What I Watched Today

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

 

 

General Hospital

Ava and Griff kiss. She tells him that she needs him, and takes off his shirt. Then we all wake up.

Griff asks Kiki if Anna has checked in for her phlebotomy. Kiki doesn’t know, but says her mom is late for therapy. He tells her about going to the concert with Ava, and she says whatever he’s doing, keep it up.

Anna and Emma are at Kelly’s, but Emma isn’t very hungry. Anna asks if something is bothering her. Emma needs to figure out how to return the heart back to Spencer. It wouldn’t be right to keep it, since she’s going out with Leif. (Going out? Isn’t she like, twelve?) She wonders why relationships are so complicated. Anna wants to check something before she returns it, and Emma asks if she thinks there’s something suspicious about the diamond.

Nina and Valentin meet at the MetroCourt. He shows her pictures of the new rescue horses. He tells her that she should come visit. He’d love to see her there, and back at home.

Franco and Elizabeth go to his studio. He says there are bad memories there, but she suggests they make new ones. They kiss, but he thinks she should go, and they can pick up where they left off at home. She asks if he’s trying to get rid of her.

Anna says suspicious is a strong word. She just wants to ascertain what it is. Emma doesn’t think it’s a real diamond; she doesn’t think Spencer would give away something like that. Anna says she doesn’t think so either, but if it is, she wonders how he got it. Like this would be hard, considering the level of wealth they had at Wyndemere. Nikolas could have had diamonds lying around all over the place. Emma asks if Spencer could be involved in espionage.

Valentin asks what herculean feats he has to do to get Nina’s trust back. She says Hercules was a god, and she doesn’t hold him to that standard, but she isn’t convinced he can attain the standards she does have. He says he’ll find a way.

Franco tells Elizabeth that if he had his way, they’d be home and making up for lost time. He says it’s going to be a mess while he works. She says that she doesn’t mind one, since she has three boys. He says he works better alone, and the faster it’s done, the faster he’s home. She says she’ll see him later then. When she’s gone, he starts spray painting a canvas. There’s a song part, but it’s not a romantic ballad; it’s more punk, and actually pretty good.

Kiki asks Ava why she canceled her appointment. She tells Kiki that she felt feverish (ha-ha), and thought she should stay home. Kiki wants her to see a doctor; it could be serious, since her immune system is compromised. Ava says that she’ll see Finn later, but Kiki says he’s away. She offers to ask Griff to fill in, but Ava doesn’t want that.

Franco slashes the canvas with a box cutter. He realizes he’s cut himself, and drips blood on it. Now there’s a true artist.

Anna tells Emma never discuss espionage in public. She says diamonds of this size are precious, and have a complicated history. Emma says that she has to give it back, and Anna tells her that she will, if it’s rightfully his. Emma wonders if Spencer stole it, but Anna says although he’s precocious to a fault, he’s not a thief. Anna takes the diamond out, and gives Emma the heart. Wow, that came out easily. How Emma hasn’t lost it, since she’s been carting it around, I’ll never know.

Nina has a list for Valentin and he wants to tick things off. First is Anna and her obsession. Nina says that his promises evaporated whenever Anna came around. Valentin says it’s over. He was a prisoner of his past, but priorities have changed. Next is to make peace with Spencer. Valentin says he tried, and got the olive branch thrown back at him. Nina asks about the wrongful death suit, and Valentin says that his lawyers are working on having it thrown out of court. The last thing he wants is a trial, and although Spencer doesn’t know it, it’s the last thing he wants too. Nina asks why, and he tells her that abandonment by Nikolas would be brought up. He’s faked his death before, and they never found a body. Nina says it’s an interesting take, but she’s not sure if it’s true. Valentin tells her the truth doesn’t matter in court; it’s which lawyers have the better argument, but he doesn’t think Spencer understands that. She tells him to put that one in brackets, and moves on to Charlotte’s custody.

Ava tells Kiki that she doesn’t want to bother Griff; he’s not her doctor. Kiki doesn’t think he’d mind, and  says that he told her how much fun he had at the concert. Ava tells her about the bee sting and how she used the lavender treatment on him. Kiki says funny, she’ll treat a doctor, but not let him treat her. Kiki won’t let up, so Ava says she’ll go, but there’s no need to trouble Griff.

Elizabeth apologizes for being late to work. Griff says he covered for her. He takes it that things are going well at home. Elizabeth isn’t happy about Hayden disappearing, but having Franco back helps. He tells her about the bee sting, and Anna comes in. Griff goes to check on the preparation for her procedure, and Anna asks to talk to Elizabeth. She takes out the diamond.

Franco acts like a ringmaster introducing an act. He opens a box of paintings, and starts trashing them. It’s not like they’re great paintings though. More like amateur graffiti.

