What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Walking into the hospital, Britt asks what Valentin is going to do, and he says, wait for Peter to show up. She says, assuming Jason hasn’t found him.

Maxie says, Anna is telling her the man she loves is a lie. The life they’ve built together is a lie. Anna tells her, what she’s saying is, Peter is a damaged man. He’s done, and will continue to do horrible things. Maxie says, and Anna didn’t think to tell her this information before he wedding? Anna says, as soon as she found out what Peter was responsible for, that he’d sabotaged Drew’s plane… Maxie says she knows what Anna thinks Peter has done, and Anna says, Drew wasn’t the only person on that plane. Peter sacrificed other lives just to get rid of one man, and it didn’t mean anything to him. Does she understand that? The second Anna realized it, she couldn’t allow Peter to marry Maxie. Maxie says, but Anna didn’t say anything to her, and Anna says she knows she didn’t, but she made other arrangements. If Dante hadn’t found Peter, he’d be halfway around the world. Nobody would have known where he was, and he wouldn’t have been able to hurt anyone. And he certainly wouldn’t have been at the wedding.

Jason paces in an alleyway, and his phone rings. He says, Spinelli. How’s Maxie? At the hospital, Spinelli says he hasn’t been able to see her yet, but he heard she’s not in labor, and should be going home soon. While he waits, he’s trying to track Franco, per Jason’s request, but he has to admit, he’s not functioning at optimum levels. Jason says, if Spinelli can help him find Franco, fine, but if not, he’ll figure something else out. Spinelli says, in truth, he’s grateful for a distraction from his worries. Jason says he thought Spinelli said she was in good health, and Spinelli says, physically, but emotionally, her heart’s been shattered. An alarm sounds on his computer, and Spinelli says he’s got it. He’s been able to track Franco on his computer to 22 Talmidge Street. Jason says, his art studio? and Spinelli says, if Franco has reverted to his homicidal ways, perhaps Jason needs back-up or assistance? Jason thanks him, but tells him, stay with Maxie. She needs him.

Robert sits next to Spinelli, and asks if he’s all right. Spinelli says he’s experiencing less schadenfreude than one might expect. Robert just looks at him, and Spinelli says, as they feared, the worst has come to pass. Robert says, au contraire, my boy. She never married Peter. She’s here; she’s safe. That is the best case scenario right now.  Spinelli says, it’s a more analytical way of looking at the situation, and Robert asks if Spinelli remembers the time he told him, when all hell breaks loose, Maxie is going to need him to help put it all back together. It’s high noon. He hopes Spinelli is up to the task.

Scotty arrives at Elizabeth and Franco’s house, and Cameron lets him in. He says he got Cameron’s message. What’s urgent? What’s happening? What’s going on here? Cameron says, it’s Franco. His mom and the doctors are doing all they can, but Franco is starting to lose steam. Scotty says, he’s noticed, but he’s a bit flummoxed as to how to help Franco. Does Cameron have some kind of a plan? Cameron says he does. He needs Scotty to help him to force Franco not to quit on them.

Sam goes to the hospital reception desk, and Elizabeth asks if she knows about Maxie. Sam wonders how Maxie is, and Elizabeth says, wasn’t this her wedding day? What happened? Sam says, where to begin? It was a total trainwreck. Or was, before Liesl Obrecht showed up and objected. She was released from prison and completely exonerated. She had the paperwork to prove it. Obrecht isn’t the one responsible for Drew’s death – Peter was. He was the one responsible for Drew’s plane going down, and he was the one who hired an assassin to go after Andre and Franco. Elizabeth says, the one Peter killed? and Sam says, assuring his silence. Elizabeth says, oh my God, and Sam asks if she’s okay. Elizabeth says, it’s just a lot to process. How’s Maxie? She must be devastated. Sam says, she thinks at first, Maxie wasn’t having any of it, but she’s sure it’s starting to sink in by now. Maxie loves Peter, and to be confronted with all of this pain from him… They both know how brutal that can be. Elizabeth asks if Jason knows, and Sam says she hasn’t been able to reach him. Has Franco found him? Elizabeth says, Franco was looking for Jason? When?

