Brynn was moving to a bigger place, since she’d gotten a puppy, and I could identify with her feeling that moving in the city was its own hell. But 16 boxes of thongs? Brynn does laundry less than I do. A lot of the episode revolved around things said about Jenna. Are these women jealous or something. Jenna is the least likely to say anything about anybody. Why are the playing telephone using her name? Rebecca Minkoff made an appearance, and I really like her. That makes two out of the whole cast. It’s not that I dislike them, but I can’t imagine being friends with any of them, even if I had the money to travel in the same circles. And I find Brynn especially annoying, right down to her tween hairbows. Although, TBH, I did go through a butterfly clip phase – and I don’t mean the clip style, I mean little butterflies – for a while when I was probably too old for it. Right now, I’m liking new Housewife Racquel, but the jury is still out. Jessel might not have been too keen on husband Pavit’s trip to Chinatown for his food influencing side gig, but where else are you going to get a decent dumpling? That’s another thing. Most of this group takes snobbery to a new level.
Warning: spoilers. I haven’t actually seen this yet. I was doing something else or watching something else, maybe both, and then ran out of time. So I spoiled it for myself, but I don’t care. If you haven’t seen it yet and you do care, don’t read this.
Join me tomorrow for baseball a dip into Salt Lake and who knows what else. Until then, stay safe, stay respecting those who don’t celebrate Halloween, and stay not being a restaurant snob. The best food is found in the most unlikely places.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
The Walking Dead
When we last left, the headline in the Commonwealth newspaper said: Milton is lying to you. The gates were closed by troopers, and Lance had the women in Oceanside rounded up. He flipped his coin…
In a voice over, Judith tells us, they heard stories about when the world fell, and how there were more dead then living. It looked like the world would grow cold, and they were almost there. People made found families, and others gave into the darkness. That was a long time ago, and it’s now. Will it be tomorrow?
Still running from Lance and his troopers, Daryl stabs some zombies under a bridge, and yells, clear. Maggie says, clear, and joins him. They hear gunfire, and Lance arrives with the troopers, and tells them to fan out. It ends here. Daryl tells Maggie, they’ll take them out one by one, and they get on either side of an entrance, nearly killing Gabriel, who comes out followed by Aaron, then Negan and Annie. Negan says, they’re here to take out sh*thead and his d*ckless troopers, but Gabriel wants Negan to go back to the Commonwealth. Aaron says, the authorities at the Commonwealth know all of their faces, and Gabriel tells Negan that he needs to warn Carol that Lance is going to kidnap the children. Daryl says, they’ve never seen Negan before, and Negan asks if he’s just supposed to walk in there. Daryl says, exactly, and Annie says she’s going too, but Negan says, no. Only one of them is going into the belly of the beast. He needs her be safe. Besides, they’re f***ed either way. What’s the plan? And yes, they said the F-word again, because it’s the last season of the last season, and no one cares about the FCC and their stupid rules anymore.
Out in the used-to-be city, a couple of troopers shoot zombies, but the zombies latch on to one of them. As the other moves to help, a zombie comes up behind him, and bashes him over the head, tossing the trooper’s radio and gun toward a nearby car. Negan takes off his skin mask, and gets in the car. Daryl opens the door in the back, and gets out, grabbing the radio and gun, and Negan peels out. The zombies fight over trooper guts. Lance tells a trooper to get on the radio; no one’s got eyes on the goddam car. The trooper tells him that the signal isn’t strong enough. Daryl tells Negan, the Calhoun contingency protocol, and Negan doubles back to where Lance is. Lance tells the troopers, shoot to kill, and gets shot in the arm himself. The troopers shoot back, and Lance tells them to take Daryl down now; kill him. Lance then takes out a tiny gun, and goes around the car to where Daryl was, but he’s not there. That’s because he’s on the other side of the car, and he gets in, and takes off. The troopers shoot right into the windshield, but Daryl can’t die since he has a spin-off coming up. Negan flies all around the place, and troopers shoot at him. He’s definitely into it, and having a good time. Other troopers chase after Daryl, and there’s a huge car chase. As everyone gets to an intersection, Negan T-bones one of the trooper’s cars, and it collides with another trooper’s car. Daryl gets the hell out of there.
At the Commonwealth, a crowd stands outside city hall with picket signs, shouting that they want justice, and to deliver Sebastian now. Yumiko looks out from Pamela’s office, while Pamela gets on the microphone, telling the public that the so-called report is lies. She knows they’re scared and angry, and the people have suffered enough. She knows her son couldn’t have done the horrible things he’s accused of. He’s a good young man. Kelly signs to Connie, is this what we wanted? and Connie signs back, they had to start somewhere. There are people still missing and they have to find them. Ezekiel tells Magna, this could get could ugly. What if it goes sideways? He thinks they should go, but she says she doesn’t want to leave when there are people who need their help. Mercer says he’s going to secure the station, and asks what Rosita is doing. She says, she has a personal day today, and this is not her problem, or his. A trooper radios Mercer, saying, there’s something he needs to see, and Mercer tells Rosita that he needs her. Suit up. Still trying to CYA, Pamela says, they intend to find the real culprit, and bring them to justice. She’ll answer written questions submitted by citizens. On the side, Yumiko asks Stephanie if she thinks Pamela knows where Sebastian is, and Stephanie says, he’s probably hiding. Yumiko asks if she’s okay, and over the loudspeaker, Pamela says, they’re following leads. Stephanie says she wants to keep going, and Yumiko says, then they will. Pamela tells the people, rest assured, whoever has been spreading these lies will be brought to justice.
Mercer walks into an interrogation room to see Negan, and asks if Negan knows him. Negan says, word gets around the wasteland. A friend told him about Mercer, and said to ask for him when he came looking for her. Her name is April. Mercer sits down, and asks if Negan knows what happened to her. Negan says he thinks because Mercer is asking, that means it can’t be good. Mercer asks why Negan is really here, and Negan says he ran into some trouble with a shirt and tie wearing sh*t and his clamshell a-holes, and Mercer tells the trooper with him to get Negan some water – now. The trooper leaves, and Mercer asks who sent Negan. Negan says he thinks Mercer knows him; Daryl. That Hornsby pr*ck is cutting them up. They’re dealing with it, but the problem is, they have people in there to protect too. Mercer says, that’s his job, and Negan says, yet he was sent here anyway. Mercer says he can’t just let Negan in; they have rules. Negan says, if no one else is playing by them, why is Mercer?
Carol looks at photos of the Commonwealth while the kids sit at the kitchen table studying. Judith tells her that the pancakes are burning, and Carol tells her if she doesn’t like them that way, she’s missing out. Judith checks out the photos, and asks why Carol is looking at them. Carol tells her, to learn about this place, and Judith asks when Daryl and Aaron are coming back. Carol asks if Judith likes their cooking better, and she says, not unless it’s around the campfire. Carol tells her, they’ll be back soon. She looks outside at the people with the signs, seeing a man and woman headed for the building, and Judith asks, what is it? Carol says, maybe nothing, but they’ve got to move. They’ve got to play the quiet game. The man and woman walk into the apartment, but it’s empty. The woman asks if he’s sure they didn’t say anything else, and he says, Dixon was the only name that came through. She looks out the window, and we see Carol out on the ledge with a BIG knife, but she doesn’t. Judith looks out in between cupboard doors. The woman suggests the check the school, and the couple leaves.
Outside, Negan sees Jerry, and says, dude. Jerry asks, what the hell is Negan doing here? and Negan says he’s here to save their asses. Where’s Carol? Jerry nods for Negan to follow him.
A trooper tries to fix the radio signal back where we started. A hubcap rolls out near him, followed by Annie. While he’s distracted, Maggie comes up from behind, and stabs him. She tosses the radio away.
Carol tells the kids that they’re going on a little adventure. She tells them to go to the bedroom, and don’t come out until she tells them. Jerry comes to the door, and Negan walks in with him, saying, it turns out, Carol might have been right. They should have stayed in that goddam cabin. Lance tried to scare Maggie by interrogating Herschel, trying to draw the kids out. Carol asks if Jerry still has access to the attic, and Jerry says, yes, and it’s stocked with supplies. Carol tells him, they’ll keep the kids there until they’re ready to move on. She tells the kids to get ready at Jerry’s signal, and Negan says, they can’t just stroll out. Carols says, that’s why they’re going to get some insurance for the both of them.
The protestors storm into city hall, and Pamela tries to bullsh*t them. She says she can’t bring their loved ones back, but she’s going to get to the bottom of this. One of the men says, her son did this, and asks where he is, but Pamela says, that’s not the truth. The group gets louder, and the guy asks if she’s going to disappear them. Yumiko says, they’re being heard. What’s happened is unthinkable, and they’ll be updated on every step of the investigation. This appeases them, and they start to leave. Pamela wonders if Connie has any idea who wrote the article, and Yumiko says she’d be surprised if Connie didn’t. Pamela goes outside, flanked by guards, and sees a sign graffitied with Down with the Miltons. She gets in an armored car, looking pretty upset, and radios, B14. Do it right away. The car pulls out.
Sitting on a bench, Yumiko tells Magna that Connie suspects it’s Sebastian, but has no proof. She should have told Connie to talk to her first. Magna says, Connie has never run from a fight, and Yumiko asks if Magna thinks she will, but Magna says, Yumiko has seen this place for what it is from the beginning. She never stood for bullsh*t. They’ve made it through a lot, knowing when it was a good time to go. Yumiko says, they need a strong exit plan, and she can’t leave Tomi, but Magna says she’s not going without Yumiko. If the time comes, then they’re all going, even if she has to drag Yumiko and Tomi. Until then, she’ll help everyone can wait, and wait for the other shoe to drop. Yumiko says, Magna is so stubborn, and Magna says, not one of her better qualities, but Yumiko never seemed to mind. Over the loudspeaker, a voice says, lockdown procedure. Remain inside until further notice. Yumiko says, that might be the other shoe.
Lots of zombies walk in a field toward the Commonwealth. Still restless, the crowd wants Sebastian. A guy with a bullhorn tells them, a swarm has been detected five miles out. Anyone out after curfew will arrested for their own safety. They crowd reluctantly disperses, and Jerry herds the kids together, telling them to keep up with him. They run, and the couple that were checking out Carol’s place run after them, but protestors get in the way, and they lose Jerry. Carol and Negan go to an office, and Negan asks what they’re looking for. She tells him, blueprints or schematics. She thinks the person they’re looking for is in the building, and she wants to get to him before people are calling for his head. Negan says, he must have one hell of a hiding spot, and they look through files. Negan asks if he told Carol that he got married, and she wonders why he’s telling her. He says, because she’s out there and carrying their child, and Carol says, she’s going to be okay. Negan thanks her.
Maggie and Daryl hear troopers coming, and hide as the troopers run down an alley. Daryl asks where they others are, and Maggie says, they’ll be here. She says, what he did… She knows what Leah meant to him, and she’s sorry. He says, Glenn would want him to look out for her. She doesn’t every have to say she’s sorry to him. Gabriel and Aaron show up, and tell Daryl that Lance is dug in with his men; they can’t get close. Maggie asks if there’s any way they can go behind them, and Anne says, not without being spotted… unless they never see them coming.
Jerry pulls down a fire-escape ladder, and the kids go up. Jerry follows, and pulls up the ladder. The couple has nearly caught up to them, and they look around. The guy tries a door, but it’s locked. They start to leave, and the guy looks up at the fire-escape landing, but sees nothing, and continues on. Jerry breathes a sigh of relief. Me too. A woman looks out her window, and Jerry says, hello there. Could she do them a small favor, please? She nods.
Rosita meets Mercer, and he says she made it. She says she couldn’t resist. A man tells Mercer that the swarm is past the 2nd checkpoint, and Mercer says, tell them hold their position; they’re on their way. He and Rosita leave in a jeep.
Down in the sewer, Maggie asks if Anne wants to take a minute, but Annie wants to keep going. They hear growling, and a couple of zombies pop out, but they dispatch them, and keep on walking. Annie says, if they keep going, they should come up behind Lance and the troopers. Daryl kills another zombie, and says, maybe they should get them to come down. Gabriel fires some shots up through the grating. Back at the Commonwealth, Negan tells Carol, he hates to say it, but they’re running out of places to look. Carol looks at a diagram, and says, there should be a door here. Negan moves a bookcase, and there’s an outline of a door. Carol pries at it, and slides it out. Sebastian is asleep, face down on a mattress on the floor, and it looks like a frat house room. He wakes, and says, what the hell? How did they get in here? Negan rolls him off the mattress, and picks up his gun. Sebastian asks if Negan knows who he is, and Negan asks if Sebastian knows who he is? Sebastian asks, what do you a-holes want? and Carol tells him, get up. They’re taking him home to his mother. Sebastian says he’s not going anywhere until this blows over. His mother doesn’t care about him. The Commonwealth is her kid; he’s just a prop. Negan says, Carol is a goddam magician. He’s seen her pull bunnies out of her ass with his own two eyes. She’s offering Sebastian a life-raft, and he recommends Sebastian jump in and save himself. Sebastian says he really wants help.
Outside, the troopers are told to stop any violation of curfew. The people lingering are told, the swarm is past the 2nd outer checkpoint. Go home immediately. A guy says, they’re not moving until Sebastian is brought to them. Some guy named Henderson tells the guards that they have a situation. Carol and Negan bring out Sebastian, and a guy announces, they found him, but Negan says, he’ll take care of this. A trooper says he’s mistaken, and knocks him down. He says, a final warning. Go home; it’s not safe. The group starts yelling, Pamela lies, and Sebastian kills, and Henderson says, it’s for their own protection. Shut the hell up and listen. They can hear the rumble of the zombie horde in the distance, and Henderson tells the troopers to clear them. Tear gas is released, and everyone starts coughing and running.
Out in the field with Rosita, Mercer is told the zombies have passed checkpoint 3. Rosita asks, what happened? and he says, somebody’s not doing their job. She says, it happens a lot around here, and he says, about the other week; it shouldn’t have happened. He appreciates her having his back. Having sh*t upside down around here, he needs people he can trust, like her. She says she can’t. She’s sorry. If he needs help out here, she’s his girl, but in there is not for her. Her daughter and family come first. He says he respects that. If the time comes, and she needs help getting out, he’ll get her a vehicle. They see another jeep overturned, and two troopers shooting at zombies. Rosita uses the machine gun to mow some of them down, and one trooper makes it into the back of the truck. Mercer tries to grab the other one, but the zombies pull at him from the other side, and he gets literally torn in half. Mercer looks stunned, but I laugh. The trooper in the jeep says, they’ve got to go, and the zombies eat the downed trooper as they drive off.
Yumiko sees Pamela, and says, Pamela teargassed her friends. Pamela says, only those who were in defiance of lockdown. It’s about what could happen. Yumiko says, so it’s about safety, and Pamela says, it always is. Yumiko asks if Pamela doesn’t care if it makes her look guilty, and Pamela says, if Yumiko has an accusation, make it. Yumiko asks if Pamela can really sit there and say there’s no way her son did it? Pamela says, he was always a renegade. His grandfather and uncle were the same way, but as they matured, they mellowed and became leaders. It’s youthful rebellion, but he’s not a murderer. She points out that Yumiko is friends with the most prominent journalist, when they’re interrupted by Carol bringing Sebastian into the office. Pamela immediately hugs him, then slaps him across the face. saying that he humiliated her, and himself. She asks what he had to do with this, and he says, nothing. The story is a lie. They want someone to blame, and he’s an easy target. She says, he’s going to need more than that to save his ass, but Carol thinks she can help. She’s hunting for a friend that needs help. Pamela says she doesn’t see how that helps her, and Carol says, someone did what Sebastian is accused of.
The troopers walk through the sewers, and see a zombie all hung up in some lines of rope, keeping it at bay. The walk past a hidden Aaron, who cuts a trooper’s hamstring through the joint in his armor. The rest come out with guns, and Lance says, this ends now. He tells them to drop their weapons, but Daryl quickly comes up behind him, grabbing him by the hair, and holding a knife to his throat. Daryl tells the troopers, guns on the ground now, and Lance smiles at Maggie.
Next time, Gabriel says, the end of the story is important. And, you know, the usual.
🥳 Having a Kiki…
Join me tomorrow for soap and what’s going on in the Mediterranean. Until then, stay safe, stay never being the first to arrive or the last to leave a party (unless it’s yours), and stay jumping in and saving yourself if someone offers you a life raft. Especially if it’s someone who can pull bunnies out of their ass.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
Fear the Walking Dead
In the past, Teddy tells Alicia, good luck, as he locks the door. She screams, he can lock her in, but she’s not going to make the world what he wants it to be. He says, that’s what he’s counting on, and leaves. She bangs on the door, and says, let her out. She rips off the ropes on her wrists, and cries.
Alicia sits on the floor in front of the door, crying. She walks through the halls, and a shower spray hits her in the face. She goes downstairs, and looks around. She opens a door, and cautiously goes in the room. She hears the click of a gun behind her, and a man’s voice says, don’t move; turn around. He drags her to the zombie tree, and she asks if he knows what Teddy is doing. He says he found another straggler, and moves her toward the tree, pushing her close to its snapping mouth, saying, fresh compost for their garden Arnold comes in, and tells dude that Alicia is the one waiting they’ve been waiting for to lead them to a new beginning. Alicia says she’s not leading these psychos, and Arnold tells her, Teddy warned them that she’d say that, but he said she’d come around. Alicia pushes dude into the zombie tree, and the zombie is like, mmm, plant food. She gets dude’s gun, and holds it on the people in her way, making them move, as she goes out the door. Arnold says, let her. She’s not going anywhere.
In the present, Alicia yells for everyone to go; leave everything. Morgan says, they have to stay ahead of the smoke. Zombies come into the camp, and as they run, Morgan asks where Alicia has been. She says, it’s a long story, and now is not the time to tell it. She yells for her people to move.
On horseback, Sherry says, all clear, and Dwight relays that information, saying, masks off. She asks if he got a head count, and he says, twenty-eight, minus Mickey, who’s on patrol. She tells him to see if he can find Mickey before they get back to camp. Morgan tells Alicia, if the people who set the explosives are telling the truth, her camp is done. She says, food, supplies, everything they had is back there. He says he can’t stick around. He and Victor had a falling out, and he has things to take care of. Victor will let her and her people in. She says she doesn’t want to see Victor, and Morgan says, Victor didn’t think she would. Grace and the baby are there; he’s holding them hostage. She asks if he’s going hurt them, but Morgan doesn’t think so. Victor needs Grace to help him. Alicia says, then he can wait. There’s a reason she needed to find him. She needs his help. A guy comes out of the woods, pushing along a zombie on a stick lead. The zombie snaps at Alicia, and Morgan asks, who is that? He tells Dwight that he doesn’t understand: is it somebody she lost? Dwight says, she won’t tell them. The guy who attacked Victor didn’t want her finding him. Morgan asks, why? but Dwight says he has to ask Alicia. Alicia says, get him ready.
In the past, Alicia is banging at the door with an ax. Will comes out, and tells her to wait. Don’t… She knocks him down, and he says, she’s not getting out that way. He lived before those a-holes found it, and he’s been trying to get out. Alicia lets him up, and he introduces himself. She asks if there is a way out, and he says, maybe, and starts to walk. She follows him, and they go downstairs. She asks how long he’s been there, and he says, since Senator Vasquez security detail brought them here. She asks who Senator Vasquez is, and Will says, the junior senator for Oklahoma. After the hospitals got crowded, the government officials regrouped here, but they never made it. They had protocol to ensure there was continuity in government, and were supposed to keep the door locked until it was safe She asks where everybody else is, and he says, dead. They weren’t supposed to let anyone in, but it had been years since they’d seen the living when these people showed up, and they didn’t want to watch them die through the window. The senator opened the door, and they killed everyone. She says, except him? and he says, he was doing maintenance on the air filters and could hear everything from the upper level. He hid, which is what he’s been doing ever since. She asks, how do they get out? and he says, the people activated a time lock. She asks if there isn’t another way, and he says, there might be. She asks if he hasn’t tried, and he says he hasn’t been up there yet. She says, someone up there is trying to destroy everything. She tried to warned someone, but she’s not sure he’s going to come through. He asks what she means by everything, and they hear Arnold yelling, Alicia. Will tells her to go back to them, and she asks what he’s going to do. He says, find a way out, and she leaves.
In the present, they pour something that looks like glue or honey over zombie Senator Vasquez, and Morgan asks, what the hell’s going on, and what does it have to do with him? Alicia says she needs him to help her find a place called Padre, and he says, lots of people are looking for it. What does she know about it? She says, it’s someplace safe with plans to rebuild, and the resources to do it, and he asks if she knows where it is. She says, she doesn’t, but he does, indicating her zombie friend. Senator Vasquez is pushed along, and Morgan asks, what makes her think that? She says, he wouldn’t understand; no one has. He’ll just have to trust her. He says, okay, and zombies start arriving. Morgan says, everybody up, and he and Dwight stab a head or two. Sherry rides up, and says they’ve got company; rangers on horseback. Dwight wonders why Victor is after them, and Morgan says, they’re all dressed like the people who attacked the tower. Alicia says, they’ll find place to lay low, and Morgan tells her that Victor has room for everyone. She asks Dwight about Mickey, and he says, she wants no part of it; Victor is scaring their people away. He thinks they should get everyone moving, and Morgan says, this had better work. Alicia asks if he trusts her, and he says he does.
Alicia takes some guts out of a zombie, and explains to Morgan, it’s so they don’t follow. She tells him that he might want to cover his nose and mouth; she’s seen people get sick from less. Is he in or not? She holds out a gut smeared cloak, and he takes it. The senator is released, and walks past them. I deduce zombie life is boring, and they follow him.
In the past, they go into a room, and Alicia asks, what is this place? Arnold hands her a weapon, and says, Teddy wanted her to have this. She sees a folder marked, Padre, and asks, what’s this? He says, something the old-timers left behind for her. He listens on his radio, and says, in the service area? It must be one of the senator’s people. Send him back to the earth. The person on the other ends says, they’re one step ahead of him.
