy soundtrack, but the Mecca of Rocky Horror movie stills, lobby cards and posters was Jerry Ohlinger’s Movie Material Store. We bought practically everything they had.

We also knew a couple who lived out in Queens, but attended the midnight show at the Waverly. He was a photographer and often took stills of the screen during the movie that he made into 8 x 10s.  I still have those stills (ha-ha). The best part was that no one else had those same pictures. When fans started selling buttons and T-shirts, we got those too.

People were starting to dress up, and found glitter platforms, fishnet gloves and stockings, and feather boas at the hooker stores in Times Square. NYC has everything, so costumes were not that difficult to put together. While Anna and I always dressed fabulously, we didn’t wear costumes and Rocky makeup as a general rule. Speaking of which, it’s so much easier today to find black lipstick and eye shadow. Back then, it was nearly impossible. We found it, but it took some work. We did do the full Rocky regalia one night when we were having an after party. I wasn’t about to wear a garter belt and fishnets on the subway, but I had this incredible 1940s black velvet coat with a beaver fur collar that I’d gotten for ten bucks at Trash & Vaudville on St. Mark’s Place and I wore it over my outfit.

Our apartment wasn’t big – a railroad flat, two rooms and a bathroom – but mostly college and acting students lived there, so no one cared about the late night noise, guests spilling out into the hall, or the funny smelling cigarettes some people were smoking. At one point, there was a banging on the door with the shout, “Open up! Police!” but it was only our upstairs neighbor, Jeff, wanting in on the fun. Later on, he became known as “Naked Jeff.”

After a night of such fine partying that someone drank the bong water (no, it was neither one of us), we had the brilliant idea to watch the sun rise from the apartment rooftop. What we forgot to think about was the height of our building, which was considerably shorter than those surrounding it. No sun rise for us, but we still enjoyed ourselves, chatting, smoking and wandering around. Until Jeff scared us half to death. All of a sudden, his head was peeking over the edge of the roof, which none of us had expected. He actually had every right to scare us, since we’d woke him up. As he came up the fire escape, we realized he wasn’t wearing anything. He wasn’t about to put on any clothes either, but at least he wasn’t mad, and hung out (literally) with us for a while as we watched the sun not rise.

Oh yeah, how it started. The first row of the balcony put you more on the level of the screen, and without seeing other audience members, gave you a certain intimacy with the film. One night, after Frankie sings I’m Going Home, several of us spontaneously stood up and applauded, along with the audience in the movie. It felt like we were in the movie. And that’s how the thought started. How fun it would be, I told Anna, if we tossed confetti during the Frankie/Rocky wedding scene, at the same time they do it on screen. It will fall on the audience below us and they’ll really feel like they’re a part of the movie. I was going back to Ohio for vacation and I’d also wanted to do something special, since I wouldn’t be at the Waverly for a while.

The audience was thrilled and, although it wasn’t the intention, the confetti throwing took off. Anna calls it a “private joke gone public,” and I tend to agree. When I got a letter (yes! we actually put pen to paper and wrote letters back then!) from my sister, who lived near a midnight showing in Cleveland Heights, telling me they were throwing confetti in the theatre there, I was astonished. Imagine my surprise that this even exists 40 years later, all over the world.

The confetti birthed holding newspapers over our heads when Janet did. The paper they hold in the film is the Plain Dealer and I was able to get copies from my father, and I gave them out. I recently sold the last one on eBay for $19.76, in honor of the first year I saw RHPS. Although several people tried it (not me!), it was a no-no to be holding candles so close to newspapers in a movie theatre (that pesky fire code), so that gave way to flashlights. Costumes started coming out, and a mini floor show. Lines were consistently being thrown back at the dialogue on screen. Some stuck and some didn’t. Luckily I got out of there before throwing toast and hotdogs started happening.

One night, after discussing how ridiculous it was that this was our entire social life, Anna and I decided to see another film. Had it been better – I believe it was The Excorcist 2; the title says it all – maybe we wouldn’t have still ended up at RHPS, but we did. By this time, we were getting in for free, although I have a ribbon with hundreds of ticket stubs attached to it. The film was already in progress, and as we approached the balcony stairs, there was a literal wall of smoke. We sat on the steps (breaking another fire code, I’m sure), spending another Saturday night the way we always did.

Probably about a year in, the floor show started to gain more prominence. The film itself started to gain more prominence. It had also lost a certain amount of spontaneity. It became kind of how socialism is good in theory, but someone always wants more and turns it into communism. A few people wanted to take charge of something that had taken flight from a genuine want to make the audience equal with the film. Individuality — don’t dream it, be it – was what the movie was all about for me, and it was time to move along.

Anna and I did attend one of the anniversaries, where our picture was also taken for Sal Piro’s book, Creatures of the Night. A great read – I highly recommend it, as well as his sequel.  Although our perspectives differ somewhat, it’s a wonderful depiction of the phenomenon that RHPS became. He certainly doesn’t mention weed – and for all I know, he was squeaky clean back then; we didn’t really hang out together – and that was a big part of it. Hey, it was a big part of the 70s.

I’ve had a bootleg copy since the first one was made, but there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen with those who are like-minded. Before I moved away from the city, Sal called and asked me to come to an anniversary event (the 20th?). Since my husband was a “virgin,” I thought it would be fun. And it was, but in some ways, it had already become homogenized. Little bags of props were being sold, along with rice for the wedding in the beginning. The audience also seemed to have a comeback for every line in the film. To me, this lessened the experience of the movie itself. If everyone was just waiting for their cue, how could they be comprehending what was on screen?

I can assure you, I’ve never once introduced myself like I need a 12-step program. Hello. I’m Theresa and I started the Rocky Horror Show cult. Although it has bumped into me along the way. Like the night at karaoke when it came up in conversation. This led to someone thinking I was making it up. Now there was a surprise. Who in their right mind would make something like that up? If I was going to choose my 15 minutes, it wouldn’t have been that. But to save my reputation, I brought  Sal’s book with me the next time I was there. Even after all these years, it’s obvious that’s me. The even weirder thing was, someone mentioned it to the KJ who was working the sound. It turned out he was there at the Waverly back in the day. Talk about a small world.

I was almost at the 40th anniversary in Manhattan this weekend, but decided to write this instead and save my money for Halloween. Seeing it was sold out, I shot an email to the person in charge, asking for them to take pity on a RHPS “pioneer” (Sal’s term), and writing a little anecdote, along with a copy of the picture from the book. I could have heard an internet pin drop. They replied, but what they said was it was sold out, but I could get tickets for the midnight show at the Ziegfeld and sent me a link to the movie theatre. Ouch! Not even a nice-to-meet-you.

I got a follow up email, telling me someone was looking to sell their weekend pass, but I decided to take a pass, telling them thanks, but no thanks.

And with that, I officially retire my corset.