Peter tells Franco, whatever anyone might think about him, he loves Maxie and their child with all his heart. Franco says, so prove it. Run. Peter says, what? and Franco says, just leave. Get out of Port Charles. Give Maxie and those kids a chance at the life that they deserve. Peter says he’s not giving up on Maxie and their child. He’s not turning his back on them; there’s no need. There’s no case against him, no evidence. He made sure of that. Peter points the gun at Franco, and Franco throws something. While Peter is distracted, Franco rushes him, but Peter shoots Franco.  Franco staggers back, revealing a bullet wound in his chest. He falls to his knees, and then to the floor.

Robert and Jordan walk into her office, and he says, with all due respect, he needs to be with his niece. She’s got a former fiancé out there running wild, and he doesn’t need Peter upsetting Maxie any more than he already has. Jordan says she needs to know. If Robert believed Peter framed Obrecht, why has he been walking free this whole time?

Maxie says, oh my God. Anna had Peter kidnapped. That’s why Anna was pushing her to postpone the wedding, because she knew he wasn’t coming. Anna says, standing Maxie up was the only scenario where she wouldn’t search for him, and Maxie asks how Anna planned on convincing her that Peter hadn’t just gone missing? She doesn’t even want to know. The worst part of the whole thing is that Anna comforted her while she was deceiving her. Anna says she didn’t want Maxie to feel alone, and Maxie thanks her for her support. Anna asks if Maxie understands that Peter is a dangerous psychopath. He’s every bit as dangerous as his father, and had to be kept away from Maxie and the baby by any means necessary. Maxie asks, who Anna is. Does she even know Anna? She trusted Anna, and relied on her. And Anna was willing to protect her from Peter, the man Anna encouraged her to love, by any means necessary? Britt comes in, and asks Anna to excuse them. Anna says she’ll come back in a while, but Maxie says, don’t bother. She doesn’t need any more excuses for how Anna played God with her life. Anna looks back, and Britt closes the door.

Elizabeth asks when Sam saw Franco, and Sam says, a couple of hours ago. He was looking for Peter, then when he found out about the wedding, he suddenly became agitated. He wanted to talk to Jason, and asked if she knew where he was, but she didn’t. Franco said if she found Jason, tell Jason that he was still him. Sam asks Elizabeth to please tell her what’s going on, but Elizabeth says, not now. She needs to find Franco and figure this out. If Sam finds Jason, tell him not to touch Franco. Alexis comes by, and Sam asks what she’s doing at the hospital. Alexis says she’s trying to go to a meeting. Isn’t Sam supposed to be at a double wedding?

Peter asks Franco how it feels. Franco tries to get up, and reaches for Peter, but Peter steps away. He watches as Franco bleeds out. Peter is the worst.

Robert tells Jordan that he never believed Obrecht went after Franco, and Jordan asks why Robert kept it a secret. Robert says he had no proof; just bits and pieces of evidence. Obrecht is a Teflon criminal, and covers her tracks well. Jordan says, still, they could have investigated, but Robert says, not officially; no cause. So he had to pursue Obrecht by other means. Jordan says, he went to Anna? and he says, and his brother. She says, his brother Mac, as in her Chief of Detectives? Why didn’t Mac say something? Robert says, they both told him to take a hike. Then, Peter confesses to Valentin. She says, it won’t hold up in court. In the absence of smoking gun, what was his plan? Was he going to wait for Peter to slip up? Robert says, Peter’s not infallible. He will slip up. And when he does, Robert will be waiting.