As they’re about to feed Will to the zombie tree, Alicia says, they might want to listen to him. She throws something at the guy holding Will, and he lets go. She says, Teddy is right. She’s the person who’s going to lead them to a new beginning. It starts now, and no one gets returned to the earth. Let him go, and leave them now. They leave, and Will thanks her. She tells Will that she needs a way out, and he asks if zombies remember anything. He seems shaken (understandably), and she asks if this is the first time he’s seen one up close. He says, it’s not that. Senator Vasquez knows where Padre is. She says, they don’t remember anything; just walking. When you forget that, that’s when things become dangerous. She asks about the Padre binder, and he says, it was left by people who thought they could rebuild the future. The senator said it was stocked with everything they needed to start over. She asks if it’s Padre Island, but he says, it was classified; the senator was the only one who knew where it was. The senator who is now the zombie tree. He’d messaged his family, when it became clear they he couldn’t make the trip here. She asks if they made it, but he says, they don’t know if anyone made it. They could never got a clear signal there. She asks if he thinks they could find it if they got out of there, and he says, her guess is as good as his, but if they find a way out, he’s not going with her. She says, they’ll kill him if she leaves. She shows him the St. Christopher medal and gives it to him.
In the present, the senator walks, and Alicia and Morgan follow. Alicia wonders if Morgan needs the Geiger counter, since the senator will hear it, but he says, if they follow the senator without this, they could end up like him. She stops, and he asks if she’s all right; she’s sweating. She says she hasn’t eaten in a week, or slept in twice as long. It’s about 100 degrees out here, so she thinks she’s doing well. He asks if she has any idea where they are, but she says, it doesn’t matter. They’ll follow the senator for as long as he goes. Someone starts shooting at them, and Morgan says, if Victor knows she’s here, they won’t fire. She says she doesn’t want to see Victor, and Morgan says, he doesn’t want to get shot. He yells, these aren’t the people who attacked the tower, and Victor says he’s not here for that. He’s here for Morgan. He shoots at Morgan, and Morgan says, they had a deal. Alicia goes sprinting after Senator Vasquez, who’s started wandering, and Morgan follows. He says, they’ll kill her, and she says, they’ll kill the senator. He says they’ll find another way to Padre. He’s not letting her die for something that’s already dead. He can’t lose her. She says, he can do it without her, but he says he’s not talking about her; he’s talking about everyone. They get on either side of the senator, and run with him in between them to the edge of a cliff. Morgan says, this is going to get them killed, and Victor rides up. He says, move again, and he will shoot. Alicia pushes the senator off the cliff, and into the water below, and Victor says, Alicia. Sorry. He didn’t know she was with Morgan. She looks at the water, and he tells her, don’t do it, but she jumps in after the senator. Victor says he sees Morgan found her, and Morgan says, he did. Victor was right; she didn’t want to see him. Morgan jumps in, and Victor shoots at him in vain. Morgan finds Alicia with Senator Vasquez, and Victor asks what he’s men are looking at. Get down there. His men take off after Alicia, Morgan, and their dead precious cargo.
Alicia and Morgan sit on the shore, and Morgan asks what they’re doing here. She says she knows what she’s doing here; she’s not sure what he is. Did he really try to kill Victor? Morgan says, Victor tried to kill him. Now he’s trying to keep her alive. She says she didn’t ask him to, and he says, then what is he doing here? Why did she send Dwight and Sherry to look for him? She asks what he meant when he said he couldn’t do this anymore, and he says, he needs to stop doing what they’re doing; wishing a world into existence that doesn’t want to be. He needs someone to step in and help him. She asks, what makes him think she can? and he asks if she thinks they can do worse. She says, sorry, and he asks, why? She tells him, help her find Padre, but he says, they don’t know if it exists. She says, it does, and he asks, where is it? All he’s seen is this guy who seems to have been dead for a long time, that she’s risking her life to save. Alicia says, they’re not totally gone. There’s still an echo of who they once were. He says, no, but she says, there has to be. Morgan says he thought that back then, and his son died because of it. He’s going to kill the senator. He lifts an ax, saying, it’s not worth the risk, unless she tells him why. She says, it’s their only chance to find someplace safe, and they hear, drop your weapons.
In the past, Will leads Alicia to a room with cement tunnels in it, and a lot of rats running around. He explains about the drainage system, but she’s hesitant, saying, it’s not going work. He says, the tunnels branch out. If they don’t get past the rats, they’re not going anywhere. She knocks the senator down, and rips him open. She tells Will to cover his nose and mouth; it could make him sick. She puts guts on herself, and Will tells the senator, he’s going to find his family, and grabs an intestine. Alicia tells him that she’s sorry for not remembering. She’s spent so much time out there, she forgets there are people still alive. He says, maybe that’s why he’s there. To help her remember how it used to be.
Senator Vasquez crawls into a tunnel, and Alicia tells Will, they’ll get out, and find his people, and stop it. They’ll find Padre. She crawls in behind the senator, and follows him, then Will follows her. The tunnel starts to crumble, and everything goes black. Will calls to Alicia.
In the present, Victor rides up on horseback, as his man is asking Morgan to tell him why they’re fighting over a skinbag. Victor says, get his friends up; they didn’t have to run. Morgan says, Victor gave his word, but Victor says, that was in the tower. Out here, words are just words, which means nothing Morgan says can change his mind. He asks who the zombie is, and Alicia says, no one. He says, why is it on a leash? Who was he? Victor unsheathes his sword, and she tells him, don’t make it worse than it is already. She know what he’s done, and what he’s built. He says, then she at least knows it’s worked better than anything so far. She says, she knows what it cost him, but he says he doesn’t think so. He thought he could do it alone, but now he’s starting to realize that he needs someone, and she’s the only person he can trust. She asks if he’s sure about that? She doesn’t need his tower or what he’s offering. He says, what does she need, Padre? It’s a myth. Many ended up on his doorstep looking for it; something someone made up. Don’t make the same mistake. She says she’s not settling for what he has, or how he got it, and he asks if she’s sure about that. She says she is, and Victor tells one of his men to kill the senator. She’ll come if she has no choice. Better yet, kill Morgan, then kill it. Alicia says, no, as Victor’s man shoves Morgan toward the senator. Alicia gets in between them, and the senator bites her arm. Victor tells his men, get back… Her arm… She says, she’s fine, and Victor says, it’s not the way he wanted… She says, leave now, and Victor, tells his men to go. He hesitates, then follows.
In the past, Alicia coughs, lying among the rubble in the tunnel. She hears the zombie senator, but realizes she’s trapped. She calls to Will, who says, he’s here. Hang on; he’s going to get her out. She says she doesn’t think there’s much time; the senator is in here. She shines the flashlight around, and says, he’s turned around and coming back. She tries stacking cement pieces to block the opening, but yells to Will that she doesn’t know if it will hold. She thinks she’s got it, and tells him to see if he can get through. He says he can clear the rest. Hang in there a little longer. She thanks him, and says, she couldn’t do without him. Senator Vasquez busts through the makeshift wall, and she hits him with a chunk of cement. He bites her arm, and she kicks him back. Will asks if she’s okay. He asks again, and she says, he bit her. He asks what that means, and she says, it means it’s over. He says, no, there has to be a way to stop it, and she says, there’s nothing here for her to save anyway. He says she doesn’t know that. The people down there need her. She says he thinks he needs her, but she couldn’t stop Teddy. She can’t help anybody. She looks at her gross arm, and says, it’s spreading. He says, there’s got to be a way to stop it. She doesn’t have to rebuild it the way Teddy wanted her to. She can rebuild it the way she wants to. She needs to survive. It’s a world he wants to be a part of . She says she doesn’t know if she’ll be here long, and tells him not to say something he doesn’t mean just because she’s dying. He says she won’t be dying because she’s going to survive. She looks at her arm again, and it doesn’t look good.
In the present, Morgan tells Alicia that he’s going to keep asking until she lets him look. She got bit; she can’t ignore it. There still might be something they can do. She shows him that she has a mechanical arm, and says, she told him that she was fine. He says he’s so sorry, and she says, don’t worry about it. He asks how it happened. Is that why she’s following the senator? It’s okay, she can tell him when she’s ready. She stands, and says she still needs the walker.
In the past, Alicia is about to cut her arm, and tells Will to promise her. If it’s been too long, promise not to let her kill anyone. She has a fever, and if it looks like she’s going to turn, kill her first; promise. He says, that’s not going to happen, and she says, promise her that. He promises, and she looks at her arm again, and closes her eyes. She cuts through it, mid forearm, and passes out
Alicia sleeps. She opens her eyes to see her arm stump dripping, and hooked up to tubes. She calls to Will, who’s sleeping in a chair nearby. He comes to her bedside, and she says, thank God. What happened? Is everyone okay? He says, one of her friends tried to stop the signal; Victor got in the way. She asks how long she’s been out, and he says she passed out after her arm almost bled out. He brought her here, but now her fever’s broken. She asks, what fever? and he says, she ran a pretty bad fever. She says she didn’t get to it in time, and he says she amputated her own arm. The infection could be anything; sepsis, tetanus… She says, or the bite, but he says, her fever broke. She says she could have killed everyone. He promised; he said he’d kill her. He says, like it or not, these people are her responsibility. She says she couldn’t save everyone up there. She’s not making the same mistake again. He says, she’s here now, and still can. He can help her. She says, no, he can’t.
In the present, Morgan and Alicia continue to follow the senator. Morgan says she can tell him when she’s ready, and Alicia says, they can’t let him out of their sight. She sees a search light, and says, this has to be it, but Morgan says, no. That’s not Padre.
We see Victor’s zombie parking lot, and Alicia and Morgan sit on the scaffolding under the callbox. Alicia says she was supposed to lead them to a place where everyone could be safe, and Morgan says, it’s not in there. He can take her back to the sub. She’ll be safe there. She says, he won’t, and he asks her to tell him what’s really going on. Does she want to tell him? She says she didn’t amputate arm in time. The infection is still inside of her; her body’s trying to fight it, but it’s only a matter of time before she loses. He tells her to have June look at it. June can give her antibiotics… She says she tried all that. That’s why she can’t help him. She can’t be the person he needs her to be. She cries, and says she doesn’t know how much longer she has left. She thought she could find Padre. He says they’ll find someplace else, but she says, the longer she looks, the more chance she has of hurting people. That’s why she needs him. A zombie toddles up, and he tells her to stay.
Morgan whacks a bunch of zombies, and says, the light is drawing them. There’s going to be more if they stay here. Victor rides up, and I say, ugh, out loud. He says, sorry, and Alicia says, for once, it’s not his fault. He asks. what happened to her arm? and she says, it doesn’t matter. He asks where her walker is, and she says, in his moat. He says he must have underestimated her. Her walker led her to where she’s supposed to be. Doesn’t she see? She belongs there. She asks, if she brings her people, will he take care of them? Morgan says she can’t trust Victor, and Victor says she’s not asking Morgan’s opinion. Alicia says, what if she’s not here? and Victor says, but she will be. She says, promise her, and he says he doesn’t understand; is she still sick? She says, promise her, and he says he promises. Alicia looks at Morgan, then sees a zombie crawling out from behind a waste can. She realizes it’s Will, and Morgan says he’ll take care of him, but she says, no, and walks toward him.
In the past, Alicia wakes up, and calls to Will. She says she thinks she knows what they need to do. She sees a note, and reads it. He says, sorry he couldn’t keep his promise to her. He said he’d help her remember how the world worked, but now he wonders if that’s what she really needs. if he stays, he’ll remind her of a way of life that no longer exists. She needs to build something better. Don’t worry about him; he’ll figure it out. Maybe one day he’ll get to see the world she lives in
In the present, Alicia stabs zombie Will in the head, and asks if Victor knows where he came from. Did he know she knew him? Why would Victor kill him? Victor says, because he knew it would hurt her. He wanted to keep her away, so he could build the tower the way it needed to be built. She asks why killing Will would help him do that, and he says, because Will told him that he loved her. She asks Morgan how long they can hold out on the sub, and Morgan says, a week; two weeks tops. She says, that’s long enough, and tells Victor, he’s taken so much from her. Now she’s going to take something from him. He says he doesn’t want to do this with her, but she says, it’s too late for that. She’s taking the one thing that matters to him the most. She’s taking that tower. He says he’ll protect it if he must, and she says, then they’re going to war.
Next time – on April 17, 2022 – Alicia and Victor go to war.
🗣 Talking Dead had a sneak peek of The Walking Dead – back February 20, 2022. Judith and Grace fight zombies in the flooded basement, and Judith loses her weapon in the water.
Elton showed how Iris, Hope, and Silas how to sneak out. They’d decided all four of them were trekking 1100 miles. They agreed to have each other’s backs no matter what, and Elton, said, to the end whatever it turned out to be for them. He thought they should engage with the dead only as a last resort, but there was a lot of last resort engaging as they walked through the woods. Elton said, all things considered, it was still safer.
Jadis was over-confident, and gave orders to block for an 8 mile radius. Huck made it back to Dennis, who was still alive, and Dennis suggested they have an actual life together. Huck said it was a plan after they blew sh*t up. They had get the word out to the right people, and Dennis said, if anyone could do it, it was them.
Felix found Leo, but then Lieutenant Newton – I finally get his name on the final show – found the both of them. The kids got back to Huck and Dennis, and Dennis told Silas that what he’d done meant a lot. Huck told them to go meet Leo and the others. They’d be about 3 miles out when the place blew up. Hope wanted Huck to come, but Huck said the CRM didn’t know what the military had been doing outside their walls, but she was going to see to it they did. She said she was proud of Hope. Silas decided to stay, saying, Dennis and Huck would need someone to help get them there, and they had to get there.
Jadis gave the order to get her helicopter ready. She was going to find out where the gas had been moved. Elton told Silas that they’d found each other twice, and they would again. Will joined Felix, saying, he’d doubled back when he heard the distress call. Felix lured Newton away from the others, and Newton chased him through the woods. Felix ended up between zombies behind a fence, and Newton. In the meantime, back at the truck, Will tried to surprise the guard shooting at Leo, but his gun jammed, so they ended up fist fighting. Will won. Newton told Felix that people like him were worse than the dead. They were helping the dead win. He suggested they fight mano a mano. Felix said he’d kill Newton if he had the chance, and now he had it. He talked a bunch of smack about Felix and his parents, and in a surprise move, Felix opened the gate, letting the dead loose.
Huck said she had to find another way to set up the explosives, and asked about the emergency weapons cache. Silas offered to go with Dennis, and Huck said she’d stay there. She told Dennis that they’d take what they got, and make it work. Newton killed most of the zombies, and Felix did a two-for-one move with double pokey stick. He and Newton dueled with their pokey sticks, while the next bath of zombies got closer. They did a whole swordfight thing, with lots of twirling, but at the end, Felix stabbed Newton, basically disemboweling him. The zombies descended on Newton, and I thought it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
After Jadis landed, she told the guards to secure the containers, and went to the warehouse. Huck was waiting, and knocked Jadis’s gun out of her hand. They fought with some big pipes they grabbed, since the warehouse was like a poor man’s Home Depot. Jadis asked what Huck got for betraying the CRM, and Huck said they were supposed to fight for humanity, but there was nothing humane about what they’d done. Jadis said Huck couldn’t appreciate what they had or what they did, but her mother understood. Huck said her mother had lost her way, but it was always who Jadis was. Jadis said, people were a resource. She’d had someone special, who was an A, but she told the CRM that they were a B, so he woudn’t end up with Huck’s mother. She’d traded him to get into the city, and now she was going to do what Huck couldn’t.
Dennis dug around in an old, locked refrigerator, looking for a timed detonator, among other weapons. Huck told Jadis that the CRM had the blood of a hundred thousand people on their hands, but Jadis said, it was no more than Huck did. What had she thought the intel she brought back was used for? They knew where to hit thanks to Huck. They fought some more, using zombie pokey sticks, and Jadis stabbed Huck. Jadis said it didn’t have to be this way, and Huck fell to the floor. Jadis asked if Huck wanted her to finish her off, or did she want to die alone. Huck told this long story about her father’s gold watch, and said to tell her mother that it wouldn’t bring them back together this time. Jadis saw Huck’s wrist, where her watch was noticeably absent, and a lightbulb came on. She asked how much time she had, but Huck wasn’t telling, and Jadis ran out, telling the guards that they were leaving.
The zombies just kept coming at Hope, Iris, and Elton, until Indira showed up with a machine gun on the top of a truck. She yelled for the kids to duck, and mowed all the zombies down. Huck bled out on the floor, thought about her watch, and smiled. Then everything blew up. Dennis saw the green mushroom cloud in the air, and knew he wasn’t going to be having a life with Huck.
The kids ran to the truck, and for some stupid reason (probably just because it’s the last episode), Elton and Hope paused for a hug, causing Elton to get bit by a random zombie. Silas told Dennis that Huck could still be coming, but Dennis said he didn’t think that was going to be happening. Dennis said he could still get Dennis to the Civic Republic, but Dennis said he wasn’t going to make it; he never was. He told Silas to take the truck and find his friends, but Silas said he didn’t want to give up their second chance. They heard a truck, and Dennis said he was dead one way or another. He wanted Silas to say he was a hostage who got the upper hand on his captor, and make the CRM see him as a hero. He handed Silas his gun, but Silas refused. Dennis said Silas wanted a second chance, and it was the only way. He hadn’t deserved what Huck did, or this. He deserved to have a life, and needed to convince the CRM that he was one of them. They were told to come out with their hands on their head, and Silas told Dennis that he’d find out what the CRM had done. Dennis told him, just do it, and Silas cried, saying he was so sorry. Then he did it.
Everyone met at the rendezvous. Elton had lost a lot of blood, and was secured just in case. Hope said he’d saved her life, and Will gave Indira her medicine that he’d found in Elton’s bag. Iris decided to go with Indira’s people to warn Portland, but told Hope not to leave. The place wasn’t permanent, but it was safe. Cornell was close by, and she’d have the equipment she’d need to continue her research. Iris knew she was supposed to go with Indira, and Hope said it wasn’t about them, but the future. Will suggested he and Felix go too, but Iris said too much needed to be protected there, and Felix agreed.
Jadis met with Silas in her office, and said she bet Silas was wondering why she’d asked him there. She heard what he did, and it must have been an ordeal with Huck’s treasonous husband. She told him that his friends were part of the mutiny, but he said he didn’t want to be a part of it, and they weren’t his friends. Jadis said she knew Dennis had put him up to it, but he went through with it. He’d killed his father, and his mother had abandoned him for it. It took strength. She’d heard he was interested in the military. He said he thought he’d make a good soldier, but she said she thought he’d make a great one. She was taking him on as a special project. She saw him for who he really was, even if he didn’t yet. He would, and she couldn’t wait.
Moving on, Jadis met with Elizabeth on a bench outside. Jadis said she hadn’t found the scientists yet, but she would. Elizabeth said she’d seen herself as an ancestor to a future world indebted to her for her sacrifice. So she’d done monstrous things in order for civilization to reign again, and others could ascend, but what if it just wasn’t possible? What if it never was? Jadis said survivors didn’t break. Instead of making the weak strong, they waited for the strong to become weak. She’d seen the strongest person she knew become vulnerable, and used it. She was doing it now. Elizabeth was to be remanded to the health and welfare complex until she could be tried for treason. If she was looking for someone to blame, blame her daughter. Huck was a traitor, and Elizabeth should have seen it. She allowed the Bennetts to live there, and had allowed the Perimeter to be a threat. Elizabeth said she was the one who brought Jadis in for a security audit, and Jadis said she’s been brought into a world of sh*t, and Elizabeth left when it got out of control. She’d been brought in to take the fall, but as Elizabeth got worse, she looked better. Jadis didn’t have friends, or a child, but she had her ambition. Elizabeth said Bill would have her head, and Jadis asked who Elizabeth thought signed the arrest warrant. They were the last light of the world. The guards took Elizabeth away.
Iris said her goodbyes, and Hope said she’d been thinking back to how they were going to save the world together. They still would, even though they weren’t together. Iris said it didn’t change them; it had showed them who they were. They hugged, there were tears and I love yous, then they gave each other the finger, which I didn’t quite get. As Iris was about to leave, Elton woke up.
To wrap it all up, we heard Elton in a voiceover, saying, there was a time he’d thought they were all going to die, that he believed his was the last generation. We saw scientists working, and he said, for a while, he thought they were the beginning, but that ignored everything and everyone who came before. He knew for sure they were a lot tougher and harder than he thought. We saw Silas as a soldier, and Elizabeth in prison, and Elton said, most things left their mark on all of them, in a way he never expected. We saw Will and Felix holding hands, and Elton said, there was still a lot of good, a lot that was beautiful, and a lot to give them hope. Maybe there was no beginning or end. Maybe it just is. It was whatever they made it. There was no perfect model or predicting if it was the last day or they’d last forever. Maybe all they got to know was now. It would get them there in small steps, and keep them growing and evolving. Those moments put together were life, and that was everything.
We saw Iris, Hope, Elton, and Silas at the beginning, and Elton saying, they’d see who they really were. Elton opened the door.
But wait, there was more.
A woman hooked up a laptop in a decrepit lab. She copied some files, then brought up Dr. Jenner (from TWD) on the screen, talking about getting fresh samples. There were too many variables, and they couldn’t get an accurate biological picture. But in brighter news, the latest data on jumpstarting the circulatory system to cause confusion was promising. A man came in with a gun, and spoke in French, asking if she was one of those doctors. She said she was, and he asked if she’d been in hiding. She said, yes, and he asked if she was on the Primrose team. She said, no, Violet. She told him that Primrose wasn’t there when it happened. When they did what they did, they were at a conference. She’d hoped that somehow they came back; she was tired of running. She hoped they might end this after all this time. The man said, they should be dead, and if they’re not, they wouldn’t jail them like the others; they’d kill them. End this? They’d started this. Then, they made it worse. He shot her, and we saw Dr. Jenner say that he had faith the day would come when they’d beat this thing. The woman sat up, now a zombie, went to the door, and started to bang on it. We saw the sign that said La Biomedicine.