Kiki brings Ava to the hospital. She tries to escape, but Kiki won’t let her. A doctor takes Ava to an examining room. Griff asks Kiki if she’s okay. Kiki tells him that Ava had a fever, and she convinced her to come in. She tells Griff that she just got a cryptic text message, and asks if he can look after Ava if she’s not there when Ava is finished. He says he will.

Anna tells Elizabeth about the diamond, wondering how Spencer got his hands on it. Elizabeth thinks she should talk to Laura, but Anna says she lived at Wyndemere too. She wonders if it could be one of Hayden’s diamonds, and Elizabeth says Nikolas did spill them once. Maybe he didn’t find them all.

Valentin says that Lulu has been less than cooperative, but Nina says her attitude is understandable, given she was separated from her child for so long and Charlotte doesn’t need her parents at each other’s throats. Valentin says he has to admit that Lulu is good for Charlotte, and is willing to entertain shared custody. Nina sarcastically says he sounds so sincere, but she thinks he’s using it to manipulate her. He says he doesn’t like giving up what’s his, and fights for what he loves. She can see him as manipulative or as a man who loves her.

Franco talks about himself in the third person, saying that providing the work is dark and depraved, he can achieve unique commercial success, making him rich and famous. For a moment, he confuses himself as a genius, when he’s nothing but a garden variety psycho. He slashes at the paintings. Kiki comes in, and tells him stop.

He says he’s getting rid of an eyesore that comes from a deep dark soul. He’s no longer that man, and doesn’t want to be reminded of who he was. He got them back so he could erase that part of him forever. He says he doesn’t want Elizabeth to see them. Kiki says he must be moving in with her, and that’s what the text was about that she’s on her own with the apartment. She says that she’s happy for him; he deserves it. She tells him Picasso had his blue period, and he had a dark blue period, but it’s still art. She says she read an article about his retirement being premature, and says some artists would kill to paint like that. He tells her that’s a poor choice of words. She says that she understands it represents a part of his life that he’s not proud of, but his art still has a place in world, although maybe not with him. She thinks she knows where to send them. Franco suggests a landfill, but she says no, her mom.

Griff sees Ava coming out, and the doctor says it’s nothing to worry about, just a mild case of influenza. Griff says that he’ll see she get to bed (omg, all the double entendres today with these two), and Ava says she can handle it herself. He tells her that he’ll get her home and into bed, and she tells him to stop saying that, and I laugh. She says Kiki will do it, and Griff tells her that Kiki had to leave.

Elizabeth tells Anna to take it easy before she goes into full-scale investigation mode. Anna wonders how Spencer got his hands on the diamond.

Valentin promises Nina that he’ll never to turn to Anna again; he’ll make a contract. He’ll never be around Anna again, but he’ll be polite in public. He promises that Charlotte will always come first, ahead of his work and ambition. He accepts Nina as his equal in every way, an individual with a life and a career and dreams. Nina says that’s everyone’s fantasy, and he tells her to put the ring back on and come home. He’ll spend the rest of his life making sure she doesn’t regret it. She asks if she does, can he promise he won’t do anything to disrupt it or take him away from her? Valentin can’t make that promise, and Nina looks at him like, what?

Kiki tells Franco that his catalog of work is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Elizabeth and the boys could use the money, and if Elizabeth doesn’t want it, he can give it to her for the rent he’s sticking her with or med school. He can turn something bad into something good, and even put it in a trust for the boys, and it would be good for him too. She says destroying them doesn’t change the past. If he gives them back to art, the world might redeem them. He makes people step out of their comfort zone, which is a lot to achieve. She tells him to put them out in the world, and let people react the way they want. She reminds him that he told her an artist doesn’t own his work; he puts it out in the world where it’s transformed in its own way, and it gives back to the world. Or something like that. She asks if that was bull, or did he mean it? Before she leaves, she tells him welcome back and says that she missed him.

Ava keeps punching the elevator button, and says this is what she gets for coming outside. The next time Griff gets the bright idea to pity someone, find someone else. Griff says that he’s her friend. She tells him that she’ll wait outside for Kiki, and to find some other soul to save. After she finally gets in the elevator, Elizabeth asks what that was about. Griff says he wishes he knew.

Valentin says that Nina asked for the truth. He can give her his life and love, and share his heart and daughter with her, but he can’t promise what she’s asking. He’s already done things that can’t be undone, and they come with certain associations. He acknowledges that the criminal circumstances in his life might be complicated. Nina wonders what will happen if he pulls the rug out from under her again. He admits to screwing up, but never stopped loving her. He spent his life chasing money instead of happiness, because he didn’t know what happiness was. Then he had Charlotte, and met Nina, and now he knows.  He wants her in his life for the rest of his life, but he’s not making false promises. He’s done bad things and can’t promise that he won’t again, but he can promise he won’t do bad things to her or Charlotte. He asks if she can take him for who he is. Anna walks in, and he says right on time.

Anna goes to a private room, and meets with a man who works with the WSB. She says he examined the Berlin diamonds, and asks if it’s a possible stray stone. He studies it, and Anna looks at it with bug eyes, like she’s really into this.