Spinelli says, how dare Valentin show his sinister visage there? and Valentin asks what Spinelli is accusing him of. Spinelli says Valentin knows full well, and Valentin says, humor him. Spinelli says Valentin provided cover for Peter while Peter wormed his way into Maxie’s life, knowing full well the extent of Peter’s villainy. Valentin says he’s sympathetic to Spinelli’s attachment to Maxie. He knows they have a child together. Make no mistake, he owes a lot of people in Port Charles explanations, but Spinelli isn’t one of them. Alexis says, how about her? and Sam suggests she and Spinelli leave. Spinelli asks if Alexis is sure, and Alexis says she doesn’t want any witnesses right now. Sam drags Spinelli off, and Valentin tells Alexis, he didn’t know. She says, what is it he didn’t know, and he says, he was unaware of Peter’s involvement in Drew’s plane going down. He had reason to suspect Peter’s redemption lacked weight and depth, but he didn’t know what Peter was up to. She says she doesn’t really need him to tell her the truth right now; she was fond of Drew. He swears he didn’t know, and she says she’s choosing to believe him because she’s actually grown to like him and trust him. Trust isn’t easy for her, so she needs Valentin’s word to mean something, and he says, with her, it always does. He asks if she’s all right. He didn’t see her at the wedding. She says she’s trying hard to stay sober. That’s why she didn’t go; it’s not easy to do at a wedding. He says, wise choice, and she says, what about him? He was close to Peter, and now it turns out, Peter is pathologically lethal. Valentin thinks it’s safe to say that’s not the case anymore.   

Spinelli says, it’s a good thing Sam came when she did. He regrets losing his composure, but when he saw Valentin… She says he doesn’t have to explain; she gets it. He says he knew she would, and she tells him, but she says this with love. He can’t fly off handle. Maxie needs them to be calm and grounded. He says she’s 100% correct. He vented his anxiety on a most deserving target, he shall remain steadfastly serene. She says they’ll use each other to keep each other balanced, and he says, sounds like a plan. She asks if he’s seen Maxie yet, and he says, no, and he hasn’t figured out what he’s going to say when he does.

Britt says Maxie’s blood pressure is coming down, and there’s no sign of distress, and Maxie says, that’s it? The baby is okay? Britt says she still needs to try and avoid stress, and Maxie says, given her current situation, no promises. Britt says she told Maxie try. She has every reason to believe the baby is fine. When Maxie said earlier that Britt was a bad person… Maxie says she’d hoped Britt forgot about that. She was angry, and lashed out. She was being judgy and bitchy. Britt says, no; she was being honest. It seems Maxie could use more of that in her life. The reason she’s feeling angry and stressed… Maxie says she doesn’t think they have the time for that list, and Britt says, they all boil down to the same thing. Maxie was lied to by people she loves and trusts. And she’s been lying to herself. Maxie says, when has she ever lied to herself? Not ever, but in this specific situation? Britt says she heard Anna before – Maxie says, talk about a liar – and Maxie needs to be honest with herself. Whose lies are more dangerous? Anna’s or Peter?

Jason sees the studio door open a crack, and calls out to Franco. There’s no answer, and he goes in, gun drawn. He sees Franco on the floor, and turns him over. He checks Franco’s pulse, and makes a soap face.

Cameron tells Scotty that Franco doesn’t trust himself. He’s checking into Shadybrook in the morning. Scotty asks, why check into Shadybrook? and Cameron says, it was a misunderstanding; it was nothing. Scotty tells Cameron, when someone says nothing, it’s usually something, but Cameron says, it’s not important. They tried to guilt Franco into staying one more night, but he’s still gone. Scotty says, they tried to manipulate Franco? and Cameron says, but it didn’t work. Scotty says, when he gets back, he’ll give Cameron a few lessons. Cameron says, in manipulation? but Scotty says, they call it, persuasion. Does Cameron think Franco stopped fighting? Cameron says, every time they talk, Franco acts like it’s the last day he’s going to see them. He hates it. Scotty says, you and me both, and Cameron says he and his brothers made a list things that they only want to do with Franco. Scotty says, something for Franco to look forward to, and Cameron says Franco never wants to let them down. This way, they’ll get him to promise to live.

Elizabeth gets to the studio, and sees Jason with Franco. Jason steps aside, and she checks Franco out. I don’t suppose this looks too good for Jason.