La Fin.
🌬 Blowing Out Like the Wind…
Join me tomorrow for some soap and to see what’s on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay not making the same mistakes twice, and stay being content in just knowing now.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Chase comes home, and Brook says, back so soon from solving crimes? He says he’s taking a shower, then going back out. Brook is painting her toenails, and asks if he could get her some fresh coffee.
Ned sees Julian at the MetroCourt, and Julian asks what he can do for him. Ned says, not for him; for Julian’s son Leo. Leo is wondering when Julian’s next visit will be. Julian says, tell Leo, soon, and Ned says, that sounds vague. Doesn’t he normally schedule it with Olivia? Julian says he does; he’ll give her a call. Ned asks when was the last time Julian heard from Olivia? and Julian asks if she’s missing. Ned says, no, she’s in Geneva to visit Dante. Julian asks Ned to wish her luck, and tell her that he hopes it goes well. Ned says he can do that, or Julian could call. Julian says he’s not sure what’s going on, and doesn’t care, but if Ned wants to know how Olivia is, he should speak to her. Ned says, if only it was that simple, and Julian asks what he means. Ned tells him, never mind, and Julian says he’s as helpful as ever.
Sitting outside Kelly’s, TJ tells Molly, he forgot about Neil’s death. It was so sudden, it knocked everyone for a loop. She says, especially her mom; he died in her bed, and she didn’t even know he had a drug problem. She’s not going to be able to host their commitment ceremony. They’ll need a new venue. He says they might have to postpone it, and she says, it seems inevitable. Stella approaches and says, the problem with their generation is they give in too easy. If they want a ceremony, she’ll get the job done.
Lulu tells Nikolas, she could be wrong, but it sounds like he’s falling for his wife. His phone dings, and he sees the photo of him kissing Elizabeth. Underneath, it says, I know what you did, and he says, what the hell? She asks if it’s bad news, and he reads, Meet me at the docks ASAP. It’s going to cost you big.
Nina says, Ava is falling for Nikolas. Ava’s phone dings, and she sees the photo of her and Franco kissing. Underneath, it says, I know what you did. Nina asks if she’s okay. What did the message say? Ava reads, Meet me at the docks in an hour. It’s going to cost you big.
At a booth in The Floating Rib, Bobbie and Scotty sit with martinis, while Scotty concentrates on shelling nuts. Bobbie tells him, the hardest part is physically being away from the building. She knows details will be missed, or not taken care of as good as they could be. It’s not like the nurses won’t do their jobs without her, but they won’t do it as well. You’d think she’d enjoy her time off. She has ten different household projects she’s been dreaming about, but it doesn’t give her the same sense of fulfillment she had at GH. She sees he’s not paying attention, and says maybe she’ll go back to her old job of giving the girlfriend experience (i.e. – being a hooker). At least she’ll get companionship out of it. She says he hasn’t been listening to a word she said. He says she just told him she’s going back to her former profession, and she tells him that she was pushed to desperate measures. Tell her why he’s so preoccupied.
Sonny asks if Avery is okay, and she says she’s hungry. Sonny suggests they go get a snack. He sees the half-heart necklace on the ground, and picks it up. He says she dropped this, and she says it’s hers. He asks if mommy gave it to her, and she says she thought she’d keep it for good luck. He says, now what? It’s not good?
Carly tells Jax, she hopes anything incriminating stays gone, along with Nelle. Jason comes in, and she says she’s glad he’s there. Sonny is on the back patio talking to Avery about Mike, and Jax came to check on Josslyn. Jason asks how she’s doing, and Jax says she’s sad about Mike, but she’s doing okay. Carly says Josslyn is shopping for a homecoming dress as they speak. Jax says he and Carly will talk later. Just keep in mind what he said before. He says goodbye to Jason, and leaves. Carly tells Jason, she did something he’s not going to like.
Chase asks if Brook has given any more thought as to what she might do. She says, about what? and he says he has a one-bedroom, one bathroom apartment. She can’t be comfortable. She says she can see moving some furniture around to make more space, and he says, maybe there’s someone else she could stay with. She says he’s kicking her out, but he tells her that he didn’t say that. She says he strongly hinted, and in case he forgot, he invited her. Sorry for the inconvenience; she’ll go. He says he didn’t ask her to leave, but she says she doesn’t stay where she’s not wanted. That’s how she ended up there in the first place. He says he’s not kicking her out, but it was supposed to be temporary. They barely know one another. She says, aside from three arrests. He asks if there isn’t a close friend or family member she’d rather live with, and she says she’d rather live under a rock than crawl back to her family.
Julian asks how Brook is, and Ned says, her spirit is unbroken. Julian asks, how about her vocal chords? and Ned says she’s not using them to speak to him. Julian understands, and says he hopes it works out. For what it’s worth, he’s sorry Brook crossed paths with Nelle. Ned says they’re all sorry for the chaos Nelle left in her wake. Julian says, for sure; now she’s a fugitive on the run. Ned thinks it would be a good time to sever ties, and Julian says he plans on it.
Lulu asks Nikolas if it’s something about Spencer, but he says it’s just a business situation he needs to handle. She ask if he’s sure it’s not more about Ava than business. The way he’s acting, it seems like it. He says, a little bit of both, and tells her that they’ll talk later.
Ava says, you know that kiss she told Nina about? and shows Nina the picture. Somebody saw her, and she wonders how it happened. Nina says someone has been following her, but Ava says she was at the gallery. It’s not like she and Franco were making spectacles of themselves. No one was there. At least that’s what she thought. Nina says she was preoccupied with Franco, but Ava says, just for a moment. It wasn’t like her and Nikolas at the cabin.
TJ wonders how Stella manages to show up when she’s needed most. She’s like one of the Avengers; the psychic social worker. Stella says, too much flying. He says with Mike passing, he knows the family was grateful to her. She says she was glad to be there; Mike was a good man. She heard about their commitment ceremony, and Molly says she’ll let TJ fill Stella in, while she grabs a half ice tea, half lemonade. She knows it’s Stella’s favorite. Stella tells TJ to hang onto Molly.
Sonny tells Avery, he thinks the necklace is still good luck. Like how her grandpa is with her always in her heart. She says, but it’s only half, and he says, maybe the other half is out there somewhere. Even if it isn’t, it’s still pretty. He tells her, let’s get a snack, and they go inside.
Scotty tells Bobbie, for cryin’ out loud, he’s not preoccupied; calm down. He’s just thinking about the payoff she’ll get from the hospital for wrongful termination. Bobbie says she doesn’t want a payoff; she wants her job back. But it’s not going to happen as long as Cyrus is Chairman of the Board. Scotty says, okay then, find another job. Bobbie says she had some interest from Mercy, but he laughs and says, that rusty old hospital?The future is in telemedicine. A start-up company would love an experienced nurse. She can get in on the bottom floor, get equity, and when it becomes an IPO, the sky’s the limit. She says, it’s something to explore, and Scotty’s phone dings. He says, ugh. He has to work.
Jason asks Carly if what she needs to tell him is time sensitive. Does he need to do something? She says, no; it already happened. She’s doing potential damage control. He asks if it involves Jax, and she says it does. He says, and Jax doesn’t want him to know? She says Jax doesn’t want him or Sonny to know.
Brook tells Chase to go ahead and call her dramatic, and he says, isn’t she? She asks if it isn’t the ultimate betrayal, being abandoned by her family. They threw her into the street. He says he saw her dad’s face outside her hospital room, and Monica and Michael’s. No family is perfect, but it’s clear her family loves her and wants to help. She says she knows they love her. Staying there isn’t about what they did to her, but what she did to them.
TJ sees Stella looking at him, and says, what? and Stella says she’s just checking his beautiful face. When Curtis said he’d been beaten, it nearly killed her. How is he doing, really? He says, a few more PT sessions, and he’ll be good as new. She says she was sure he was off licking his wounds after Molly turned down his proposal, but that wasn’t the case. No one expected him to be abducted, least of all him. A person doesn’t go through hell and not carry some of it back with them. How is he really? The truth.
Carly says she knows what Jason is thinking. She didn’t sleep with Jax. He says he didn’t think so, but what’s going on? The doorbell rings, and she tells him, wait. He says he’s not going anywhere. It’s Lulu, and Carly invites her in. Carly says she’s sorry. She’s been meaning to call and thank Lulu and her mother for the donation to Alzheimer’s research. It was generous of them. Lulu says she was thinking about how Mike lent a sympathetic ear when she was a teen. Sonny joins them, and Lulu says she wanted to tell him how sorry she was, and see how he’s doing. He says Mike’s passing was peaceful, but he couldn’t have done it without the support of the family. She says she’s sorry Dante wasn’t there. She knows he’d love the chance to be supportive as well.
Nina wonders if Nikolas took the picture, but Ava says he went to the cabin to catch her cheating. There would have been no point if he’d taken it. And there was nothing going on with her and Franco, contrary to the proof. She asks how she could be so sloppy, and Nina asks what she’s going to do. Ava says they want big money, but she doesn’t have that yet. It could put her fidelity in question, and it’s the ammunition Nikolas needs to divorce her without her getting a dime.
Nikolas goes to the pier, and says, whatever Ava paid to get them to take the picture, he’ll pay much more. He looks up the stairs and says, you’ve got to be kidding.
Brook tells Chase, believe it or not, she gets why her dad threw her out. From his perspective, she betrayed the family when she sold her stock; never mind the other Quartermaines who did. She should have known better, and should have said something. That’s on her. Chase says, none of that mattered when she was fighting for her life and almost died. She asks if he thinks bygones should be bygones. If she didn’t have the power now, her dad wouldn’t be begging her to come home. He traded anger for pity. He’s not sorry; he feels sorry for her. It’s the one thing she can’t bear to live with. She tells Chase, it’s his space, and he wants her gone, and she will be, but she’s not going home. Chase’s phone rings, and he asks if they’re sure. He’s on his way. Brook asks if it’s a killing spree, a bank robbery, or another one of Lulu’s epic pouts. He says he understands where she’s coming from, but he thinks she’s underestimating her family. She can stay there as long as she needs to. He opens the door, and Ned is there. He says he understands his daughter is there, and Chase says, she’s all his. He leaves, and Ned comes in. He says, Brook, sweetheart, we need to talk. She says, we absolutely do not.
TJ asks if Stella can’t just enjoy the visit, and not have to use her social worker superpowers on him. She tells him, start talking, and he says, yes. The abduction was terrifying and painful; all of it. He doesn’t know who they were or what they wanted. The police have no leads, and all he can do is focus on his career and his life with Molly. She says she wants what’s best for him, and wants him to grab what he can from life, but there are no shortcuts to healing. He says he wakes up from the nightmares, and feels like he’s still tied up. He doesn’t know if he’s going to live or die. The thing that got him through it was thinking of Molly, and knowing she was waiting. Molly listens from the doorway.
Nina asks if Ava has any idea who would blackmail her like that. Ava says, in general, she can think of plenty of people, but this? No one who would care. It’s not like Nikolas has a lot of people rooting for him. Nina says, maybe Nikolas hired a P.I., and Ava says, maybe a P.I. wants to shake her down. Even if she’s right, that doesn’t solve the problem of the picture. Whoever took it has proof of her indiscretion with Franco, and she has to decide what to do about it.
Nikolas tells the mystery person that he’s not handing over that kind of money. He needs 24 hours. If they do anything with the photo before then, they’re done.
On the patio, Lulu and Sonny look at pictures. Lulu says, Mike with Ruby, were they a thing? Sonny says his dad only wished. She was immune to Mike’s flirting. Lulu says, she must have had an iron will. She doesn’t know how Ruby resisted his charms. Sonny says, Mike was everyone confidant and friend. Everyone adored Mike, except him.
Carly says she’ll tell Jason what happened, and he can tell her what he thinks. Something serious happened. Jason says, and Jax knows, and doesn’t want her to tell Sonny. She says she couldn’t, and she doesn’t feel she can tell him now. I tell her, well, for God’s sake, tell Jason before he has apoplexy. He looks like his head is going to explode.
Molly tells Stella, you’d think a dining room table is the last thing they’d need, but you’d be wrong. They’re students, and spend half their lives there. TJ’s phone rings, and he steps away to take the call. Stella says she’s glad she and Molly can spend some time alone. So much has happened. How is Molly holding up? Molly says, okay. TJ was the worst of it. Stella says, Lord knows it must have gone through her mind that TJ walked out on their commitment, especially after she refused his proposal. Molly says, he wasn’t taking her calls, and Jordan told her that he didn’t want to talk to her; that she should be responsible for her own actions. She got more and more desperate, until she finally… Stella says, what? but Molly says she doesn’t want to say. Stella says she thinks she understands. She’ll say it for Molly. She finally lost faith in TJ.
Ava says she’ll tell Nina one thing, she’s not losing her claim for one picture of her and Franco. She gets up, and Nina says she’s not thinking of going by herself? Why don’t she and Jax go with her? Ava says she can handle it, and jets. Jax comes over, and asks, what’s going on with Ava? Does he want to know? Nina says, no. It’s just a reminder of how glad she is to have a relationship with him. No games and no secrets.
Carly tells Jason, Sonny just lost Mike. Like he doesn’t know. She says, he needs time to grieve. She can’t put it on him unless Jason thinks she should. He says, obviously she’s trying to protect Sonny, and she says, that’s all she’s doing. She just wants to protect Sonny.
Sonny tells Lulu, he held on to so much anger, and couldn’t let it go. She says, he had a right to his anger. However wonderful Mike was to the rest of them, he left Sonny when he was a little boy. She wouldn’t want that for Rocco, hating Dante. It’s not the same struggle, but Sonny made peace with Mike’s gambling being a disease. Once he understood that, is when he started to forgive. It happened the way it was supposed to.
Bobbie signs the receipt, and Scotty returns to the table. He says his clients think his time has no value. Where were they? She says, nowhere, and he asks if she’s mad. She says she’s mad and disappointed. Scotty says she’s right, and he’ll make it up to her, but she says she’s not mad and disappointed at him. He suggests they enjoy their cocktails then. She says he’s being who he is – himself, a self-absorbed schemer. He has good intentions, but a terrible follow-through. He says, that’s harsh, and she says she adores him. He’s the sweetest guy when he gets out of his own way, which is never. He’s a good friend, but a lousy boyfriend. The person she’s mad and disappointed at is herself, for going down the same road again, knowing how it ends again. What scares her is one day she’ll lose his friendship, and it will break her heart. For both their sakes, she’s calling it quits. Aww.
Ava waits for the elevator, and Nikolas comes out of it. She says he’s not following her or having her followed, is he? He says he didn’t know where she was. She says she hopes not. They both saw how his jealousy ended last night. He says he thinks they need to talk – about us.
Brook asks Ned if something is the matter, and he says, it’s a nice apartment… She says, but… and he says this can’t be how she wants to live, sleeping on a couch in someone else’s living room. She says, you don’t know until you’ve tried it, and he says doesn’t she want to go home? They can work through their issues. She says, why do that? and he says she’s been through a trauma. Not just the attack, but how he treated her, his daughter. She’ll always be his daughter, and he wants to take care of her. She says, that never works out.No matter how good the intentions, they inevitably disappear. They get angry, and end up hurting each other, like they always do. He says, it doesn’t have to be that way. They can be better. She says, even if that’s true, it’s not a good time to try it. Doesn’t he have a big enough mess to clean up?
Scotty says, don’t do this, but Bobbie says, it’s already done. He says they can undo it. They can talk about anything she wants. She thanks him for teaching her a valuable lesson. The next time she has a setback, she’ll face it, and not fall back on a sort of romance to feel safe. It’s good – he makes her laugh a lot – until she finds out he’s cheating. He says he doesn’t always, and she says he can’t if they’re not together. Good luck with his client. He thanks her for the drink, and she says she put it on his tab. He looks at the tab, and does a spit-take, and Bobbie says, the next time they meet for drinks as friends, he’ll know not to keep her hanging.
Stella says, how would Molly know? It’s not like she’s had experience. She never had a serious relationship other than TJ, and no history with other men. She’s not trying to embarrass Molly; she’s putting herself in Molly’s shoes. She might have questioned the relationship, if she’d thought he walked out after their first disagreement. Molly says, Stella doesn’t blame her? and Stella says, for doubting? If Molly had said she never wavered, Stella would have known Molly was lying to her and herself. She’s glad she’s come to know and love Molly. It’s no sin to doubt. Better to doubt than to deceive.
Ava tells Nikolas, they should stick to the plan. They’ll rendezvous at Windymere, and see what happens. She gets in the elevator.
Nina asks Jax how Josslyn is, and he says, okay. She’s sad about Mike, of course (🍷), but she’s carrying on. He felt it had less to do with that, than a lesson of the heart. Sometimes he just has to listen. Nina says, do her a favor, and share some of his parental wisdom. She wants to be that kind of a parent if she finds her child one day.
Lulu says, when Mike was diagnosed, Sonny brought Mike home to live with him. Think of what’s happened in the two and a half years Mike has been there. Sonny recreated Luke’s Club; it was a gift.Even though Mike’s memory was fading he could feel it in his heart. Sonny never failed be present. All Mike wanted was to find his way back to Sonny, and Sonny gave that to him. He gave Mike the one thing that made him happy – a family.
Carly says she wants to tell Sonny, and Jason says, do what she needs, but it’s not fair. She should give Sonny a chance to be there for her. She’d hate if Sonny did that to her. She says he’s right. She needs to tell him. She needs to tell them both.
Ned says Brook can’t expect him to walk away, and leave things the way they are. She says, why not? She’s still the same daughter, and it’s not enough for him. He could give her all the I’m sorries in the world right now. He says it’s not too late, and she tells him not to hold his breath. He says there’s unfinished business between them. Fighting with his daughter, another Quartermain trait they’d be better off without. She says, it’s a shame that’s who they are.
Lulu and Sonny come in, and Lulu says Jason should have seen the pictures her mom sent. There’s one of Jason and Mike, when Jason was a valet at the club. Carly says she’d like to see that. Sonny says he’ll walk Lulu out. At the door, he says her mom did a world of good, sending the pictures. She thanks him for sharing them with her. She’s keeping him in her prayers, and Mike too. I don’t think Mike looked like he needed prayers when he went off with Courtney, but okay; it’s nice of Lulu. Sonny thanks her, and goes back to join Carly and Jason. He says, what? and Carly says, something happened and she needs to tell them both. Jason’s phone rings, and he says, it could be important.
TJ comes back, and Stella says Molly was giving her pearls of wisdom on their not-married commitment ceremony. TJ says, all that matters is he’s sharing his life with Molly. He hopes Stella isn’t disappointed. She says, two of her favorite people, vowing to cherish and love each other; it’s icing on the cake. There will be cake, right?
Ava goes to the pier, and says, all right she’s there. Where are they? She feels someone behind her, and turns around, pointing a gun at them.
Nikolas looks at the picture of him and Elizabeth. He deletes it.
Jax says he doesn’t know how big Mike’s funeral might be. He’ll ask Carly if he should go. Nina asks if he thinks Nelle might show up. Forget she said that. Nelle is probably halfway across the country by now.Has Carly heard anything from the police; do they have any leads? He says, no more than he does, and he doesn’t know any more
Jason thanks the caller. He tells Sonny, it’s an update from their guy at the PCPD. They can confirm Nelle is dead. They’ve found the body.
Tomorrow, Chase tells Jason that he’s come on police business, Willow asks Sasha if she’s still in love with Michael, Ava asks if she’s being blackmailed, and Carly says she didn’t lie; she just didn’t tell them everything.
💎 Shortest RHOBH Recap Yet…
Even though Kyle said, the Secrets Revealed show was, the sh*t you thought you got away with, there were neither any secrets nor any revelations. Except for one. I finally found out that Dorit’s Gucci ice cubes were ice cubes shaped like the Gucci logo. As I’ve said, it’s either nice, peaceful stuff that didn’t make the cut since it was too low-key, or stuff that was a real snooze.
There were some nice moments between Garcelle and Denise, where they talked about acting and family life. We saw a little more of their NYC trip, and Erika told us, New York City in the 80s is where it was at. We agree on this. However, when getting a hot dog, not one of them knew what sauerkraut was. Since Teddi is supposed to know about nutrition (see more on that in links below), I’m surprised she doesn’t know it’s fermented cabbage. And WTF? A Nathan’s hot dog without sauerkraut from the hot dog cart? Go back to Beverly Hills, the lot of you. There was also ax throwing and drinking canned wine at a dive bar. In her interview, Denise remarked that the women were a little out of place. Okay, Denise can stay.
Kyle told us that she wants Farrah engaged to boyfriend Alex asap, because she wants to be a young grandmother. Her mom had five grandchildren by her age. In one of the things I would have liked to see during the season, Kyle had discovered a picture online of a women wearing one of the rings she’d had stolen. (Some time back, there was a break-in at Kyle’s house, where all her bags and jewelry were taken.) She and Teddi played amateur detective, and went on a hunt to find the woman, who was a psychic with very distinctive nails.
Garcelle’s new house just missed the fires, and she managed to move in before quarantine.
The secret behind Bravo, Bravo, Bravo – which is no secret if you’ve watched Bravo, Bravo, Bravo for any length of time, time, time – was that if the phrase was said, the footage wouldn’t be aired. Apparently, this information came from Kyle, who said, it was a misunderstanding of an old joke. LisaR, who couldn’t stand being left out, said the information probably came from her.