Nina tells Valentin that maybe she can do better than that, and maybe she and Charlotte deserve better. Valentin is sure of it, but he can only give her the truth. He’ll do everything he said, but he’s not begging anymore. She says she knows that, and he leaves.

Anna asks the guy if it’s a Berlin diamond. He asks how she got ahold of it.

Back at Ava’s apartment, Ava yells at Kiki for abandoning her, and says she was a few seconds away from calling an Uber. Kiki says she asked Griff to fill in, and Ava insists she’s not that helpless or needy. Kiki says they just want to help; why push them away? Ava tells Kiki to let her take care of herself. She doesn’t want Kiki getting the flu, so Kiki agrees to go, saying she’ll check in later. When she’s gone, Ava looks at herself for the umpteenth time. She asks how anyone could ever feel anything for her but pity.

Elizabeth tells Griff that Ava’s behavior is natural when struggling with recovery, and not to take it personally. He says that he didn’t see it coming, and wants Ava to know her life isn’t over. He wants to help her realize she can live a productive life, and he genuinely likes her. Elizabeth reminds her about how he’d told her that Franco was redeemable, and he was right. If anyone can save Ava’s soul, it’s him.

Franco goes to Ava’s apartment and tells her that he has a proposition.

On Monday, Ned talks to Alexis, Curtis wonders what Stella is up to, and Jordan asks Jason why he wants to protect whoever shot Sonny.

👦 Just in case you didn’t know, Spencer gets shipped off to school because he gets shipped off to the other show he does IRL. I forget the name of it. He only does his GH gig when the other show is on hiatus.

🌪 I spent last Sunday watching the entire Sharknado franchise. Despite how I like to present myself to the world, I love this juvenile guest-starred-to-the-hilt mess. The jokes are terrible, but in an Airplane! kind of way. In acting school, they’ll tell you one of the ways humor works is taking stupid things seriously (okay, I’m paraphrasing), and they seem to have that down. But for me, the cameos are the best part. Absolutely everyone who is anyone (and some who aren’t) eventually shows up in one of these films. Politicians, wrestlers, relatively big names, has-beens, and lots of reality TV stars. I was glad to see my girl, Kari Wuhrer (Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time) get some work in Sharknado 2: The Second One, and Mark McGrath once again surprised me with how good he actually is. Since the second film is based in NYC, it remains my favorite, although I did wonder where everyone got all those pitchforks. It’s not exactly like there’s a feed store, or even a Home Depot, on every corner. However, I found it realistic that everyone stood around and watched dangerous situations from just a few feet away. Yep, sitting ducks, all of us, since we do not know when to leave. I’d missed some of Sharknado 4: The 4^th Awakens the first time around, and loved seeing Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre) as part of a family who owned a chainsaw store. They had him dirtied up, but I saw him once at a horror convention. Having never seen him sans makeup before, I was quite surprised to find out who he was when I asked, Who is that handsome man? Kellita Smith reprised her Z Nation character, Warren, in the fourth film, and had some banter about zombies, basically plugging the show, which was fine with me. The fifth effort, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming, heavily featured Russell Hodgkinson, also from Z Nation (Doc), and a surprisingly decent performance from Tiffany Pollard (aka New York, pick from several reality shows). My only complaint was the very heavy product placement of a brand that needs none from me. The ever-present Ian Ziering (Fin Shepard) and Tara Reid (April Shepard) both made an insanely smart move getting involved with this series. It was probably a surprise to them too, that Sharknado somehow became the part of pop culture that it is. At this point, they also produce the films, so good for them. I like to see the undersharkdog win.

🐬 I know you’re scared. I’m scared too. They’re sharks. They’re scary. No one wants to get eaten. But I’ve been eaten. And I’m here to tell you it takes a lot more than to bring a good man down. A lot more that to bring a New Yorker down. – Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) just before he cuts a falling shark in half with a chainsaw

✈ Steve McCroskey: Jacobs, I want to know absolutely everything that’s happened up till now.  ✈ Jacobs: Well, let’s see. First the earth cooled. And then the dinosaurs came, but they got too big and fat, so they all died and they turned into oil. And then the Arabs came and they bought Mercedes Benzes. And Prince Charles started wearing all of Lady Di’s clothes. I couldn’t believe it. – Lloyd Bridges and Stephen Stucker, respectively, Airplane II: The Sequel (On a sad note, the extremely funny Stephen Stucker passed away from AIDS at the young age of 38.)

Good Advice

If you keep your eyes open, your life becomes easier and clearer with maturity. – Ewan McGregor

Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create. – Roy T. Bennett

You have to learn to get up from the table when love is not being served. – Nina Simone

A key component of wisdom is fearlessness, which is not the absence of fear, but rather not letting our fears get in the way. – Ariana Huffington

The year we did a Sharknado theme for Halloween…