Anna sees Mac sitting on the steps, and tells him that she saw Maxie. He asks how it went, and Anna says Maxie was angrier than she’s ever seen her. Mac says he knows the feeling, and Anna says, she’s so sorry. She’s given him plenty of reasons to be furious with her. He says he’s not angry at her, and she says, he’s not? He says, not anymore. He’s angry at himself. He’s the Chief of Detectives, the former Commissioner. He’s been a cop for most of his life. How did he miss that his daughter was involved with a criminal? She says, Peter is good at hiding his true nature, even to himself most of the time. Mac wanted Maxie to be happy, and Maxie loved Peter. Mac wanted to see the best in Peter. He says, that’s just it. He didn’t see the best. No father wants to see the best in his daughter’s boyfriend; they see the worst. Peter won him over. He delivered James. He made Maxie happy again. When Nathan died, Mac never thought he would see that. Maxie suffered so much when Nathan died, and Peter brought her back to life. Anna says, that’s true, he did, and Mac says, Peter was going to be the next big chapter in Maxie’s life, and she wanted her father’s support. He loves being a good dad, and wasn’t about to let her down. She says, our children come to us with their dreams, and we want them to be happy, but their happiness is our Achille’s heel. He says, it sure is, and Anna cries. He says she’s being very understanding about this, and she says how could she think there was anything wrong with him wanting Maxie and Peter to be happy, when she wanted it just as badly? She wanted it too. He puts his arm around her.

Elizabeth tells Franco, she’s there. He’s going to be okay. She needs him to listen; it’s really important. She needs him to open his eyes, and look at her. She knows he’s there, and she’s not letting him go anywhere. Come on, open your eyes. In the hallway, Jason tells 911, there’s been a shooting, and they need paramedics. 22 Talmadge Street. A male in his 40s, shot in the chest, and he’s bleeding. It’s Franco Baldwin. Elizabeth tells Franco that she knows he can do it. Please. Open your eyes. Franco’s eyes open.  

Robert tells Jordan, he’d love to stand around, and be nostalgic, but he has another family issue. Robin was close to Peter. Because she thinks he’s her brother. She doesn’t know he’s a psychotic. Robert has to make a call. Mac comes in, and Robert asks how Maxie and the baby are. Mac says, they’re both okay, but Maxie needs to avoid stress, which seems impossible at the moment. So he’s going to stick around, so he can be with Maxie at a moment’s notice. Jordan says, based on what Robert’s been telling her, they need to locate Peter. She gets a call from the station, and says, okay, she’s on her way. She says, Jason just called in a shooting, and Robert says, called it in. How quaint. Mac says he’ll check, but Jordan says, no. She’ll handle it; he needs to be there in case Peter shows up. She tells him to give Maxie her best, and leaves. Mac asks what Robert is thinking, and Robert says, if they get very lucky, Jason may solve their Peter problem for them.

Alexis says obviously Valentin must be in shock, not to mention disappointed. He says he is, and she asks how that’s working for him. He says he doesn’t know, and thanks her, saying, no one has asked him that. She says she wants to know what she’s up against next time they play misery poker. He says he’ll give her a run for her money, and she asks if he suspects or he’s certain that Peter did these things. Valentin says, he did them. That’s why he and Anna hoped Peter would be detained before the wedding. She says, detained as in… He says, detained, and she says she’s not throwing stones. She detained her own daughter when she was involved in a cult. She’s not judging; she understands. He says they weren’t exactly his best laid plans. If they had been, Peter would be properly ensconced in an undisclosed location. She asks where Peter is now, and Valentin says, exactly where he thought Peter would be. Valentin is looks at Peter.

Valentin says, Peter shouldn’t be here, and Peter says he should; Maxie is there. Valentin says, Jason knows everything, and Peter asks if he should be scared. Valentin says, terrified, and Peter asks what Valentin is hoping he’ll do. Turn himself in? Because Valentin and Anna accused him of something with no proof? Valentin says, at least he’ll be safe, but Peter doesn’t see why he should run, considering Valentin is the one afraid of Jason. Valentin says he’s afraid for Peter, but Peter says, don’t be. All his life, his greatest fear was that he’d turn out like his father. His father had nothing on him. Valentin says Peter has a long way to go before he’s his father, and Peter says, he’d better get started. Valentin tells him, stop it. He knows Peter feels like this is the path to his destiny, but if he stops now, he’s still in control of his life. Peter says, that’s exactly why he’s there; he’s in control of his life. He’s there to see Maxie, and there’s nothing Valentin can do to stop him.