In another scene I would have liked to have seen, we attended Sutton’s 48th birthday party, where the cake was displayed inside a giant birdcage adorned with flowers. It was also on a swing, which Sutton sat on after the cake was removed. I think. She was a bit tipsy. Jennifer Tilly was a guest, and we found out that instead of a tiara that year, Dolce and Gabbana sent Sutton a toaster. TBH, it was a pretty cool toaster.
They ended the show with a clip from the reunion, where Sutton said, quarantine was so bad, she’d go to Rome with them again tomorrow.
🏆 Better Late Than Never…
A rundown on the Emmys. Schitt’s Creek gets a paddle.
Teddi is out at RHOBH, but not for being a full-fledged mean girl after being merely a follower last season. She’s finally had to take accountability for her lousy fitness program.
Can it be? Can I truly get to bed before almost sunrise? I’m going to do my best, and you do yours by making it your business to stay safe, stay progressing, and stay being the icing on the cake.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Ned brings Alexis to the hospital, and Portia asks what she can do for them. Alexis says she can reassure Ned there’s nothing wrong with her. Portia says she’ll need a few more details, and Alexis says she fell at the gym and aggravated an old injury. Ned says it was weeks ago, and Alexis is still in pain. Portia says she can examine Alexis and Ned can come if Alexis is okay with it. Alexis says she wants Ned to be there when Portia tells her there’s nothing wrong.
Outside Kelly’s, TJ tells Brando he’s being too hard on himself. He just got out of the hospital, maybe it was too early for him to get out on the field. Brando says, from now on, they stick to basketball, and TJ says he should have said that earlier. Moving forward, they’ll stick to the court. Molly sees them together and looks horrified.
New York City. Nina asks Jax, how is it this woman who paid to have her necklace divided became her nurse twenty years later? He says, it would be quite the coincidence, and she says, there has to be a connection. She knows what happened to Nina’s child.
Josslyn tells Jason, it might sound crazy, but she wanted to feel her lungs fill up with air. He says it doesn’t sound crazy, and she wonders how long it’s been since Mike ran until he was out of breath. Little by little, everything was taken away from him until there was nothing left. She cries, and says she doesn’t even know what she’s saying anymore. He was a great grandpa. She’s going to miss him. Jason says he’ll miss Mike too, and she says Mike dies, and all she wants is to feel alive. He says, that’s what Mike would have wanted. Mike made some big mistakes, but he lived his life. He didn’t stand on the sidelines, watching and criticizing. Mike made sure he lived. He took chances and had to live with the consequences. There are people who run the race, and people who stand by and do nothing but watch. He knows she’s going to be someone who runs the race. She’s won’t know who’s going to win, but those are lessons she’ll learn. She’s going to live her life to the fullest, and it’s all Mike would have asked for.
Sonny looks at the picture of the boy on the bike, and shows it to Carly, asking if she saw this picture that Avery drew. His dad loved it, and said it looked like Sonny when he was a kid, but he doesn’t think it looks like him. They laugh, and Sonny says his dad never gave him the bike he wanted when he was a kid. He nursed that broken promise for years, and thought it was proof Mike wasn’t a good father. He didn’t know it haunted Mike. Even when his mind was gone, he needed to get Sonny the bike, and keep his word. Carly says Mike knew Sonny loved him, and Sonny says he knows. He asks if she can imagine them riding bikes together after all these years. The laugh some more, and Sonny says, it hurts.
Winston tells Ethan and Robert to keep their hands where he can see them. He says, this must be Ethan Lovett. He was afraid the calvary would come riding to the rescue when Holly placed the call. Robert says Winston knew Holly was alive.
Winston says, he takes their lack of professional detachment to mean there’s a personal interest. Robert calls Winston a smarmy bastard, and says, tell him where Holly is, or he’ll rip Winton’s throat out with his bare hands. Winston says Robert showed up for a gunfight with no gun, and tells his henchmen to restrain them, without shooting if possible. He tells Robert, Holly was investigating their less than reputable businesses that were being run from the casino. When he learned of her interest, he arranged for her ship to sink, but brought her there to manage her. They wanted to know just how much the Bureau had. Ethan tells him to take them to Holly, but Winston says she managed to distract a guard, and appropriate his phone. By the time they knew what was going on, it was too late. Robert says he knew it was her voice. Where is she? Winston says she had to be dealt with, and Robert asks what that means. Winston says, he’ll demonstrate. He raises his gun, but Olivia comes up behind him, and hits him over the head with an automatic weapon that she got from who knows where.
Nikolas tells Ava, he squandered his son’s chance at being close with this grandfather, and having a connection to his own mother. Mike knew Courtney better than he did; the things could Mike could have shared. It goes to show how messed up his priorities are. Ava says they’ve all been there, but he says, not as much as he has. The truth is, he keeps making the same mistakes. He doesn’t see how valuable something is until he lets it go.
Chase brings Brook to Turning Woods, and Brook thanks Michael for letting her know. She asks if Sonny is in Mike’s room, and Michael says he is, so she goes to find him. Chase tells Michael that he gave Brook a ride. He’s sorry about Mike. Michael thanks him for bringing Brook. He thinks it will do his dad good to see her. He knows she had a big fight with Ned, and she’s too prideful to accept help. He’s worried about her being by herself. She didn’t say anything about a plan, and he wonders if she has a place to stay. Chase says he thinks she’s going to crash with him.
Nina tells Jax, after all the years of unanswered questions, she has an actual fact. He tells her, be prepared; she might not like what Phyllis has to say. She says she knows, and thanks him. Because of his connections, she’s closer than ever before to knowing what happened to her child. It would mean the world to her. He says he’d give her the world if he could, and she says she knows he would.
Molly joins TJ and Brando, and TJ says he believes Molly is a couple of minutes late; she’s obnoxious about being on time. Brando says he’s guilty of it too; it was drilled into him in the military. Molly says she didn’t know Brando was joining them, and TJ says they’re having a drink after their game. He’s buying; a consolation prize for beating Brando in all 8 innings. Brando asks if they don’t have plans, and Molly says, just studying medicine and law. TJ says they can take one night off, but Molly says, maybe Brando has someplace to be.
Portia presses on Alexis’s wrist, and asks if it hurts. Alexis says, ow! and Portia says, it’s definitely swollen. It might be more than a sprain. Ned says Alexis got an injury last summer, and Alexis says she thinks Portia was speaking to her. He says, sorry, and she says she slipped on the porch steps, and when she tried to steady herself, jammed her wrist. It ached for a week or two, then it felt better, until she fell at the gym. Portia asks if there was any weakness, and Alexis says, some in between incidents. Portia asks if it was continuous, and Alexis says not that she can recall. Portia asks, what about this time? and Alexis says this time, it’s been aching since she fell at the gym. She’s left-handed, and trying not do things with her left hand, and icing it. Portia asks if she’s done anything besides icing it, and Alexis says, nothing stronger than taking over the counter medication. She’s a recovering addict, and also highly sensitive after Neil’s death. Portia says she can prescribe a non-narcotic pain medication. They can take x-rays, and take it from there. She’s sorry to hear about Neil. She didn’t work with him very long, but he was a good man. Portia leaves, and Ned says, it’s okay to cry. He won’t judge.
Olivia says, a little help here? and Robert and Ethan deck the guards. Robert takes the gun from Olivia, and Ethan punches a guard one more time, saying, that one was for his mother. Robert gets on the phone, and says, it’s former field agent Robert Scorpio, and he’d like a direct line to the field office for District 3. He has a prisoner of interest.
Alexis cries, and says, the last place she expected to be was an examining room. Ned says he’s sorry, and suggests she get checked out; not just her wrist, everything. She says Neil was only in her life for two years, but changed it so much. He got her to dig inside for answers, and believe she’s worth being loved without conditions, secrets, or pain. If she hadn’t met him, she wouldn’t have risked her career for happiness. Now he’s just gone, and she’s in there getting a check-up for her aching wrist, like it’s any other day. Life just goes on, but it doesn’t. It’s not fair. Ned holds her, and says he’s so sorry.
Molly says Brando doesn’t want to hang out with a couple of studyholics. He might have someone to see. TJ says, the ladies are probably lining up, but Brando says he’s going through a dry spell. TJ says Molly can hook him up with one of her friends from law school. Ashley and CJ are smart and fun. Molly says she’ll see what she can do, and TJ says he’ll grab some ice teas, and Molly can arrange something with her friends. Molly says, no pressure, and TJ goes inside Kelly’s. She says TJ and Brando are bonding all over the place, and Brando says TJ is a good guy, but he’ll start making himself scarce.
Ava comes running in, and tells Nikolas, Avery is gone. The sliding door was open, and she’s gone. He says, she couldn’t have gone far.
Looking in the phone directory, Nina says she told Jax that she just wanted a trail to follow, and this is it. The woman she remembered, and will recognize when she sees, but she still has to find her. Who knew there were so many Phillis Caulfield in NYC? He says, there’s more than one? and she says, a lot more. Jax gets a call from Josslyn, and asks if everything is okay. Josslyn says, actually, no, and he says, Mike? Josslyn says, he’s gone. She knows it’s a good thing. It was time, and he doesn’t have to suffer now, but she just wanted to call and hear his voice, and know he’s still there to talk to. He says, always.
Sonny thanks Brook for everything she did for his dad. When she would visit and sing, Mike lit up like a kid. She says she’s glad Mike liked her singing and company, but the person he lit up for was Sonny. He loved Sonny so much, and Sonny was with him to the end. He did good. So, so good.
Avery walks through the woods with a flashlight.
Molly says, so Brando is just going to take off and leave her to explain? He says, isn’t that what she wants? She says she’s asking him not to be rude. When TJ challenges him to a basketball game or whatever, he can be busy. He tells her not to worry; he’s not getting in her business. She says she and TJ are in a great place; she’s not worried. There’s not going to be a repeat them. He says, no offense, but he’s not looking for one. She says, no offense, but she’s clear about what she wants in life, and it’s TJ. He says he likes hanging out with TJ; he’s a cool guy. TJ likes hanging out with him and wants to be friends, but he doesn’t lie to friends. She says neither does she, and he says maybe they should tell TJ the truth.
Ned waits in the hallway, and Portia says she wanted to give Alexis privacy, since Ned isn’t a family member. The orthopedic specialist confirmed it’s a fracture, which explains her limited movement and pain. Alexis says it’s not like when she fell in the spring, and it healed on its own. Portia says women lose bone density rapidly after menopause, and can get a fracture easily. They’re going to put her wrist in a cast. They stay on six to eight weeks, sometimes longer, but that only addresses the immediate injury. She suggests Alexis consult with the specialist, and have more tests to see if bone loss is the reason for the break. A fall shouldn’t result in a fracture, and there could be an underlying condition.
Jax tells Josslyn that he’ll be home first thing in the morning. In between, if she needs to, what should she do? She says, call him, and he says, that’s right. He loves her. She says she loves him too.
Avery finds Nelle’s half of the heart necklace, and hears Ava calling to her. Avery says, ooh, pretty. Ava calls again, and she says, coming, mom.
A WSB agent tells Robert his people are doing a sweep of the casino. There’s a laundry list of illegal activities there, enough to put Winston and his cronies in Steinmaur until they’re old and grey. Ethan asks if they found his mother, but the agent says, there’s no sign of Holly. She’s not there, if she ever was. Robert grabs Winston by his lapels, picks him up and shoves him against the wall, saying, you bastard, where is she?
Josslyn says, it must be strange for Willow. She joined the family five minutes ago, then has to jump into this experience. Willow says it’s sad, and she’s sorry about their grandfather, but what she’s experiencing is really how close they are, and how much they love each other. She was never part of a family in that way. To see them help sustain each other makes her more grateful than before.
Winston says, Holly is gone, and Robert says, son of a bitch. The agent says, let him go, and Robert drops him. Robert says, he’s lying, but the agent says it’s out of Robert’s hands. The Bureau is taking over. Ethan says, hell, the Bureau sent her there, and kicks Winston, asking, where is my mother? Winston says, gone. Disparue. What’s Mandarin for gone? The agent tells Ethan, don’t make them arrest him. They’ll search the grounds. The WSB is grateful for their help, so they avoided running Ethan’s name and finding out he has outstanding warrants. He’d like to see Ethan walk out a free man, so don’t kick Winston again. He tells another agent to help him load the prisoner for transport, and they take Winston out. Ethan says, Winston is lying. He has to be.
Molly says she thinks about telling TJ every day, and Brando says he thinks if she tells him the actual reason – that she thought he was ghosting her – he’ll realize there’s nothing to forgive. She says, except for keeping the truth from him. He says he’ll keep his distance, and she says she doesn’t want that; obviously TJ doesn’t want that. He says TJ can’t force him to shoot hoops; he has a garage to run. And if she keeps driving her hybrid like a tank, she’s going to severely damage it. TJ comes back with the drinks, and says, sorry. He was phoning a guy in his study group. He asks if Molly gave Brando contact with CJ and Ashley.
Willow asks if Michael is going to wait for his parents, but he says he thinks his dad would like to be alone with his mom for a bit. He and Willow leave.
Carly tells Sonny that she spoke with administration, and he can have all the time he wants with Mike. Sonny asks if they’re ready to take him, and she says if he’s ready. He says, let’s do this. He goes over to Mike, and picks up the drawing. He says he got his bicycle. He loves this bike; he loves this picture. And I’ll always love you, dad. He cries a little, and joins Carly.
Back at the cabin, Ava tells Avery, no more woods. Promise her. Avery promises.
Portia tells Alexis, a nurse practitioner will come in to cast her, and she can consult with the orthopedic specialist. They might be able to run more tests tonight. Alexis says, it’s kind of her to offer, but she’d like to get home. She’s dealing with a lot, and just wants to take a moment to catch her breath. She promises to make an appointment. Portia says, obviously, it’s her call, but she doesn’t advise putting it off, since any underlying condition needs to be addressed. Alexis asks what tests the specialist will want to run, and Portia says a big term that means bone density scan. Alexis asks what condition Portia thinks she has, and Portia says, the specialist will explain in depth. Alexis says the specialist isn’t there, Portia is. What does Portia thinks she’s dealing with? Portia says, based on her symptoms, Alexis might have osteoporosis.
Brando tells TJ, the garage needs his attention; he has no time for a social life. TJ says he’s said the same thing a million times. If not for Molly, he’d have no social life. Brando says, there’s only one Molly, but TJ says, her friends are really cool. What if the set up a meeting while supporting a righteous cause? They have a group who’s standing with GH. Brando says, against what? and Molly says, not what; who. Cyrus Renault, the Chairman of the Board.
Ethan tells Robert, the agent told them they have enough on Winston to send him to Steinmaur. They can use it as a bargaining chip, and trade Holly’s whereabouts for a lighter sentence. Robert says, Holly wasn’t an agent; she did contract work. They’re not going to bargain for her return. Ethan says, they have to. They said she was investigating the casino. She risked her life for the Bureau; they have to find her. The agent comes back, and says, they did find her. They found a shallow grave, containing a woman’s body burned beyond recognition. Ethan says, it could be anyone, and the agent says, they’ll find out when they do an autopsy, but the body matches Holly’s height and build. And they found this. He gives Robert something, and says, it was on the body. Ethan asks, what is it? and Robert shows him a ring.
We see Holly and Robert back when we were all so much younger. He says she should have a ring. He bought it a while back, and after tonight, he realized she might want it for appearances sake. He puts it in her hand, and she thanks him.
Robert tells Ethan, it’s Holly’s wedding ring.
Outside Turning Woods, a staff member says they have something for Sonny. It came several weeks ago, and they put it in the back for safe keeping. Sorry no one told him. They bring out a bicycle with a big bow on it, and my heart sings. Carly says, how… and he says, who cares? He hands her the picture, and opens the card. Sonny reads, Sonny, this is late, but I hope it’s not too late. I love you. Dad. She says, it’s a beauty, and he says, it’s perfect.
Nikolas asks Ava if Avery is all right, and she says, Avery is snug as a bug in a rug. She thanks him for helping her look, and being wonderful with her. She thinks he’s got himself a fan in her daughter. He says Ava must be relieved they found her. She’s quite an adventurous girl. He wonders where she gets it from. Ava asks if he’s leaving, and he says, yeah. He thinks there’s been enough excitement for one night. He asks if she’s returning to Windymere tomorrow, and she says she is. It’s her home. He tells her, goodnight, and she says, drive safe.
Jax says he hates to bail on Nina, but she says, is he out of his mind? Of course (🍷) he has to be with his daughter. This can wait. He says she could continue without him, and she says she could, but she wants him to be with her, no matter how it ends, if he wants to be. He says he does, and she asks if he’d mind company on the flight back. He says he’d love that. We see the necklace around her neck.
Avery takes the necklace out from under her pillow, and puts it in her backpack. She gets back in bed.
Brando says he understands why the hospital isn’t thrilled by Cyrus being on the board – Molly says, Chairman of the Boar – but maybe they could volunteer for another cause. TJ says, GH is the heart of Port Charles. They can’t let Cyrus corrupt it. He’s signing up staff members, and Molly is pulling some people from law school. Brando says, Cyrus could bring them a lot of trouble, and TJ says, let him bring it. The hospital is worth fighting for. Brando asks if Molly agrees, and she says she backs TJ all the way. Brando says, okay; he’s in. TJ says he knew it. Brando might be a sorry softball player, but he’s a man with principles. Brando hopes Molly’s friends are worth the trouble.
Alexis asks if osteoporosis isn’t common in women older than she is, but Portia says, that’s a misconception. Post-menopausal women over 50 are at risk. She can’t say for certain that’s it though, until the test results come back. Alexis says she’ll make arrangements. Ned pops in, and asks if everything is okay. Alexis says she’s waiting to get a cast, and tells him, go ahead and say it – I told you so. He says he’s just thankful she’s being treated. He tells her, he’ll wait outside, but Alexis says, they’d like to run more tests; it could take time. She’ll grab a Ride Share. He says, nice try. He’s not going anywhere. For once, stop arguing and say thank you. She says, thank you, and he says he’ll be outside.
Ned calls Olivia, and says, come on. Call him back.
Olivia gives Robert a drink, saying she thinks he could use this. Ethan says Holly was wearing the ring the last time he saw her. They met in Singapore to run game on a billionaire. Robert says he gave it to her when they got married. One thing after another happened, and it wound up in a safety deposit box in Switzerland. He gave it back to her after a two-year separation, saying, while they were separated, they were never going to be done with each other. He says he never should have given Ethan false hope that she was alive, but Ethan says now they know the truth, and who’s responsible. Robert says he should have gotten there sooner, and Olivia says he did what he could, but he says, it doesn’t feel like it. The agent comes in, and says the Bureau sent for a plane to take them home; it’s waiting on the tarmac in Nice. Robert wonders why the Bureau is so accommodating, and the agent says they’ve wanted the casino shut down, and now they were given a way to do it. Olivia says, as a girl from Kansas said, there’s no place like home. Robert asks Ethan if he’s going somewhere, and Ethan says, any continent but this one. When they leave, a man comes out and makes a call.
We see a woman’s hand pick a phone up. The man says, they’re gone. Scorpio and Ethan were given proof she’s dead. The casino was shut down, but the Bureau might be able to link the place to her. Winston knows to keep his mouth shut about what she really did with Holly. On one of the screens, we see a room with a woman sitting on the floor, leaning against a bed. She gets up, and starts yelling, open the door. Holly looks at the camera, and says, you bastard, let me out of here.
On Monday, Lulu asks Curtis what his fascination with her mother is; Curtis tells Jordan that she should have skipped this visit; and Jason tells Brando, he told Sonny they need a plan, but it will take both of them.
The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you are finished. – Nelson De Mille
It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. – Albert Einstein
Technology without morality is barbarous; morality without technology is impotent. – Freeman Dyson
You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. – Epicurus
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself. – Harvey Fierstein
Maturity is achieved when a person accepts life as full of tension. – Joshua L. Liebman (Hmm… Apparently I’ve been mature since I was 5.)
I Call You Dog
Author Unknown
When God had made the earth and sky,
The flowers and the trees,
He then made all the animals,
The fish, the birds and bees.
And when at last He’d finished,
Not one was quite the same,
God said, “I’ll walk this earth of mine,
And give each one a name.”
And so He traveled far and wide,
And everywhere He went,
A little creature followed Him,
Until its strength was spent.
When all were named upon the earth,
And in the sky and sea,
The little creature said, “Dear Lord,
There’s not one left for me.”
Kindly the Father said to him,
“I’ve left you to the end,
I’ve turned my own name back to front,
And called you DOG, my friend.”
🍂 A New Season…
We made it to autumn, and another weekend. Or whatever name you’ve made up for what used to be your weekend. No matter the term, stay safe, stay discriminating, and stay running the race instead of watching from the sidelines.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
At the MetroCourt, Carly tells Bobbie, she should sue. Diane would gladly take the case. Bobbie says, another lawsuit would only hurt the hospital, and Carly says the hospital fired her. Bobbie says, Cyrus fired her, but Carly says, they both know he had help. They look over to see Valentin sitting with Martin.
Valentin thinks Martin should have a shot. After the antics of his last client, he could use one. Martin says he’s sure he doesn’t know what Valentin means, and Valentin wonders if Nelle’s latest disappearing act is for real.
Sam tells Jason, her actions caused Bobbie and Monica to be fired, but Jason thinks it’s reaching just a little bit. She says, is it? She gave Valentin consent to vote Danny and Scout’s proxy. He says, and she was assigned a new parole officer. She says, so he was able to move back in, and that’s great, but it left the hospital open for Cyrus’s control. He thinks it’s her fault, doesn’t he?
Alexis looks at the syringe, now sitting in a plastic bag. Julian says, the police are on their way to pick up the evidence. She says she’s not sure why, since it was accidental. He says, maybe he should take it, and reaches for it, but Alexis snatches it up. He says because of the prevalence of opioid deaths, the police are treating all drug induced OD’s as homicides.