Anna comes back to Maxie’s room, but Maxie says, no. Britt told her to avoid stress, and that includes Anna. So, bye. Anna says she won’t be long. She just doesn’t want to leave things unresolved between them. Maxie says, what amazes her in all this is, Obrecht was more honest than Anna. Anna says she hardly thinks Obrecht’s intentions were noble, and Maxie says, and Anna’s were? How can she judge Obrecht? She trusted Anna. She believed in her, and went to her for advice. She confided in her. She’s her godmother. Maxie starts to cry, and says, and Anna could still do this to her. It’s like she said, she doesn’t really know Anna. And she doesn’t want to. Anna says, come on, but Maxie says, no. She said they were going to finish things. They’re done.   

Cameron asks if Scotty’s got everything, and Scotty says, a road trip cross country with Cameron. A trip to all the museums in Paris with Jake. An advanced pastry class with Aiden, also in Paris, but not on the same trip. And a riverboat cruise with Elizabeth. Is that it? Cameron says, except for him, and Scotty says, what about him? Cameron says he has to put his thing on the list. What does he want to do with Franco that’s just the two of them? Scotty says he’d like to do what they used to. They liked to watch screwball comedies from the 40s, and laugh it up; just an average Sunday. Cameron says, just one, but Scotty says, there are a lot of movies to watch. It’s a lot of Sundays, and he’d like to do it with Franco and his grandkids.

Elizabeth says, hey, there he is. She talks about looking into his beautiful eyes, and makes him laugh, which is probably a bad idea. She holds a towel against his wound, trying to keep him from bleeding, but he starts to breathe heavily. She says, it will be okay. They have the time. They have a lifetime. He says, tell the boys he loves them. He loves her. She says, no, stay with her. He starts to fade, and she yells, pressing harder against his wound. Jason stands in the doorway, and she tells Franco, help is coming. Stay with her. Wake up. Stay with her.

Mac says, of all the things for Robert to be right about, why did it have to be Peter? Robert says, sorry, and Mac says, so is he. Sorry he didn’t listen to Robert, and team up to run Peter out of town before he got a smile out of Maxie, let alone got her pregnant. Robert says, they’re law enforcement. They’re not allowed to run people out of town. Mac says, next, Robert will be saying it’s a matter of principle. What he is, is a guy with his head in the sand, incapable of seeing what’s right in front of him. Robert says, Maxie is Mac’s daughter, and she’s in love with this guy. She wants Mac to see Peter the way she sees him, because he’s a great dad, and that’s what Mac brought to her. Mac says, nice guy Scorpio. Robert says, he wouldn’t go that far, but Mac says, he would. He’s level-headed, and always there to stop a fight instead of starting one. He doesn’t want to be that guy. He wants to be the kind of man who could rip Peter’s head off.

Sam and Spinelli go to Maxie’s room, and Sam asks if she wants company. Maxie says, more than anything. It’s good to see them. How could they both show up after what Peter was accused of doing to Jason and Drew? Sam says they don’t blame her. It was all Peter, not her. Spinelli says, they’re on her side, no matter what. He’s sorry they were late. Maxie says she almost cut him out of her life because of Peter, and he says, out of her life is one place he’ll never be. She says, even when she’s being impossible? and he says, as the clown fish is to the anemone’s stings, he’s used to it. Maxie says she feels like she betrayed them, but Sam says they don’t blame her for loving Peter. He only showed Maxie the parts he thought were worthy of her.

Anna looks into Maxie’s room window. She sees Peter coming, and says she can’t let him go in. He says he doesn’t see how she can stop him. She says he hasn’t actually been accused of a crime, and Peter says, not a single one. She says she doesn’t think he wants to risk an assault charge, and Valentin appears, saying, and certainly not two. Peter says he could easily accuse them both of assault, and Anna asks who he thinks they’d believe. Valentin says Peter’s not getting in there, and Peter calls to Maxie, saying he’s there. Don’t worry. He’ll take care of everything.