Jordan asks why Cyrus murdered Neil, and he says, I beg your pardon? She says, it’s a simple question, and she’s not wearing a wire. He can speak freely. Why did he kill Neil? He says, all right; he’ll play along. Who’s Neil? She says he died of an OD, with no prior history of drug use, and he says, by definition, addicts are good at hiding their addiction. She says, like Bob and Mark? and he says, how hypocritical of them. They planted the evidence that framed him for being a drug lord, when they were sampling the wares. He can’t thank her enough for exposing their corruption. She says she doesn’t know what game he’s playing, but what’s the connection between him and Neil?
Josslyn, Cameron, and Trina go to Charlie’s. Trina goes over to say hello to Ava at the bar, and Josslyn says she’s been meaning to tell Cameron that she knows. He says, okay… She says now that she knows, they don’t have to be weird. She and Trina talked through everything, and she’s totally cool with it.
Alexis asks Julian if she’s supposed to believe Neil was a user all this time, when she had no idea. Not when he was her therapist, not when they were stumbling through their relationship, not even when he was in her own bed, but apparently, he was. There was the bloodwork, a puncture wound, and now Julian found the syringe under her bed. Julian suggests he hang on to it until the police get there, and Alexis says she was so certain that she was making a better choice. It turns out she was just falling for a better liar.
Valentin doesn’t suppose part of Martin’s service was to hustle Nelle off to an undisclosed location. Martin says, no, and Valentin wonders if he’s not saying anything because of professional ethics, or because Nelle owes him money.
Carly says, when Valentin took over, his first act was to bail on the hospital, opening the door to Cyrus. His second act was to fire Michael. Bobbie says, and now he’s having a drink in Carly’s restaurant. She doesn’t think so. Bobbie stomps over to Valentin’s table, and says she had the misfortune to marry his brother Stephan. He was bad, but Valentin is infinitely worse, handing the hospital over to the likes of Cyrus. He says, sorry, and she says she wants to smack the smirk off his face. Carly says she’s right behind Bobbie, and Brick walks in. He says, no doubt. It looks like he got there just in time.
Alexis tells Julian, she didn’t know Neil was an addict, but she’s good at spotting other addicts, since she is one. It’s like a funhouse, with everyone distorted in their own unique way. Julian says she doesn’t know for sure Neil was an addict. He could have been a recreational user; those people exist. Or he could have been a high-functioning addict. Plenty of successful people are. Alexis says she doesn’t know anything right now. She’s going to drive herself crazy, going over every detail of what Neil did or didn’t do. Julian says, from what he’s seen, Neil was a complicated guy dealing with a lot, including his emotions and feelings for her. Alexis gives him a look.
Ava says Trina has been holding out on her. She’s so talented. Her performance with her friends at the Nurses Ball was spectacular. Trina asks if Ava and Nikolas had a good time, and Ava says she knows what Trina is doing. Trina doesn’t have to look out for her. She and Nikolas know where they stand with each other.
Cameron asks Josslyn what everything she’s talking about, and Josslyn says, don’t worry. Trina says it’s not a big deal. He says, good to know, and she says she doesn’t want him to feel he has to keep it secret. Portia walks in, and Trina tells Ava that her counselor said she could get additional credit for working at the gallery, so she can give Ava ten extra hours. Ava appreciates her enthusiasm, but thinks Trina should speak to her mother. She might have other plans. Portia asks, does Trina mind if she and Ava take a moment to catch up? Trina asks if Portia promises to be nice, and Portia asks if Trina promises to be nice to Curtis. Train tells her, try not to break anything too expensive. Ava tells Portia, if this is about Trina asking for more hours, she said Trina needed to clear it with her first. Portia says she’ll bring that up later, but first, they need to talk.
Cyrus tells Jordan, he’s not aware of any connection between him and Neil. The first time he’s heard Neil’s name is when she said it just now. She says his innocent act is wasted on her, since he kidnapped her son, and made her turn a blind eye to his drug shipment getting through. He says he’s never kidnapped anyone in his life, and no one can make her do anything. She’s always had the power to make her own choices. She says, Neil died under similar circumstances to Mark and Bob; the same pattern. Cyrus says, people die all the time. That doesn’t mean he had a hand in it. She says, unless they were his drugs. Then he’s legally responsible. He says she exonerated him. Although now, she comes to him late at night, hurling accusations and innuendos, reviving a vendetta against an innocent man.
Jason says it sounds like Sam wants him to be angry with her, but she says she wants him to tell the truth. He asks when he’s lied to her, and she says, never. He doesn’t say anything, and she says, ELQ was supposed to bail out the hospital. She should have known Valentin was up to something. All she cared about was getting a new parole officer, and getting to spend time with him. He says she’s only responsible for the proxy she signed over to Valentin. Valentin took control of the majority, and it was his decision not to help GH. Those were his actions, not hers. She says, it was selfish. She got what she wanted, and because of her actions, people she cares about are paying for it.
Julian tells Alexis, he knows more than most people that it’s complicated to lead a double life. Neil was confused, and he may have been confused about a number of things, but he knows that Neil genuinely cared for her. She says, dying in her bed was a funny way to show it, and he tells her, she has no idea how many secrets Neil might have been keeping, but anyone could tell his feelings for her were genuine. She says he should go. She appreciates him coming by, but can’t have him there to turn to. He says, that’s different. If she needs anything, let him know. For what it’s worth, he’s sorry it happened. It was nice to see her happy again.
Trina sits back down, and Josslyn says she told Cameron what they talked about, so they’re all on the same page. No more secrets. Trina says she’s glad to hear it, and Cameron says, excellent.
Ava tells Portia, with all due respect, she’s already apologized for overstepping with Trina. Portia says, she did, and Ava says she’s not sure what more she can do. Portia says she realized she came on strong, and made assumptions about Ava’s motivations. Ava says, as a mother, in protecting one’s child, you can never be too careful; she understands. Portia says, whatever Ava’s motivation in helping Trina, she realizes it came from a genuine place, and thanks her. Trina’s work at the gallery is grounding, and she realizes it’s even more important now, in the wake of her father’s death. She believes Ava when she says her intentions were honorable. Ava says she appreciates that, and Portia says, but she doesn’t believe Ava has led an honorable life. She won’t prevent Trina from working at the gallery, but won’t be taking her eyes off Trina either.
Cyrus says Jordan exonerating him doesn’t seem that long ago He doesn’t think he dreamed it or imagined it. She says he threatened to kill her son unless she did what he wanted, and he says, what imagination she has. He’s making a fresh start, and exploring the possibilities available to a free man. He tells her, thank you, waits, then says, say you’re welcome. She says he’s made himself welcome enough. He doesn’t need to hear her say it. Since he’s an innocent man leading an innocent life, he doesn’t require the police commissioner. She’s met the terms of their extremely one-sided agreement, and they’re done. He tells her, don’t be so sure.
Sam asks if Jason is telling her that he’s okay with what she did. Jason says he hates that Monica and Bobbie lost their jobs; it’s awful and unfortunate, but it’s not permanent. She asks how he’s so sure, and he says, Cyrus is testing the truce already. When he breaks it, he’s gone. She says, what about Valentin? and he says, the Quartermaines have lost control of ELQ before. They’ll get it back. Michael is smart, with a cool head, and he’s not distracted by the custody case anymore. She says, it really doesn’t bother him that her actions are what set things in motion?
Jason says, it’s not like Valentin gave Sam a choice. He knows she acted in good faith. It’s done. It’s over. She can’t change it. Let’s just move on. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s Julian. He has the worst timing. She tells Julian that she’s in the middle of something. What does he want? He says he was at her mother’s. He just left, and Neil’s OD is hitting her hard. He found a syringe under her bed. They both know he’s not the right person to be with her mother, but Alexis shouldn’t be alone. Sam says she’ll be right over, and thanks him. She tells Jason what happened, and he says he’ll go with her.
Officer Gonzalez comes downstairs, and tells Alexis, there was no other paraphernalia, but forensics wants to look around. Alexis says she’s not going to be sleeping up there anytime soon, and Officer Gonzalez says if they have any more questions, they’ll contact her. Alexis says she’s fresh out of answers.
Cyrus says he appreciates Jordan’s faith in him adjusting to life outside, but it takes time, especially after such a long stretch. She tells him not to sell himself short. Clearly her services are no longer required. He says she’s gone from callous pessimist to wide-eyed optimist. She needs to split the difference, and become a pragmatist. An old friend might come in handy. Isn’t that what she was thinking when she invited Taggert back to town, or did she feel it was a mistake? Another hasty decision. Look at the damage that was done to that poor man.
Martin says, amusing as it might be to watch them deck his client, he’d be compelled to call the cops. Carly tells Bobbie, they’ll leave Valentin alone, and invites Brick to have a drink. Valentin says, good idea, and she says no one asked him. Bobbie tells Carly that Scotty is taking her out to dinner, and leaves. Martin tells Valentin, let it go, but Valentin says Bobbie is wrong. He’s nothing like Stephan, who was consumed with ghosts. Martin asks if Valentin’s ghosts are under control, and Valentin says he doesn’t believe in ghosts. Martin says he’d like to know why Julian was looking for him; does he miss his wife? Valentin says, Julian is looking to get out of a marriage of crippling inconvenience, which leads him to wonder what leverage Nelle had to get Julian to marry her in the first place. He had the impression the leverage was in Martin’s possession. Is it?
Ava says, normally if someone spoke to her like that, she’d tell them to go to hell. She’d say they don’t know about her, or what been through in her dishonorable life. Portia asks if that’s what Ava is telling her, but Ava says, on the contrary. If she was in Portia’s shoes, and her daughter was working for a woman with her… colorful past, she’d be… Portia says, cautious? and Ava says, livid. She’d never take her eyes off her daughter. As a mother, there’s nothing more important than a child’s safety or happiness. Trina is determined to work extra hours, but Portia should feel free to say no. Portia wonders if Ava is asking her to turn Trina down, but Ava says, no, but don’t feel obligated. Portia says, seven days is a big ask, and Ava says, if they start to drive each other crazy, she’ll send Trina on an errand. Portia says, when Trina returns with coffee in five minutes, what then? and Ava says she’ll send Trina to Tokyo to pick up on what’s trendy. That will take longer. Portia says, Ava is kidding, right? She does have a couple of requests. She asks Ava to keep an eye on Trina, and if she’s there to work, make her work. Ava says, of course (🍷). As if she could stop Trina. The gallery might seem like a placid boutique, but there’s a lot to do. She tells Portia, feel free to pop in and check up on Trina. Portia is sure it won’t be necessary, and Ava says, yet she has the feeling Portia will. Portia says, at least once a week. Maybe more. Ava says she’s always welcome, and Portia thanks her. Trina asks if everything is okay, and Portia says she’s giving Trina permission to work extra hours.
Julian comes in, and Ava says she hears congratulations are in order. He asks, for what? and she says she heard his wife – who makes her look like Mother Teresa – is gone. Why is he in a foul mood? He should be celebrating the end of his hellish marriage. He says his hellish marriage is far from being over. She asks what Nelle did now, and he says she claimed to have left a letter detailing his role in Wiley’s kidnapping with her lawyer. Until he gets the letter, he’s on borrowed time. She says Julian should have let her kill Nelle when she offered.
Sam says she thought Alexis was going to stay at their place, but Alexis says she couldn’t. Sam says Julian called her; she’s so sorry, Alexis wonders how she couldn’t know, and Sam tells her, don’t blame herself. Alexis asks how someone who presents themselves as a decent, wonderful person could do something like that? How could he?
Martin says his hypothetical sometimes client – he’s not naming names… Valentin says, Nelle, and Martin says, it’s hypothetical. Valentin suggests Medea, and Martin says, Medea it is. Medea has left some loose ends, providing actual proof of her departure is permanent. Martin doesn’t know what Valentin’s interest is, so why should he share secrets? Valentin says, Nelle is currently a friendless fugitive wanted for murder and attempted kidnapping, and wonders if Martin’s ability to keep secrets is based on the size of the retainer. Martin says he’ll take care Nelle’s affairs in any way he pleases, and Valentin says, just make sure his take precedence.
Carly asks if Sonny called Brick, but Brick says he was on his way to another assignment. He had time to stop by and say hello to Sonny. She asks if Sonny knows he’s in town, and he says he was at Turning Woods earlier. She says then he knows what’s going on with Mike, and he says, sadly, he does.
Julian tells Ava that Nelle left the letter with her attorney Martin, and Ava says, ugh. That man is a reptile in a linen suit. If Nelle left the letter with him, and it incriminates Julian, Martin will absolutely use it for his own gain. He says that’s why she’s going with him to help find it.
Trian asks Portia if she can stay longer, and Josslyn says her driver will drop Trina off. Portia tells Trina to text when she’s on her way, and not after Curfew. Trina says, definitely.
Cyrus says Jordan saw how Taggert’s poor family suffered. First, by his violent death, and then when she revealed how honorable Taggert was anything but. The shame rained down on that man’s family… But fortunately, families are resilient. Take hers for instance. She tells him, stay away from her family, and he says, or what? She says she doesn’t know. Neither of them know what she might be capable of. She doesn’t want to find out; does he? He says he’s sure it won’t come to that. Isn’t the motto of every police force to serve and protect? That’s what’s going to happen between them. She says, in serving, she’ll also protect him? and he says, that’s everybody’s job on the force, right? He tells her, goodnight. Oh, and if she ever decides to drop by for another late night chat, ask herself if it’s worth his trouble. She walks out.
Jordan runs into Portia outside of Charlie’s, and asks how Trina is. Portia says, fine. She’s loving her job, her friends, and school, so Portia can’t complain. Nothing will take away losing her father, but it does give her the structure she needs to heal and work through it. Jordan asks if there’s anything she can do, but Portia says nothing short of clearing Taggert’s name will satisfy Trina. Jordan wishes that were possible, and Portia says, there is one thing she’d like to clear the air about. She knows Curtis told Jordan about their conversation. Jordan says he did, and Portia says she wanted Jordan to know, woman to woman, she shouldn’t have brought up something that was clearly in the past. She has no designs on Jordan’s husband. Jordan laughs, and says she appreciates Portia making that clear.
Julian messes with the lock on Martin’s office door, and says Ava knows what to do, right? She says, if she sees something, text something, and tells him to make sure he notices. She asks if he has a secret spy code, and he says he doesn’t think that would make him look more innocent. She asks if he’s sure there’s no alarm, he says he’s not. He gets the door open, and she says, hurry up. He goes into the office.
Alexis says when she was lying next to Neil, and they were planning their future, he was waiting for her to fall asleep so he could shoot up. Jason says she doesn’t know what Neil was thinking, and Sam says, Jason is right. She doesn’t know what was going through Neil’s mind at the time. Alexis agrees, and says, Neil was a multitasker. He could have been planning his life and thinking about shooting up at the same time. Sam says Alexis sounds morbid, and she doesn’t want Alexis to be by herself. She suggests Alexis come home with them, but Alexis doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Jason says, Danny and Scout love having her there, and she’d be close to Sam, but Alexis says she has a lot of feelings right now, and they’re not pretty. She doesn’t want to have them in front of her grandchildren. Sam says she’ll stay there, but Alexis says, no. Jason just got home, and Sam should be home with her family. Sam doesn’t feel good leaving Alexis, but Alexis says she needs privacy. Sam says if she starts feeling depressed, or more depressed, call. Or call if she feels like drinking. Alexis says, yes to all of it, and thanks them for coming by. She and Sam hug.
While Josslyn is away from the table, Cameron says he can’t believe Trina told Josslyn about… you know. She says she didn’t want it to be a deep, dark secret. Now that it’s out in the open, it’s no big deal. He says he doesn’t want everyone talking, and she says, Josslyn isn’t everyone, and only three people know. He says, you know what they say about three people keeping a secret. In order for them to do it, two of them have to be… She says, what? and he says, never mind. Josslyn comes back, and says she has the best idea about the three of them.
Julian rifles through Martin’s files. Ava hears Martin telling Valentin that he is billing him for this. She texts, GET OUT NOW!!! three times. They get close to the door, and Ava tries to send another message, but it says communication failure. Martin puts his key in the lock, and Julian realizes they’re coming in.
Carly tells Brick, Sonny gave Mike one last afternoon at the track. It was good for him to be around the horses, and it was special to Sonny. Brick says he always admired Sonny, but seeing him care for Mike, being there for him, he admires Sonny even more. Carly says Brick was the one who helped Sonny step up for Mike. It was like using a Lamborghini as a golf cart. He says he was honored to help, but if he looks better to her, that’s even better. She says, it’s not fair. He comes there, flirts with her, and takes off on another mission. He asks if she’s telling him to stop, and she says, not a chance. They clink glasses.
Julian hides, and the fire alarm goes off. We see Ava has pulled it, like we didn’t guess that. Martin says, what the hell…?
Josslyn says, it’s almost homecoming, and suggests they all go together. Cameron says, the three of them? and Josslyn says, the four of them. They can’t forget Dev. Cameron and Trina say, sure they can, and Josslyn says they can still dress up and have fun, but no romantic drama. And they won’t have to worry about who they’ll kiss at the end of the night. Trina says, good idea, and Cameron says, he’s in.
Jordan tells Portia, forget she brought up the past. It’s better for them to move on with no tiptoeing around things. Their only worry is that Trina is still blaming Curtis for Tagger’s death. Portia says she keeps telling Trina that she’s dishonoring her father’s wishes, but does she listen? Jordan says, she’s more stubborn than Taggert is. Portia says, was. She still does that too; talk like he’s still there. Trina is young and headstrong, but one day she’ll realize there are few men with as much integrity as Curtis. Jordan says that’s kind of her to say, and Portia says, of course (🍷) Jordan and Curtis are lucky to have found each other.
Julian asks Ava, what happened? She says she had no reception, so she pulled the alarm. Why should he be the only one committing a felony? Julian says, if Martin has the letter, it’s not in his office.
In Martin’s office, Valentin says, someone was looking for something, and Martin says, obviously. The lookout probably pulled the fire alarm. In any case – he pulls the ELQ folder out of a drawer, and takes another from his briefcase – here’s everything Valentin needs to sign. Just put his John Hancock there. Valentin says Martin had it right there? and Martin says, except the final revision of the offer in question. He would have brought that too, but he didn’t know he’d be seeing Valentin. He makes a practice never to be apart from his most sensitive documents. We see Nelle’s letter in his briefcase.
On the phone, Cyrus asks Walker where they are on the new Chief of Staff. He can’t wait to meet them in person. He tells Walker that Neil OD’d, and wonders where he got the drugs that killed him. I wouldn’t be surprised if Neil had been Cyrus’s therapist, since Cyrus is so au currant.
Alexis looks at a glass of water, but sees a shot. She says, one day at a time, and takes a sip.
Sam tells Jason that she thought she was doing the right thing. To her, there was nothing more important than them being together. She was wrong, and she’s sorry for what it cost. Jason tells her, like he said, it’s over.
Tomorrow, Ava tells Franco that they should cut their losses, Elizabeth tells Nikolas that his fake screwed up marriage is screwing up her real one, and Nina speaks to the jewelry designer.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – The Reunion – Part Two (Home Edition)
Ugh. Even in the preview I hate the stupid faces they make. Denise eats chips. I get my vanilla wafers ready.
Andy says, this season Kyle was under attack for calling the women a group of fake-ass bitches. It made the group wonder if it takes one to know one. We flash back to Kyle being insulting, interrupting everyone, and being a moron in general. In one clip, she says she’s not friends with a-holes. I beg to differ. Andy asks why she thinks everyone came after her, and she says when she left L.A. to do her clothing line, then went to North Carolina for Halloween, she’d been going back and forth, and was tired. She felt like everyone was coming at her, and not being honest. Which answered the question not at all. Adam from Baltimore asks Dorit why she told everyone she had a life when she was late for Teddi’s retreat. It sounded self-centered and condescending, and she pissed Erika off. Erika admits to being pretty drunk, and we flash back to that. Yep. She was. Erika says they all have busy lives, and Dorit says Teddi claimed it made no difference what time they got there, yet she was attacked. Kyle says that’s extreme, but Dorit says she didn’t feel welcome, and had to defend herself. She didn’t mean the rest of them didn’t have lives. Kyle says she felt like Dorit was showing up to show off her outfit more than to support Teddi. Dorit says beforehand, she was taking pictures to promote her business. Teddi says everyone else keeps bringing it up; she had nothing to do with it. She didn’t think Kyle was defending her, just pointing out the obvious. A viewer asks how Teddi felt when Erika said she didn’t feel like being there. Teddi says she had to move on from it, and while they’re on the Teddi subject, Dorit doesn’t know why Kyle can’t acknowledge her friendship with Teddi is different from her friendship with the rest of them. Maybe it’s true. She says this like it’s tabloid fodder, and none of us have ever had a friend we’re closer to than our other friends. Kyle says, of course it is. Teddi is a better friend to her. It makes sense; they have more in common. Dorit is glad Kyle is finally admitting it. Seriously, are these women that bored? Kyle says Dorit acts like it’s a crime. She’s slept in the same bed with her friends and sisters her whole life; it’s not weird. Stirring the pot, even though there isn’t much to stir, Andy points out that Kyle insulted Erika by suggesting Erika didn’t have close friends. Kyle tries to cover her ass by saying she meant friends close enough to sleep in the same bed. Just an aside, while I wouldn’t mind sharing if necessary, being an adult, I’d rather have my own bed if it’s an option. Erika says they have different lives, and not everyone has that type of relationship. Just because they don’t have the same experience doesn’t make it wrong or bad.
Dorit wants to address the astrology party, where Kyle said she wasn’t as good a friend as she’d thought. Kyle says she was just frustrated and apologizes, but Dorit doesn’t listen and asks Kyle to justify telling her that. Kyle repeats that she apologized and explained, but Dorit says she hasn’t explained. Kyle says Dorit wanted to take credit for her fashion show, and her hiring Wilson Philips for her party. No surprise, Kyle won’t let Dorit respond, and just keeps babbling. Kyle says she never spoke against Dorit, yet Dorit threw her business under the bus, saying Kyle didn’t know what she was doing. There’s a break, and I realize I’m holding my breath.