Maxie says, she knew he’d get there sooner or later, and Sam says she doesn’t have to see Peter. Spinelli says they’ll keep Peter away by any means necessary, but Maxie says, no, she’ll be fine. She just needs a minute to herself. Sam asks if she’s sure. They love her. Spinelli says, always have, always will, and Maxie says she loves them too.

Peter says he told Anna and Valentin, he wants to see Maxie. Spinelli and Sam come out, and Spinelli says, Maxie doesn’t want to see him. Peter says, sure she does. They love each other, and they’re going to be a family. Sam says she hopes Peter’s daughter has the same relationship with him, as her daughter has with her father. Alexis joins them, and asks if everything is okay, and Sam says they were just leaving. Spinelli says, at least she didn’t marry you, Henrik. Peter says, aren’t they fun? Now if they’ll excuse him, he’s going to see his fiancé. Valentin says, it’s not happening, and Anna says if Peter truly cares for Maxie, he’d do the right thing; turn himself in. He says she’d like that, wouldn’t she? Lock up Faison and Alex’s boy forever? It must be such a relief for her, knowing their evil spawn isn’t hers. Anna says she bent over backward, trying to justify Peter’s actions and give him the benefit of the doubt. He says, if anyone bent over backward, it was him. Trying to be the good son, pleading for her acceptance, always worried that he was going to disappoint her. It turns out, in the end, she was the disappointment. Now he’s free. Free of needing her approval. Free of needing her permission. Get out of his way. Maxie is waiting. Anna says, no.  

The paramedics begin to take Franco out, when Jordan shows up. She asks Jason, what happened? and he says Franco is dead. Jordan tells them not to take Franco yet. The paramedics step out, and Elizabeth is alone with Franco. She tells him don’t do this to her. She doesn’t want to let go of him. She can’t after everything they’ve been through. They loved each other when the world said they shouldn’t. He saved her and the boys more times than she can count. They fought like hell to get him back, especially Cameron. He can’t leave Cameron. He can’t leave the boys, any of them. She needs him, and can’t do this without him. She puts her head on his chest, and says she doesn’t want to be without him.

Robert says, Mac is angry, and he’s not going to want to hear this. He’s glad Mac never went after Peter. Mac asks if Robert thinks he couldn’t handle Peter, but Robert says, no. Peter is a killer, and they have enough of those in the world. People need good guys. Guys like Mac, who convey strength and common decency. Mac says, decency’s not enough. What he wants for his daughter is justice.

Scotty says, Sundays. He’ll draw this up, and make a contract. They’ll present it to Franco, and get him to sign it. Something to look forward to. It’s a good idea. Cameron asks if he thinks Franco will like it, and Scotty says, is he kidding? But he’ll rub Cameron’s head for good luck.

Jordan tells Elizabeth that she’s so sorry. Can Elizabeth tell her what happened? Elizabeth looks at Jason, and says, he did this. He killed Franco. Told you.

Peter yells to Maxie, don’t let lies come between them. He loves her. Maxie says, all right. Send him in. Anna says, Maxie… and Peter says, excuse me. He goes into Maxie’s room, and Anna and Valentin watch through the window.  

Tomorrow, Jordan asks why Elizabeth is sure Jason killed Franco, Peter tells Maxie that he’s made sure the past can’t touch them, Sonny thinks he knows what’s going on, Mac asks Jason what happened, and Laura tells Carly to pray for peace, but prepare for war.

😮 What the…?

Seriously, WTF? Why would they do this?

https://soapdirt.com/is-franco-leaving-general-hospital-but-a-twist-keeps-roger-howarth-around/

⚡️ There Is Nothing Wrong With Your Television Set…

Due to a long meeting (okay, we were playing with Zoom backgrounds a little), it’s late and I’m too pooped to pop. I actually don’t know what that’s supposed to mean, but it sounds accurate. So until we meet tomorrow for the nightmare of New Jersey Wives, stay safe, stay collected, and stay not letting your friends marry dangerous psychopaths, by any means necessary.