Kyle says she was shocked, and we revisit Kyle freaking out when she checked out her line before the fashion show. We see Dorit’s interview, where she wondered how Kyle couldn’t have seen the pieces beforehand, and if she just woke up and said she’d throw a show together and be a success. No need for experience or know-how. Kyle says, of course she was freaking out; Dorit said she didn’t know what she was doing. Kyle once again refuses to let Dorit talk, and says Dorit came to her house and she felt like they were friends for life. Then Dorit made fun of her in her interview. She thought they were better friends than that. Dorit says she never slammed Kyle’s designs. She poked fun at Kyle for not being prepared, and she thought Kyle should have been. Garcelle says Kyle got more upset at her saying she’d felt glazed over than she did over Dorit hurting her business. She didn’t seem that mad. Dorit says Kyle just blamed her, but never spoke to her directly. Instead she went to Twitter and the press. Kyle says she was upset, thinking Dorit had slammed her business. Dorit says Kyle told everyone her fashion show was in a warehouse, and Kyle says she had to fight back. She wasn’t going to sit there like a moron. No comment. Too easy. Dorit asks why Kyle didn’t text her, and Kyle asks why Dorit said it in the first place. Andy wants to move forward, and Dorit says she’s very sorry, and wishes Kyle success. She adds she’s always there if Kyle needs anything, and Kyle says she appreciates it. I see why they had to focus on the whole Denise/Brandi thing this season. Apparently, they didn’t have a show without it. Wake me when it’s over.
Andy says, moving on. He asks why Kyle thinks Denise is a fake-ass bitch, and Kyle says Denise claims she doesn’t care about the glam thing, but then defended Dorit. She felt like everyone was putting on an act, and not being genuine, but she was singled out. Bob in Syosset says Denise is the sexiest women alive, and asks how she felt when Kyle called her a ragamuffin. Denise says she was surprised, but wondered if could trademark it somehow, like Ragamuffin Clothing. I actually like that idea. Kyle says, when she was a kid, if she left the house looking messy, her mom said, don’t run around like a ragamuffin. Andy asks if Denise was offended, but Denise says she didn’t care. No pot stirring for you there, Andy. Kyle says she apologized, and Denise says, after the backlash on social media. Denise says she was defending Dorit about being glam when Kyle got upset. It was like, how dare Denise defend her when she looks like a ragamuffin? Either they’re not glam enough or too glam. Andy asks, where’s the middle ground?
Dorit’s phone keeps repeating low battery over and over, and everyone is like WTF? Andy says Caleb in Topeka asks how Lois is, and LisaR says she misses Lois. She hasn’t seen her in five months. Lois is in assisted living though, and doing great. Andy says LisaR loves the spotlight, like this is news. Her daughter opened up about her anxiety on social media, and she was judged as a mother. He supposes it was attention she could do without. We flash back to everything Amelia, and Andy asks if LisaR thought about what she does on Instagram. She says, as a mother, she’s always aware. Garcelle tells LisaR, what she said wasn’t about shaming; it was just a reality check. Andy asks Teddi if she relates to the issue, and Teddi says as parents, they’re already coping with the struggle, and already feel guilty, so it shouldn’t be made part of a light conversation. Garcelle says she wasn’t being flippant, but Teddi says she said it in front of all of them; it was a low blow. Garcelle has no response. I’m not surprised, since this is stupid even for Teddi. Andy says, Sutton said LisaR’s dancing on Instagram was weird, and Sutton says, that’s not a bad thing. Dorit says, it had a negative connotation. I see she’s been reading again, and is using big words. Sutton says Dorit is making it into something bigger than it is, and LisaR says, it is weird. Dorit says if her daughter didn’t like her doing it, would LisaR continue, and LisaR says, of course not. She’d never do anything to hurt her kids. Andy asks if there’s an update on Amelia’s $6000 a month apartment, and LisaR says, $5700, but who’s counting,? and explains it’s all Amelia’s money from modeling. She’s doing well (apparently), and some days aren’t as much of a struggle, but she’ll always have issues. Charlotte from Birmingham says Denise looked horrified when LisaR said she’d taught her daughters the right way to do a BJ in her book. Did she think LisaR went too far? Denise says she doesn’t think they should judge each other (mic drop). Erika says, it was a lovely bomb LisaR’s daughters dropped on her in Tokyo, and we flash back to that. LisaR says her daughters could care less about reading any book, but one of their friends brought it out. Andy mentions LisaR’s latest nakey picture, and LisaR admits that she loves attention and pushes boundaries, like we didn’t know, and Kyle says, nobody owns it better. I choke on a cookie.
Garcelle asks if anyone is drinking yet. Jordan from Austin asks how Teddi’s baby is, and Teddi explains about how the baby’s head wasn’t formed right in utero, and she needs neurosurgery. She says, everyone says she’ll be fine, but Teddi is obviously distressed about it. Not that I blame her. I might not like Teddi, but wouldn’t wish that on anyone. FYI, baby Dove had the surgery since then, and everything turned out fine. Andy says Teddi’s pregnancy seemed to be an afterthought to the women. We flash back to Teddi’s interview where she says, apparently, she’s proceeding in this friend group as though she’s not pregnant. They talk about the name Dove, which Teddi wanted, but Edwin wouldn’t agree, until she pitched it by telling him that it was an emoji. Erika says, while Teddi ate a lot of Tums, she never used her pregnancy as an excuse for anything. Erika was freaked out more than Teddi was. Andy points out that the bunny is behind him, having made the trip to the Hamptons. Kyle says, it went to Bravocon and Watch What Happens Live in L.A.The bunny gets around. Andy says, the bunny is legendary, and asks if it’s LisaR’s go-to baby gift. LisaR says it is, and even though she acts like she’s not still upset about Kim giving it back to her, I think she is. She says the company went out of business though, so now she’ll have to get a different bunny. Zzzzzzz… What I said before about Denise. They talk about Teddi’s daughter Slate, and how she severed the tip of her finger when a door closed on it. Teddi says she put it on ice, and when she called 911, the first thing they told her was not to put it on ice. Good to know. She says she took it off, wrapped it in gauze, and put it in a Ziplock bag. She called several people, and Dr. Nassif met her at the ER. Andy asks if Teddi was as boring as Sutton thought she’d be, but Sutton doesn’t take the bait, and says she doesn’t think Teddi is boring.
Here it comes, in 3… 2… 1…
Andy says, Brandi dropped a bombshell that was like throwing a glass of wine at Denise. I guess he couldn’t come up with anything more clever, having pandemic brain. He says, the truth is everybody and anybody’s guess, and we flash back to all the Brandi bullsh*t. I shove cookies in my mouth. My husband decides to sit down and watch for a moment, and I tell him not to talk, and expect me to yell at the TV. Denise doesn’t even flinch as we stroll down Brandi’s Memory Lane. Andy says Denise claimed she barely knows Brandi, but Brandi showed the women a year’s worth of texts. There seemed to be a deeper connection. He asks if she has an explanation, and she says for every ten texts Brandi sent, she had one response. He asks if Denise has contacted Brandi, but Denise says she never did. Brandi was an acquaintance, and Denise was always nice to her. LisaR asks why Denise didn’t call Brandi from Rome, and Denise says Brandi isn’t a friend of hers. LisaR says Denise can’t keep lying, and Denise says LisaR can’t keep playing the same card in this game. She’s not friends with Brandi. Kyle says, not now. Andy says when Denise was asked about Brandi at Bravocon, she’d said they were friendly. We see a clip of Denise saying just that, and Denise says she had no reason to say anything negative. Andy is trying to discredit this, and it’s not cool. Andy says Denise called Brandi a friend. Will someone get that man a dictionary? Being friendly toward someone and being their friend are two different things. Denise says she didn’t, and they never socialized. With the exception of Garcelle, every single one of these twats twits asks, where is Brandi? and LisaR says, this is bullsh*t. Yes, it certainly is, and she heads the bull herd.
LisaR says Denise isn’t being upfront, and runs from the truth. Garcelle says LisaR didn’t like that Denise didn’t give her a satisfactory answer. Erika asks if Denise stopped Brandi from being at the reunion, and I say, she’s not on the show. Denise says, Brandi’s not on their show, and my husband marvels at my ESP abilities. Andy says there was a meeting, and they didn’t feel Brandi had anything else to add. After Brandi said she licked bleepity-bleep-bleep, there was nowhere else to go. They’d heard enough. What more was there to add? Denise says, they don’t know about the stuff Brandi sent her; it was so inappropriate. It was harassment. Dorit says if she was in this situation, she wouldn’t want to be around Brandi, and LisaR says Denise shouldn’t have done it. Denise says, done what? and LisaR says what she did with Brandi. Dorit says she believes Denise, but the problem is Denise giving them little bits, like when she said Brandi claimed to have slept with someone in the group. We flash back to that, and Kyle says it wasn’t her. I wonder why Kyle keeps assuming it was her, and again think if it’s anyone, it’s Kim. Andy asks why Denise wouldn’t say who it was, and Denise says, it’s not just one person. Brandi said there was one in the group, but also someone on the outside, who the group knows. She’s not saying who it is, and everyone – again minus Garcelle, since she’s actually a decent human – goes, say it! say it! like they’re five. Denise says it has nothing to do with her, and she doesn’t care what people think. She doesn’t give a sh*t. Kyle says, you can’t have a friendship without honesty. Andy asks, what about Denise talking sh*t about the women? and Denise says Brandi called her after she did Teddi’s podcast, and Denise said she thought Teddi was a sh*t stirrer. She never called Erika a cold bitch, but said Erika was condescending. She brought up LisaR, and Brandi asked why Denise’s friend had turned on her, and that was pretty much all she said. Teddi brings up how, in Denise’s interview, she said she’d called Teddi way worse things. Either say it and own up to it, or lie. Denise says, likewise, and beating a dead horse until it’s dead a second time, Andy asks what’s the worst thing Denise said about Teddi? Denise repeats, that Teddi is a sh*t stirrer, and LisaR says, after Rome, she said she didn’t like Teddi. Denise says the women are vicious, and LisaR says she thinks the cover-up is worse than the crime. Like this is some kind of high espionage and not a load of nonsense.
Next time, more rubbish. The cease and desist is discussed, Denise says don’t ask her husband questions they don’t want the answers to, and Denise is asked if she’s willing to show the text messages.
🎃 After this show, I had to watch Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Medea Halloween just to cleanse my mind. I was surprised to see the dude who played Brady in Too Close to Home in a blink-and-you-miss-him part.
👠 The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City debuts on November 11th. It looks promising, and I hope it’s not just another mean girl fest.
🙋🏻 She’s Gone, Girl…
Apparently, Denise has had enough. Will Garcelle honor her end of the pact?
Spinning the Dead off. Please, they picked the two people who have the least dialogue? If anyone deserves a spin-off, it’s Ezekiel, Eugene, and Princess.
For the first time in what feels like forever, I’m getting a haircut tomorrow. I haven’t been this excited about something since I got my last haircut, and thought someone would actually see it. Until RHONY reunites, stay safe, stay bold, and stay owning it better than LisaR.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
😳 Oops. My bad. After the insane week I’ve had, I had a hard time reading my own shorthand yesterday and attributed Nelle and Brook’s final words backward. Sorry about that. I did question myself at the time, and should have known Brook would never back down to Nelle. The correct version is in today’s post. Moving forward…
Lucy welcomes us back, and says, once again, the 2020 General Hospital Nurses Ball telethon, a spectacular event to raise money for frontline workers’ special safety equipment. It’s a great honor to introduce everyone’s favorite nurse at GH, EpiphanyJohnson. Epiphany comes out, and explains that hospitals are a collaboration. They aren’t made up of just doctors and nurses, but orderlies, lab technicians, cleaners and other workers.Together they provide essential services. These are incredibly stressful jobs, and take their toll on service providers and their families. The viewer donations let them know that the community they support, supports them back. Lucy says the telethon is a way to say thank you to all the medical personnel and first responders, who are heroes, along with their families, and who do so much for them. While the viewers are making donations, they’ll be entertained with amazing acts still to come.
In the bathroom, Ava tells Nina, the Cassadine men do have a way of getting under their skin. Nina says, which brings her back to Nikolas. Is he trying to make Ava jealous by making a fuss over Elizabeth? Even if they’re married in name only, flirting, especially with a married woman, is just tacky. Ava says, and also profitable. If Nikolas sleeps with another woman, he’ll break the infidelity clause, and she’ll wind up with 90% of the Cassadine estate. Nikolas can shower tributes on Elizabeth to his heart’s content, and if he woos her into bed, Ava gets the payoff she deserves. Inside one of the stalls, Elizabeth listens.
Carly tells Jax that Josslyn called. He wonders if there’s something wrong, but she says she thinks Josslyn was just checking in. She might be looking for a congratulatory present. Jax asks if Carly knows Josslyn has been angling for a car, and Carly says she does. She’ll let him handle that. Before he leaves, Jax tells Nikolas, the scholarship for the nursing students in Elizabeth’s name was generous, but maybe he should have thought about it a little more. Franco says, Jax has a point. Next time a wave of generosity washes over him, he may want to shower it onto his wife.
Michael explains the Quartermaine relationships to Willow, telling her, Tracy married Luke. Michael thought it was a fraudulent marriage, but he can’t keep track. They definitely turned out to be life partners though. She asks if unconventional marriages are a thing for the Quartermaines, and he says they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Monica sits back down on the couch, and says, still sleeping; disaster averted. Julian comes up behind her, and chloroforms her, knocking her out. Wiley sleeps peacefully with Mr. Hopsicle.
Brook tells Nelle that she can’t wait until Nelle is hauled off in handcuffs in front of everyone there, and all the people viewing at home. Nelle says the police won’t believe Brook; they’ll say she’s harassing Nelle. Brook says, she’ll call Michael, and he can call the police, but Nelle smacks the phone out of Brook’s hand. Brook says, no worries. Mac is there; he can arrest her himself. Brook heads for the door, and Nelle says she’s sorry. She picks up the shears, and asks Brook to pretend that she didn’t see or hear anything. Brook turns around, and stupidly walks back to Nelle, and says she messed with her last Quartermaine. Nelle slashes at Brook, and we see blood on the shears. Why? Why do they always do that? Like Tuco said in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, if you’re going to shoot, shoot; don’t talk.
Michael sees that Brook called, but didn’t leave a message. Willow says maybe Brook wanted to make peace with him, but he say she doesn’t need to. He didn’t like the idea that she sold her shares, but so did other members of his family. At least she didn’t know she sold them to Valentin. She says he’s less worried than Ned seems to be, and he says he hates the idea of Valentin being in charge, and intends to force him out eventually, but in the short term, Valentin is a smart businessman. He doesn’t think ELQ will suffer. Willow says he doesn’t think of it as a betrayal, so maybe he should tell Brook. He tries calling.
Nelle stands over an unconscious Brook, and says she should have been nicer, more sympathetic. Her mistake. Now Nelle’s plan to have Wiley vanish has gone south. She needs to go. Brook lies on the floor in a pool of blood, next to her ringing phone. Nelle slips out.
Monica is knocked out, and Julian says, sorry. He turns off the TV, and his phone dings. He sees a text from Nelle that says, the timetable has been moved up. We need to move now. Is it done? He closes the doors to the living room, and trots up the stairs.
Michael gives Willow a bottle of water, and raises his own, saying, to Wiley, and his amazing new life. He’s safe from Nelle because of her. Willow says, because of us, and Diane. He says, to Wiley and Diane. Carly watches, and smiles. Michael smiles at Willow, and little hearts start to pop out of his eyes.
Lucy asks Amy if she’s found Jordan. Maybe she’s warming up, since she’s the next act. Amy says she couldn’t find Jordan, so she asked Curtis, who said she was called away on a case. Lucy says, no; that doesn’t work. Jordan is the Police Commissioner. She doesn’t have to solve every case. She can delegate to other police people. Lucy can’t delegate an act. Amy says she called the PCPD and the hospital, but no one has seen her. Lucy will have to cut her number. Lucy says it can’t just be her out there; she needs acts. Acts and asking for money. They need alternate activities. It’s like the NFL draft, but she doesn’t have an act to draft. Amy tells Lucy not to panic; she can panic later. She asks if Lucy wants to shut the Ball down, and Lucy asks if Amy is losing her mind. She tells Amy to find Epiphany and Deanna, and warm up. She’ll stall. She’ll do a tap dance. She doesn’t know how to tap dance. She hates tap dancing. She’ll just stall.
Anna tells Valentin that his song was beautiful, and he says, at least someone appreciates it. She says false modesty doesn’t look good on him. It was wonderful, and he knows it, as was his pledge. He asks if she’s going to chastise him for burnishing his public image. She says, isn’t he? and he says, that’s part of it. He hears congratulations are in order. She must be thrilled for Peter and Maxie. Being a parent changes everything. It makes you better. It did with him and Charlotte, and her and Robin. Maybe it will with Peter. She says, of course (🍷) it will. He hopes so, and says, some mistakes are impossible to fix.
Nina tells Ava, Franco is her friend. She hopes Ava isn’t playing with his marriage. Ava says she’s doing no such thing. She’s heard rumors that under that angelic façade, Elizabeth is chronically unfaithful. If she chooses to break her vows to her husband, Franco should know the truth. Nina sees one flaw in Ava’s big plan. The way she and Nikolas were looking at each other, either she’s getting good at pretending to love him, or something changed in the last few days. Ava says Nina is projecting her issues with Valentin onto her. They leave, and Elizabeth comes out.
Michael tells Willow, they’re supposed to take a tally, and give Lucy the paperwork. What if after that, they sneak out? She says, abandon their post? He says they’ve done more than enough. They can go home, and check on Wiley. She says he’s making her an offer she can’t refuse. She glances at Sonny, and says, did she really just say that? They leave to finish up.
Lucy says hello to all their gorgeous, generous, amazing donors. They’re doing a great job, and she hopes they realize how important it is to the frontline workers who help them every day. When they work together, they do something more than raising money. They’re building a community, and showing the medical personnel and first responders that they support them. Any amount is great. Keep pitching in, and they’ll keep entertaining. They’re in for a special treat.
Nelle dashes through the corridors in the MetroCourt, and around runs outside. Julian sends a text that says, it’s done.
As Monica sleeps, Julian comes downstairs with Wiley, and leaves with him.
Michael and Willow arrive home, and Michael says, sorry the evening crashed and burned. She says, it didn’t. She had a good time. He says, until Chase and Sasha. She says, they were fantastic (I guess we don’t get to see that), and he says, someday it won’t hurt so much. Until then, they can make some popcorn, and watch the funniest movie ever made. She says he doesn’t have to cheer her up, and he says he’s cheering himself up. They sit on the stairs.
Sonny says, Michael and Willow aren’t coming back? and Carly says, they probably went to check on Wiley; they’re such good parents. Sonny says he’s glad it wasn’t her idea; Chase and Sasha pretending to be involved so Michael and Willow would get married. Face it. It’s exactly the kind of plan that’s up her alley. She says, back in the day, 100%. She’d be seeing all of their hearts breaking and feel guilty. Instead, she’s grateful Michael and Willow got custody of Wiley, and Wiley got the best stepmother on the planet. Sonny says he knows there’s too much going on, and Carly asks if he wants to check in with Turning Woods, but he says, no. They’ll call if there’s any change. The best thing he can do for his dad is to stay and support the people who have given him such amazing care.
Olivia tells Ned, she’s trying to call Brook, but there’s no answer. He says, his problem daughter? No surprise. He tells Olivia to save the lecture for now, but she says she’s just expressing her opinion. He says, on this topic, they’re one and the same, and she says he’s scaring the hell of her. She’s heard stories about his grandfather, and his intentions were good, but his methods were toxic. She says this with love, but he’s turning more into Edward every day. He says, that’s not true, and she says, prove it. Find his daughter, and talk to her.
We see Brook lying on the floor, unconscious.
Ned asks if Dustin and Lulu have seen Brook, but Dusting says, not for a while. She might be warming up. They’ll go check. Ned thanks them.
Robert asks Olivia if she’s got a minute, and she asks if he’s okay. He says he has good news. The commissioner at the Bureau said he can get her in to see Dante. Olivia gets super excited, and asks, when? Where is he? Robert says, he’s at a facility in Geneva. No civilians are allowed, so he’ll go with her. The supervisor is waiting for his boss to return, and there’s a narrow window. They have to hurry. He’d like to leave now if they could. She throws her arms around him, and thanks him. Ned watches.
Willow says, popcorn and the funniest movie ever? and Michael says, if only to cheer him up. Feel free not be cheered, since it’s only about him. He asks what she’d like to see, and she asks him, promise not to laugh, but he says, that’s the point. She says it’s a kid movie, with silly humor, and he tells her, cue it up, and he’ll check on Wiley. They go into the living room, and see Monica asleep. Michael tries to wake her, but she stays out.
Julian waits at the pier, and says, sorry, Wiley; you deserve better than this. Unfortunately, your crazy birth mother has other plans. Why is he going along with it? He’s the world’s biggest coward. He should have told Sonny that he knew all along, but Sonny can kill someone. He’s run out of options. He flashes back to telling Ava, go ahead. Tell him what an idiot he is for getting mixed up with Nelle. Ava asks what on earth was he thinking, and why hasn’t he killed her yet? He says he wouldn’t be there if she didn’t have him over a barrel. Ava says if he thinks Nelle will release him when it’s over, he’s a damn fool. On the pier, Julian says, maybe not.
Lulu says, if she’s not backstage, Brook probably bailed, but Dustin says, she might have stage fright, but she wouldn’t run away. They go into the makeshift dressing room, and see Brook on the floor. Dustin runs to check her pulse, and Lulu says, oh my God. Dustin tells her, call 911, and tells Brook to wake up.
Lucy tells the viewers that the Nurses Ball is still so passionately committed to HIV and AIDS. Sonny and Nikolas’s generous donations will be going to those charities. She wants to introduce a woman committed to both causes, and welcomes Anna. Anna thanks the viewers for their donations. She’s been answering the phones, and got to speak to some of them; they’ve been lovely. She’s grateful for their generosity. The Nurses Ball has a special place in her heart, and not just because she received a lovely marriage proposal on this very stage a year ago from Dr. Hamilton Finn (I always forget he has a first name). She says, it’s special because so many lives have been touched by HIV and AIDS. She’s the mother of an HIV survivor. She was diagnosed at a time when the prognosis wasn’t as optimistic; a time when prejudice and fear were more rampant. Her daughter Robin, and countless others, are alive today because of medical research. Perhaps that’s why Robin became a doctor herself. This leads her to tell them how important the telethon is. She served as Police Commissioner, and saw how closely first responders and medical staff work together. Their work is vitally important. The police, doctors, the ambulance crew, the hospital cleaners; no one does their job alone. They need each other, and we desperately need them. So give what you can. Any donation, whatever size. I have a friend who was diagnosed with HIV many years ago, like Robin, and he’s doing fine today.
Elizabeth tells Franco, Nikolas isn’t the problem, Ava is. She’s playing emotional chess with Nikolas, and they’re the pawns.
Robert tells Olivia he has to go back inside. Anna is going to have a fit because he wasn’t there during her speech. Olivia says, tell her the truth. He found a way for her to see her son; Anna will understand. He says he’ll be waiting, and she says she doesn’t know how to thank him. He leaves, and Ned comes out. He says, amazing. They have a fight and she runs to Robert because he says the right things. Olivia says it has nothing to do with their marriage. Robert found a way for her to see Dante. Ned says, that’s great news, and Olivia says, he’s at a facility in Geneva. Robert knows the guy in charge. Ned says he’ll change his schedule, and they’ll go, but Olivia says Robert has to sneak her in as it is. Only one person can go. Ned says, okay, and Lulu comes running in. She says, Brook has been attacked.
Michael begs Monica to please wake up. Monica opens her eyes, and asks if everything is all right. He says she scared him half to death. Is she okay? She says she must have dozed off, and Michael says she was sleeping pretty heavily. Where’s Wiley? She says she doesn’t remember. The phone rang, and she’d left it in the foyer. She came back in, and heard Wiley. Michael asks if Wiley was downstairs or did she hear him on the monitor? Willow says she’ll check the nursery.
Nelle goes to meet Julian, and asks where Wiley is. He says Wiley is safe in his car, and she asks if he’s saying he’s giving her a set of wheels. That’s totally nice, but unnecessary. Just put Wiley in her car, and they can get going.
Elizabeth tells Franco, Ava is encouraging Nikolas to cheat, so she can get the Cassadine fortune. Franco says she has it backward. Nikolas is the one who’s playing them.
Lucy thanks everyone, saying the Nurses Ball was a resounding success; just amazing. She’d like to thank the volunteers who jumped in at the last minute, and gave generously of their time, and the amazing performers backstage who pitched in and made this happen. She thanks her rack of gowns on stage with her, and goes behind the rack, coming out in a volunteer T-shirt and jeans. She says the most deserving of all is their amazing audience. It’s her great pleasure to introduce the intrepid nurses of GH. Epiphany, Amy, Deanna, and an unidentified flying nurse sing. I’ve had zero luck with finding the titles of songs I don’t recognize, but if I can find a list, I’ll post them. They sing in front of a grid with candles everywhere on it, and I think, that’s impressive for something done on the fly.
Backstage, Lucy smiles at her success.
Brook is taken out on a stretcher, while Mac gathers evidence. He asks if Dustin and Lulu saw anybody. Did anyone look like they were fleeing the scene? Lulu says, they didn’t see anyone. Ned tells Brook to hang in there. He won’t leave her side. He’ll be right there. They leave, and Finn goes with them. Mac tells Lulu and Dustin, if they remember any detail, no matter how small, call him.
Michael asks what Monica was doing before she fell sleep. Was Wiley downstairs, or in the nursery? She says she doesn’t remember, and Willow runs down the stairs. She tells them, Wiley’s not in his room, and Monica says, what?
Nelle says, all right, hubby; it’s been fun, but it’s time go. Julian says, sorry, but she’s not going anywhere. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says she pushed him too far. Now he’s pushing back. He takes out a gun.
To be continued…
On Monday, Portia has an update on Brook, Nina tells Jax not to hate her for what she’s going to say, Julian tells Nelle that someone has to stop her, and Sonny says someone is going to tell him right now.
Sunday August 30th, starting at 6 pm, AMC will also be showing the first episode of each season of The Walking Dead. I still think the very first episode was the best one. Rick’s WTF? face can’t be topped.
I didn’t know you could scream that loud after smoking cigarettes. – Cynthia Decker, Pillow Talk: 90 Day Fiancé, referring to Angela screaming at Michael
Tough times never last. Tough people do. – Robert Schuller
Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance and none can say why some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun. – Kent Nerburn
How to sell books in 2020: Put them near the toilet paper. – NY Times
An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. May you be open to each thread that comes into your life – the golden ones and the coarse ones – and may you weave them into a brilliant and beautiful life. – Unknown
We are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day. – Brad Meltzer
Do one thing every day that scares you. – Eleanor Roosevelt
The noisiest thing in the world is someone trying to be quiet. – me
People tend to be generous when sharing their nonsense, fear, and ignorance. And while they seem quite eager to feed you their negativity, please remember that sometimes the diet we need to be on is a spiritual and emotional one. Be cautious with what you feed your mind and soul. Fuel yourself with positivity and let that fuel propel you into positive action. – Steve Maraboli
Luckily for me, I have all my best ideas drunk. – Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Birds of Prey
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. – Confucius
Immature love says: ‘I love you because I need you.’ Mature love says ‘I need you because I love you.’ – Erich Fromm
Do not fear failure but rather fear not trying. – Roy T. Bennett
🏍 Moving Forward…
Next week has to be better, right? Right? Enjoy your weekend, or pretend it’s the weekend, depending. Until Monday, stay safe, stay supportive of the front line, and stay away from psychopaths with fabric shears.
Chase dreamed about Willow, but woke up alone. Willow woke up alone too, at the Quartermaine mansion. She saw her rings on the nightstand, and remembered getting married to Michael. Michael came downstairs for breakfast, and Brook asked if he’d gotten any sleep. He said he felt ready, and she said he’d done what he could for Wiley, and even gotten married. They’re not all so lucky. Michael said it would happen for her too, when she was old and grey. She threw a bagel at him, insisting she would never go grey. She said Willow was sweet, kind, and gorgeous; the perfect wife for him, and the perfect stepmom for Wiley. Ava brought Avery to visit Mike at Turning Woods. Sonny watched from the doorway as Avery showed Mike her drawings. Carly went to the MetroCourt, and told Olivia she was worried about the hearing, and figured she might as well come in. Olivia asked if there was anything she could do, and Carly suggested dropping a house on Nelle, but Olivia said she was fresh out of tornados. Carly said she could use some advice, and asked if Olivia had any words of wisdom regarding mother-in-law-hood. Olivia saw Lulu come in with Dustin, and said, bite your tongue, exercise patience, and slap on a smile. Robert woke up on Laura’s couch, wondering where he was. Laura asked if she should be offended that he didn’t remember.
Michael told Brook that he’d hit the jackpot with Willow, but she had to give up everything, and was in love with Chase. Brook said that was Chase’s fault, but Michael said Willow had to sacrifice a lot. He didn’t want her regretting it. Brook said Chase was a giant tool, but even if he walked on water, Willow was trading up. Michael being loaded was a plus, but he was an amazing guy, and Willow had enough sense to appreciate how fabulous he was. Seeing Willow in the doorway, Brook said, right? Still in bed, Chase scrolled through pictures on his phone of himself and Willow. Mac called and told Chase that he was late, and Chase jumped out of bed, saying he’d be there in ten minutes. Laura gave Robert some coffee, and asked if he wanted to pick up where they’d left off. He asked where that was, and she said, where you’d expect old friends with history and chemistry to be. He put his head in his hands, and she laughed. She said he came to her house drunk. She managed to get him on the couch, settled him in, and went to bed. He said she was a vision of true evilness, and she asked why he came to her doorstep. Carly asked if Olivia wasn’t a fan of Mr. Phillips; that’s how she knew him, since he was Josslyn’s teacher. Lulu and Dustin walked over to the bar, and Lulu said Dustin was there to meet Brook. Dustin said he and Brook were checking out the venue, since they were performing at the Nurses Ball, but he also wanted Olivia’s culinary expertise. Lulu said Rocco needed cupcakes for school, and Dustin volunteered to oversee the baking. Olivia asked what the occasion was, and Lulu said it was Take Your Dad to School Day. Avery continued to show Mike her artwork, and Ava told Sonny that she hoped bringing Avery there was okay. Sonny said Avery never needed permission to see her grandfather, and asked how Mike had been. Ava said it took him a while to warm up, but he’d been smiling ever since. He wasn’t talking much though. Sonny asked if Avery was scared, but Ava said she was fine. Avery had experience from when Ava was in Shadybrook. She didn’t understand, so it didn’t make her sad. She was just spending time with her grandfather, and loving him.
Carly asked to talk to Dustin about Josslyn’s curriculum. Lulu asked Olivia if something was wrong. Olivia said Lulu had barely known Dustin a year, and she was trying to erase Dante from Rocco’s life. Ava asked Sonny if Mike’s good days were becoming fewer and farther between, but Sonny said he’d stopped measuring. He was trying to stay in the moment. He wondered if Mike had coherent thoughts and couldn’t voice them, or if he had no coherent thoughts at all. He said, once in a while, Mike made a precise observation, and Ava said that showed Mike was still in there. She told Sonny that she owed him an apology. Robert said he couldn’t believe Holly was dead, and Laura said she was so sorry. Robert said he was sorry for dragging her out of bed. He knew she and Holly didn’t have the greatest relationship. She said, it was a long time ago, and people important to her cared about Holly, him topping the list. She asked, what happened? Was she ill? He said it would have been easier that way, but she was on a ship that went down in a storm, and it was no ordinary ship. Laura said, of course (🍷) not, and Robert said Holly did contract work for the WSB; another one of her secrets. On the phone with Anna, Mac looked at the report on Holly’s death, and said, there’s nothing here. Chase came in, apologizing for being late, and Mac asked if Chase needed a day off. Even though he was there, he wasn’t, and if he needed to take care of something, do it. Brook told Willow and Michael that she had a meeting, but good luck in court. She didn’t think they’d need it though. The judge would take one look at them, and know Wiley belonged with them. She left, and Michael said Brook had a flair for the dramatic. Willow said she hadn’t noticed, and Michael said everyone was talking them up to each other. Willow said you’d think they defied gravity, and Michael said he already knew she was incredible.
Carly didn’t think Dustin understood how fraught the situation was. It was hard on Olivia, seeing Lulu move forward, and not reserving room for Dante in Rocco’s life. She wasn’t judging; she thought it was the right decision in Lulu’s mind. It was great for Lulu, but she didn’t think Lulu understood how it was affecting Olivia. Maybe Dustin could see it from Olivia’s perspective. If Carly was in her position, her daughter-in-law would have been out on the street with half her hair ripped out. Rocco was bringing a new man to Take Your Dad to School Day, but it’s not like Dante was a deadbeat. He had severe PTSD, and it was hard for Olivia. Lulu told Olivia, no one was erasing Dante. She was sending Dustin in his place to make Rocco happy. He didn’t want to feel left out, and had asked for Dustin. They’d all decided together to make Dustin and honorary uncle, and he’d be wearing a Yankees hat to represent Dante. It’s what Rocco wanted, and what Dante would want too. Robert told Laura, when he and Holly saw each other, it wasn’t always under the friendliest of circumstances. Laura said Holly had broken Robert’s heart, and ran away with a piece of it. Part of him had thought he’d get it back, but now that would never happen. Michael told Willow that it was important they tell the truth to each other. He admitted that if he was going to court without her, he’d be nervous, but going with her, he knew he was going to win. Maybe not today, and it wouldn’t be easy, but he was going to get custody of Wiley. She said she’d heard what he’d said to Brook, and she regretted nothing. Ava apologized to Sonny for having Mike arrested for kidnapping Avery. Sonny said he appreciated it, and appreciated her bringing Avery. They went back in Mike’s room, and Avery showed them a drawing she and her grandpa made; he’d told her what to do, and she did it. Ava asked who the boy riding the bike was, and Mike said, his son. Ava asked if he’d taught his son to ride a bike, and Mike nodded. Avery said her daddy had taught her, and Ava said, all the best dads do that. She had to take Avery to school, and Sonny suggested they put the picture up on Mike’s wall. In the hallway, Avery asked if Ava would ever forget her like her grandpa forgot her daddy, and Ava said, no. Even if it did happen, by then Avery would be grown up with her own family. Avery asked if she’d ever forget Ava, and Ava said, just try.
Dustin thanked Carly for the advice. Brook came in, and Dustin headed back to the bar. Carly asked Brook how the newlyweds were, and Brook said, calm and focused. She couldn’t figure out Chase though; she’d never have pegged him as a cheater. He’d broken Willow’s heart, but was walking around with puppy dog eyes like he was the wronged one. Brook told Carly about Chase arresting her because she’d had the audacity to call him out, and accidentally bopped Sasha in the nose. She’d ripped up the ticket – like any sensible person would – and Chase hauled her to the station. Carly said she needed to go, and Brook wondered if it was something she’d said. Lulu told Olivia, the Dante she knew before everything happened, would want his son to feel safe with a man as good and kind as Dustin. Sonny gave Mike an iPad already loaded with his favorites, and put the earbuds on him. Mike said it was loud, and Sonny said they’d do it some other time. He asked what Mike thought of Avery, and Mike laughed, looking at her artwork. Sonny said he needed to know what Mike wanted; the next time he might not be able to say. Did he want help? Did he want to stay or go? The doctor asked if he could speak to Sonny, and it was back out to the hallway. Chase told Mac that he didn’t need time off, and Mac read from Brook’s police report. Chase said she was combative and belligerent, and Mac said all the Quartermaines were. Chase had arrested Brook three times in three months, and the Civilian Review Board might see it as an abuse of power. Robert told Laura he must have given the wrong address to the Ride Share guy, and she said if he didn’t want it straight, he wouldn’t have come there. He had to grieve Holly, and say goodbye.
Dustin told Olivia that he’d never try to take Dante’s place. He had respect for Dante putting himself on the line for justice. He said he was in a strange position, and Olivia said that’s the way it was. Lulu went to see Laura for advice and calming down. She thought she’d blown her relationship with Rocco’s other grandmother. The doctor told Sonny that Mike had stopped eating. They could give Mike a feeding tube, and keep him as comfortable as possible, but the greater challenge was that it might further disorient Mike. Sonny asked what he recommended, and the doctor said some patients made provision that they don’t want life extending measures, but Mike had left it to Sonny. Sonny said he needed time, and the doctor left Sonny with his thoughts. Michael showed up, and said he wanted to tell Mike that he got married. Sonny told him that they wanted to put a feeding tube in Mike, but he didn’t know what Mike wanted. Michael said he should ask Mike if he could, but Sonny said, what if he couldn’t? Michael said Sonny knew what his dad would want more than anyone, and to trust that. Sonny said he wasn’t ready for Mike to go, and didn’t think Mike was ready. What if he wanted to stick around and see his grandchildren? What if he didn’t want to die? Mac told Chase to make peace with Brook, and Chase told him, if you say so. Robert came into the station, and Mac said, interrogation room – now. He’d thought he put Robert in a Ride Share; what happened? Robert said he washed up on Laura couch. He’d thought work would get his mind off of things, but it didn’t. He was going to take the day off. Mac told him, take a look at this, handing him a folder, saying it was a heavily redacted report from the WSB on Holly’s death. Willow walked in, and went over to Chase’s desk.
Robert said it was black; there was nothing there. He told Mac that he had a headache, and asked what he was missing. Mac told Robert to look at it some more, and Robert would see what he and Anna had. There was more to Holly’s death, and they weren’t convinced the ship went down in an accident. Lulu asked Laura if she was supposed to run her parenting decisions by Olivia, and Laura said, absolutely not; but Olivia was Dante’s mother, and mothers didn’t move on the same way. Sadly, Olivia might be waiting the rest of her life for Dante to recover, and Lulu should have compassion. Olivia told Dustin that she wasn’t going to pretend it was easy. It was hard on Lulu too, but she was happy Lulu had found someone like him; a decent person. It meant a lot, but just so they were clear, she was never going to give up on Dante, and would be hoping, praying, and doing everything in her power to get him back home. He said Rocco and Lulu would never stop hoping either. Brook joined them, and Dustin left with her to look at the ballroom.
Michael asked Sonny how long Mike hadn’t been eating, and Sonny said, a few days. It wasn’t like he was starving on purpose; it was like he’d forgotten how to eat. Mike had been happy with Avery. Sometimes Sonny thought it would be easier to let it be over, but it wasn’t what he wanted. It was what his dad wanted. Mike had a moment with Avery, more like a connection. If keeping him alive for five more months gave him five more moments like that, who was he to say Mike couldn’t have that? Chase asked why Willow was there, and she said there was something she had to tell him that couldn’t wait. She and Michael had gotten married. She didn’t want him to hear elsewhere. She thought it would hurt less coming from her. He asked if it hurting him mattered to her, and she said she thought it always would. Goodbye. He told her, good luck in court. Carly watched their exchange.
🧼 Here Comes Another One…
The soap world has definitely kept fans busy with virtual reunions. This one’s for you, ATWT lovers.
Alien-Con virtually begins July 28th. Since you can enjoy this free event from the comfort of your home, there’s a lot less chance of your getting probed.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. – Teddy Roosevelt, speaking at the Sorbonne in 1910
You have a right to experiment with your life. You will make mistakes. And they are right too. No, I think there was too rigid a pattern. You came out of an education and are supposed to know your vocation. Your vocation is fixed, and maybe ten years later you find you are not a teacher anymore or you’re not a painter anymore. It may happen. It has happened. I mean Gauguin decided at a certain point he wasn’t a banker anymore; he was a painter. And so he walked away from banking. I think we have a right to change course. But society is the one that keeps demanding that we fit in and not disturb things. They would like you to fit in right away so that things work now. – Anaïs Nin
⚾️ Rounding It Out…
It’s Friday again, or another in a long line of when-is-this-pandemiconium-going-to-end? days, depending. But you know the world is still spinning when the Dead series are given premier dates, and the Shahs reunion finally rears its ugly head (part 2 on Sunday – July 26th). So stay safe, stay strong, and stay knowing one day you’ll be griping about your job again.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
The Walking Dead
Negan sits in his cell in Alexandria. The cell door opens, and he says, as he lives and breathes. It’s Carol, and he says he thought Gabriel was coming down to give him last rights. She asks if he wants forgiveness, but he says he’s done what he’s done, and he’s not getting on his knees. She asks what he wants, and he says, TiVo, a beer, and some rocky road ice cream. What does it matter to her? She says, what if he didn’t have to die? and he says he didn’t know she had a say on the kangaroo council. She says she’s not there for the council, and he says he’s getting that. What he doesn’t get is, why she’s dealing with him instead of lining up the skin queen in her crosshairs? She asks what he thinks this is, and he smiles. He says, damn. Word has it, she’s certainly a badass, but she missed her shot. What happens if he muffs it? It will make things worse for everyone, and despite what people think, he’s not down with that. Carol says they need this done; it will help everyone there. He asks what he gets out of it, and she says he’s been eating whatever sh*t they throw his way, hoping they forget. They won’t. Not unless he does something to make them forget. Bring her Alpha’s head, and that’s what people will remember him for. She’ll make sure of it. He has her word, but do it fast.
Carol puts Alpha’s head on a pike, and steps back to admire her work. Negan says, it’s what she wanted. Alpha’s mouth continues to move, making zombie gurgles, and Negan suggests they get moving. It was their deal; start spreading the news. She asks, what took him so long? and he says, doing her dirty work? He guesses he wanted get out with his head attached. Sh*t like that takes time. He’s held up his end, and he’s asking her to hold up hers. He wants to open a new chapter in the Book of Negan. She says they’re not going back; not yet. He says he can’t go back alone without a noose immediately being tied around his neck, and she says, then wait. She starts to walk, and he asks how long she’s taking. She says he’s free. Now he can do whatever he wants. Wait or don’t; it’s up to him. She says she needs to be alone. Sh*t like that takes time.
Dianne tells Ezekiel that he did good, but he says he got lucky. It doesn’t absolve his failings. Jerry tells him to take it easy on himself, but Ezekiel says, these days mistakes stick easier than trials. He and Jerry hug Magna, and Ezekiel says he’s so sorry. She says she’s okay.
Rosita checks out her wound, and Eugene asks how she feels. She says, all right, and he says they can bring her to see Alex when they find him. She says they don’t have to. He has to go; tell them already. Eugene stands up, and gets everyone’s attention. He says he has something he needs to confess. He’s been communicado on the radio with someone outside of their orbit; a new person. They’ve set up a time to meet. Yumiko asks who it is, and he says, her name is Stephanie. She’s from another community. Jerry asks what it is, and Dianne says, he’s meeting her? Magna says, she could be a spy, and Yumiko asks how long Eugene has been talking to her. Ezekiel says he has some of the same questions, but if Eugene’s instincts are that Stephanie is a new ally, they should hear him out before they jump to conclusions. They’re all on the same side. Eugene says some of them are aware that he relocated to Hilltop to make a metaphorically fresh start. He struggled, burying himself in work and community duties, and the voice in the void became a friend. Some might think he’s foolish, but spare him their derision. After what just happened, he’s willing to be a fool, and believes new good people are worth the risk.
Magna sits outside, and Yumiko joins her. Yumiko says, Magna can and should take her horse and go with them. She’s never wanted to be cooped up. She can go back out on road, and have an adventure. Look forward, not back. Magna says she likes it there. Some routine might be good for her. Someone else can have an adventure and meet new people. It’s okay. Yumiko says she’d be leaving at the worst time, but Magna says, there’s nothing to fix. Go. Yumiko leaves.
Ezekiel gets his horse ready, and Jerry asks if he’s really going. Ezekiel says he is, but Jerry doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Ezekiel says, because he’s sick? Jerry says, because he’ll miss Ezekiel. He can’t stop a man willing to be foolish. Ezekiel says, or a fool willing to believe in future friends. It’s enough for now. He tells Jerry, the Kingdom needs him. Make sure the legacy lives on. Jerry says he’s got it, and they hug.
Alpha’s head moves its mouth as Beta approaches with two Whisperers. One says, he’s the Alpha now, and Beta tells him that Alpha can hear him. Take off his mask (that’s never good), and hear her. He tells the guy to move forward, and asks if he’s listening. What is she saying to him? Beta he pushes him closer, and says, just listen. He pushes the guy’s head near Alpha’s mouth, and she bites his ear, pulling it off. The other guy takes off, as we all would. Beta says, just listen, and I wonder how he’s going to do that with no ear. Beta shoves him aside, and takes down Alpha’s head, cradling it in his arms.
Negan goes to the cabin where Lydia was being held. He sees she’s gone, and says, sh*t. Daryl puts a crossbow in Negan’s face, and asks where Alpha is. Negan says, she’s dead; he killed her. Daryl calls him a liar, but he says he’s not lying. He has something in his pocket; it’s not a weapon. He’s going to do a slow reach. He pulls Alpha’s mask out of his pocket, and shows Daryl. He says the whole reason he threw in with them was to get close enough to slit Alpha’s throat, and silence Alpha. Why else does Daryl think his girlfriend let him out of his cell?
Carol walks through the woods, and hears her name being whispered. She hears it more clearly, and turns to see Alpha. Alpha says she’s always watching.
Beta strolls along with the Whisperer bitten by Alpha, who starts coughing. A zombie comes by, and the guy moves to kill it, but Beta shoves him down. The zombie descends on the guy, and finishes him off. Beta listens to Alpha’s head, that he’s now carrying in a bag. He hears a noise, and moves toward it.
Beta goes inside a hotel, and shoves things aside, even though he doesn’t need to. He puts Alpha’s head down, and picks up a note. He reads, these 2 eyes see 1 truth. He sees a gun on the floor, and looks up at a poster for the band Half Moon. He rips it down, and smashes a nearby guitar.
Alpha tells Carol, she’s lost. So was her boy. She sent him away, and he never came back. He died out there, alone and afraid, just like Sophia. She respects what Carol did. Negan drew the blade, but Carol ended her, like a true Alpha. Carol says, stop it, and Alpha asks if she regrets it. Carol says she doesn’t, and Alpha says people were hurt in the name of vengeance, and now she can’t go back. They don’t accept what she’s done, but maybe they would if she says she’s sorry. Sorry you’re mad; please don’t be mad at me. She tried being on her own before, but they always pull her back. She’s always wanting more; love, motherhood, death. They don’t know what she truly wants. Admit it. What does she want? Say it. A zombie pops out of a tree, and Carol spears it through the throat and into the head. She says she wants to be alone, but Alpha says, that’s not it.
Eugene, Ezekiel, and Yumiko head out on horses. Ezekiel wonders if the new community will be handy, and Yumiko asks what Eugene thinks about that. He says his mother was a pistol, but he remembered something kind she’d done. She used to get him chocolate bunnies at Easter. Biting their heads off made him upset, but he associates it with family. Yumiko says, please don’t tell her that they’re on this journey for chocolate bunnies. Eugene says he’s on the journey for the future hope of mankind, but candy would be nice. He asks if Ezekiel is okay, and Ezekiel says he’s not the best audience at the moment. They ride past a cage with two zombies in it, and Yumiko wonders if it’s a trap. Eugene doesn’t think that’s the modus operandi, but Ezekiel says, they’re not alone. Who would do this? Yumiko suggests they take the time to investigate in case it’s a warning.
Off by himself, Ezekiel gets off his horse. He sees some wandering zombies, and kills them. He coughs and stumbles, as another one comes closer, but he manages to stab it. He sits on a fallen tree. Yumiko says, all clear, and calls to him. He says he’s coming. All clear here.
Negan, his hands bound behind his back, walks in front of Daryl. He says, this follow-the-leader routine is like déjà vu. It’s the same way it went down with Alpha. He tells Daryl to get pissed at his gal pal for not letting him in on the plan. He’s pissed too. The lone wolf isn’t thinking of the pack. Daryl says the children at Hilltop almost died because of Negan. Although I’m not sure how Daryl came to that conclusion.
Beta looks at a record album, Half Moon Live in Concert. He puts on a turntable, and I try not to think about why the turntable works when there’s no electricity, and any batteries in it would have leaked or gone dead by now. The music draws zombies to the hotel.
Carol goes to the cabin, and Alpha says, this is her plan? and calls Carol brainless. She had no peace on the ocean, thinking about Alpha, and wondering where they’re going to land, and looking for sign. Give it up. If Alpha knows the truth, so does she. Hear her. Carol gets up on a stepladder, and fiddles with something on the ceiling, but the whole thing caves in, and she falls, the ceiling and everything surrounding her falling on top of her. Alpha says, she’s stupid too.
Negan leads Daryl to where Alpha’s head was, and tells Daryl, it was right here, on this spike. They can wait there for Carol. Daryl says take him to Lydia, but Negan asks what he’s talking about. Why would he stash her out there unless it was to keep her safe? He used her as bait to get Alpha alone. What’s wrong? He didn’t do it fast enough? It took a minute; he had to get her trust. He wasn’t going off half-cocked on a suicide mission. Daryl says, it was because Negan liked it. They hear the sound of a gun cocking, and some Whisperers step out of the woods, one of them holding a shotgun. Daryl drops his crossbow, and one of them says, Alpha is dead because of Negan. Kneel to the new Alpha. They kneel, and Negan laughs.
The music plays, while zombies gather. Beta stands above them, on the balcony, his arms outstretched. He smiles, something we’ve never seen, and pulls half of his mask off.
Negan tells Daryl, sorry. He’s savoring the moment. Daryl’s wrists are now tied, while Negan is free, and Negan says he’s taking his sweet-ass time. All right, fellas, down to business. Wait one damn minute. He’s the Alpha, right? He’s a bit confused. If he’s the Alpha, why is someone who’s not the Alpha holding the badass shotgun? The Whisperer holding the gun gives it to Negan, who says, that’s what he’s talking about. It feels good. He’s never had a kid of his own, but if he did, he imagines this is what it’s like holding your baby for the first time. But it turns out his baby can kill people by spitting bullets at them. He wants Daryl to kneel to the Alpha, and the Whisperers try to push Daryl down, but he shrugs them off and kneels. Negan says, it’s starting to get real now, ain’t it? Daryl was right when he said Negan liked it. In fact – he points the gun at Daryl – he likes it a lot. Daryl says Negan should probably shoot him, and Negan says, don’t threaten him with a good time. Negan shoots two Whisperers, and stabs the other in the head. When they’re down, Daryl tells Negan, untie me, a-hole, and Negan laughs.
Ezekiel, Eugen, and Yumiko sit by a fire, when Ezekiel’s horse suddenly whinnies and keels over. I had to look away here – that’s right, I can watch a million people get their heads stomped, but I cannot bear for an animal to be hurt. Ezekiel tells his horse, it’s not going to hurt anymore, and puts the horse out of its misery. Yumiko tells him that she’s sorry, and he says he shouldn’t have come. She asks, why? and he says, if he falls, they have to promise to leave him behind. His horse wasn’t strong enough to make the journey. Maybe he’s not either. He’s okay with that, but not with putting them at risk. Yumiko asks if he wants to turn back because of what might happen, and he says, it’s for the best. She says they don’t know what lies ahead; no one does. She had all these plans for her life, and for what? She’s here to find out what’s possible. None of them can predict or imagine what’s ahead, but she knows who they need with them. A man who built a kingdom.
Carol lies under the rubble, as a zombie pulls itself out of the creek nearby. Alpha says, her mom used to say, everything works out the way it’s supposed to, and Carol tells her, shut up already. The zombie crawls toward what’s left of the cabin, and Alpha says, this way, friend. Is Carol ready for them, and to see how this ends? No one is coming to save her. Not Ezekiel, and certainly not Daryl. Not after what she did to Connie. The zombie, who’s pretty well deteriorated, starts pushing through the slats in the wall. Alpha says, no matter what Carol does, she loses people. If she goes back, Daryl could be next. Carol says she won’t let that happen. She knows what she has to do. Alpha says, it could have been anyone, but they chose her. She gets the job done. Carol struggles, and Alpha tells her, look at the flowers like she’s supposed to. One…two… The zombie pushes through, but Carol pulls herself out, takes out her knife, and stabs it in the head. She collapses, and Alpha is gone.
Ezekiel now rides behind Yumiko. They ride down a highway, seeing a city in the distance.
Negan drinks from a canteen, and passes it to Daryl. They sit side by side, each facing a different way. Negan says, not to be a spinning record, but he doesn’t think Carol is coming back. He’s not bullsh*tting Daryl. Daryl says he knows, and Negan tells him, when he said he liked it, that wasn’t part of the act. Daryl says he knows. Negan says, when Daryl’s people locked him up, he lost everything. He spent seven years staring out that little window. It sucked so bad, even his memories have bars painted on them. When Alpha took him in, he admits he liked it. It was nice, feeling like he mattered again, and being respected, but she took it too far. You don’t kill people who don’t deserve it, and you never kill kids. Daryl asks if that’s supposed to make him like Negan, and Negan says, no. Daryl says, good, and Negan asks, what about his winning personality? Daryl gets up, and starts to walk. Negan asks, what about Carol? and follows.
Carol walks to the gate, and Daryl opens it. She walks in, and neither one of them says anything. Daryl closes the gate.
Eugene, Yumiko, and Ezekiel ride into the city. They go past a store, where a zombie in costume is tied to a rocker. The look into a café, where two zombies sit with martinis. Another sits on a delivery cart. It’s like a weird Disney ride, with zombies in various tableaus. They look around, and find one in a car, handcuffed to the steering wheel, while a police zombie is about to give them a ticket. Ezekiel starts to laugh and point. He laughs so hard, he has to wipe tears from his eyes. They see a pile of bones on the ground, wearing a boa, and a voice says, oh my God! Hi! A woman, also wearing a boa, and dressed sort of like Madonna, circa the late 80s, stands in front of them, holding an automatic weapon. (For those who are familiar with the comics, it’s Princess.)
Beta takes out the note, and says, someday we’ll rise. He takes Alpha’s head out of the bag, and says, thank you. He sees now, like she does. He puts a knife through Alpha’s head, and sits nose to nose with her for a moment. Zombies clamor at the hotel door.
Beta opens the hotel door, and walks out. He walks through the crowd of zombies, and they follow him as he walks down the street.
Next time – the last episode before the finale – Alpha says we walk, Judith and Daryl run from zombies, and Aaron and Alden hide to watch Beta.
🐭 On Talking Dead: Home Edition, comedian Ron Funches thought the zombie tableaus were like the ones at Chuck E. Cheese, but not as frightening. I couldn’t agree more.
While I’m by no means downplaying the seriousness of the current world situation, there is good news that most of those who aren’t in a high risk group only experience mild to moderate symptoms.
I’ve never given myself a haircut while drunk, but when I had my first apartment, I did let my next door neighbor cut my hair when we’d been drinking. It wasn’t awful. And it grew out.
While housebound, you can find loads of fun, free things on the internet. Museum and city tours, concerts, Doug the Pug’s workout on Instagram, and Fiona!
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
The Walking Dead
Michonne walks through the woods with two chained, armless, mouthless zombie buddies. She whacks a non-buddy and picks up some bullets from the ground. She sees Andrea running through the woods, with some zombies following her. Andrea hits one in the head with a rock, and stabs another, but she falls. She tries to scramble away from a third, as Michonne watches and does nothing, then turns away.
Michonne unlocks the chains binding Virgil to the boat. He says she could have done that five hours ago, but she asks why would she? They walk through the trees to a field, and she says she needs to get back. Virgil picks some flower blossoms, and says he can’t show up empty handed. His wife wouldn’t like it. He explains that he’s picking herbs. They’re good for everything; pain, nerves, and sleep. Michonne asks where the munition depot is, and he says, the old lab has structural damage. It’s best to stay away. They walk to a building where a sign says restricted area. Virgil tells her that his little boy seems to think a sailor left buried treasure in one of the grain silos. It’s hard to keep him from going inside. He’s just like his mom; when he decides to do something, there’s nothing you can do to stop him. Michonne whips around with her katana, and tells him, stop the bullsh*t. Where the hell is his family? He says he told her that he was coming home to his family, and he meant it.
Virgil stops in front of three open graves. He says he promised his wife when they got married, he’d bring her flowers every day. Michonne says he waited until now to tell her? and he says, the words don’t come easy, and neither does trust. He promised to help her, and he will. The island isn’t clear. It was until the others came and brought violence. The sickness came with it, and killed his family. He never got good at doing what she does. She’s good with a sword. She wonders what he’s asking, and he says his family is still in there; his wife and his babies. That’s why he asked her to come. He needed her to come.
They approach a building, where a zombie waits just inside the door. Michonne busts in, kills the zombie, and walks forward. Virgil closes the door behind them. A zombie is stuck inside a hallway that’s been partially blocked by a refrigerator. Michonne pierces it’s head, and kills it. Virgil drags it out of the way, as Michonne opens the next door. On his way back, Virgil knocks over some stacked furniture, and blocks the passage. He says, sorry, which hardly seems adequate. A small crowd of zombies is gathered in a room further on. The door is locked, and Michonne tells Virgil, stay close, and thunders in, rushing the zombies, holding a cot in front of her. There are about ten to fifteen of them, and she gives Virgil the cot, telling him to get behind it. She stabs and slashes, slicing off the tops of two zombies’ heads. Virgil is pushed back, and blocks himself in. Wow. Michonne is fast. The zombies all down, Virgil thanks her.
She opens the door to yet one more room. Zombies hang from ceiling, still moving. Virgil looks around, and sees a woman’s shoe. He picks it up, and gently puts it back on a zombie’s foot. This is depressing, and I wonder where Negan is when I need him.
As they walk past some chairs and stacks of books, Virgil says he wanted give them something his daughter loved to take with them, and she loved that book. Michonne says she knows how hard it is, but she’s sorry. She’s got to get back. He says he had a hard time, and his wife talked him through it. Without her, he doesn’t know who he is. She says, it’s not too late to find out. He thanks her again, and she tells him to show her what she came for, so she can go. He says, it’s late. The tide is low, and he’s not sure the boat will go through the channel. He suggests she stay night, and not risk it. They’ll need to hole up. She says she kept her end of the bargain; he needs to keep his. He says, it’s getting dark. Some of the buildings aren’t safe. They can do it in the morning. She says, first thing.
Michonne tries her radio, but gets nothing. She walks to another building, and shines her flashlight around. She sees wooden crates, and looks inside them, but none of them have guns. She sees a group of cages with dead rats in them, some just skeletons. She quietly walks through into another room, and hears a voice say, everyone be quiet. Virgil shuts her inside, and tells her, wait until morning; it’s not safe. He trusted her, and now she ruined it. She tells him, open the damn door, but he walks away.
Michonne bangs on the door to no avail. She sits, sword at the ready. A faucet drips, and she says, sh*t. She sees a food tray, and bangs on the door again. She hears someone say, calm down. They’ve been trying to talk to her. She asks how long she’s been in there, and a man’s voice says, a day maybe. We see two men and a woman in the next room. She asks why they didn’t answer when she was calling out, and the man says, Virgil blows up. He gets in a mood. The woman says, when he’s angry, it’s best to be quiet. The man says, don’t bother to try to escape; it’s boobytrapped. Virgil comes there as little as possible; he doesn’t like to see them. They were researchers together. They wrote papers, and had a life there. Michonne says, they knew each other? and he says, they were friends. She asks, what went wrong? and the woman says, stragglers came by boat, and they took them all in. One night, the food supply ran low, and a fight broke out over rations when Virgil was late. A stranger pulled a knife, and was killed. When Virgil came back, he panicked, and locked all the doors. But he didn’t know… Michonne says, what? and the woman says, his wife and kids were inside. He snapped. The man says, he was never the same, and the woman says they’ve been there ever since. The man asks if Michonne is okay, and she says she will be. She’s not staying there long. The man says she can’t kill if she doesn’t have the strength, and suggests she eat. He asks her name. Michonne bites into an apple, and says, Michonne. Virgil looks in, and says he’s glad she ate. She tells him, open the damn door, but he says he can’t do that. She says, why the hell not? and he says she’ll kill him. She says, we reap what we sow, a-hole, and he says he doesn’t want to fight. Michonne feels weird, and starts to hallucinate. Virgil says, Violet has a gift. It can help Michonne the way it helped him. She sees a woman, but then the woman disappears. She asks what Virgil did.
The room spins, and she asks, what did he do? He says, it makes a nice tea. He wants her to see. She’s in pain, like he is. She needs peace, like he does. She realizes he’s drugged her, and Michonne says she doesn’t drug people and toss them in a cell. He needs to hear her. Think about his daughter and son. He tells her that he said that too; no one listened. Everything he did was to protect his family. She laughs, and says she’s sure they’re proud of him now. He says, she’s no angel. She falls onto her side, and he says, picture the sun. She sees Siddiq, and he says she was supposed to protect them. She says she did her best, and he says she let him die. This is how it feels to be her family. She touches him, and sees blood on her hands. When she looks at him again, he’s a zombie. She yells, make it stop! The faucet continues to drip, and she gets up. Virgil tells her, stop fighting it. Suddenly, there are chains around her wrists, and she’s pulled forward.
In the woods, Michonne relives seeing Andrea crawling away from the zombie, and turns away. She goes back to Andrea’s body, and takes Andrea’s knife, wiping the blood off it. She also takes Andrea’s canteen. She goes to the road, where a car is going past. She tries to flag it down, but they keep going. The car slows, and stops. Daryl gets out, gets something from the trunk. Although Michonne yells for help, Daryl ignores her, and says, come on; let’s go. The car takes off, and Michonne runs after it. She goes back into the woods, and kills a zombie. Negan comes toward her, along with a few other people, and says, look what we have here. She takes a swing at him with her sword, but misses, and he knocks her down with Lucille. He says, this chick has cajones. She says she doesn’t want trouble, and he says she shouldn’t take a swing at him then. He picks up her sword, and says he’s not much on saving people on the road, especially those who try to take his head off, but he likes her and her massive lady nuts. Besides, it would be a waste for her to have a nice sword without the strength to use it. A woman tosses her an apple, and he says, the name’s Negan.
Glenn comes into the room where Michonne is, and suddenly, she’s back at the Sanctuary with Rick and the Alexandrians (good name for a group!), who are shooting the place up. She shoots Glenn and Heath. Negan whistles, and we’re back to when Negan had them all on their knees in the woods, and he’s choosing who he’s going to kill. He points Lucille at each one, saying, eenie, meenie, miney, mo. He stops in front of Daryl, then says, just kidding, a-hole. He was going to do the next part himself, but his right hand gal Michonne is on a wicked-ass tear these days. Who the hell is he to stand in her way? He takes her sword, and holds it in one hand and the Lucille in the other. She chooses Lucille. She says, the Alexandrians didn’t know who they were or where they were from. They didn’t know sh*t about them, but they came in the dead of night and slaughtered them anyway. She faces Rick, and says, like a coward. Remember. They did this. What happens next – she points the bat – is their fault. Welcome to the new world. She swings. Well, I hate to say it, but point well made.
Michonne is running through the woods, and is shot with an arrow. She drops to her knees, and Daryl walks over and kicks her down. She grabs for her sword, but he steps on her hand. Rick cocks his gun, and shoots.
Michonne throws up into a bucket. Virgil asks if she feels better. He says she will, and gives her some water. She stabs him with a fork. They struggle, but he takes off, and she follows. The woman in the next room calls to Michonne not to leave them. Michonne runs out of the building, and the people run out behind her. They run to the shore, but the boat is on fire. Well, that sucks.
They run through woods, and Michonne knocks Virgil down. Virgil says he wanted help. He wanted to let them go, but he wanted her to be there, so they wouldn’t kill him. Then he knew she’d kill him too. He’s sorry. One of the men says, sorry doesn’t cut it. Virgil says his wife always did the right thing. When she was gone, he didn’t know what to do. The guy tells Michonne that she has as much reason to kill the a-hole as they do. She says, she does, and he says, do it, or move. She says, look at him. He owes them more than can ever make right. In taking his life, they loose more of themselves. Their mercy gives them something; they get something. The woman asks, what? and she says, peace. They mull this over, and one of the guys slugs Virgil.
Now Virgil is in a locked a room. He sits up, and Michonne says, there’s nothing there. She checked every building, even the ones he said had structural damage. There’s not a goddam thing. He says he never lied about the weapons. He never saw them, but told her that he could show her the spots. She says he’s got to do better, but he says, sorry; he can’t. Sometimes he finds a stray shell; nothing more. She says she’s not going back empty handed. He tells her to take what she wants, and clear his debt with Oceanside. She took the risk. She says she had no choice. She had to find out. There’s no tea, so don’t even ask. She asks what he sees when he’s tripping anyway. He says, Violet with her damn camera pointed at everyone. His babies, and daughter sitting by the fire with that damn book, asking questions about a world she’d never know. Him and his son looking at stars; at heaven. He wanted, hoped, that she would see that too. She says he took her family from her, and she saw hell. He says he’s sorry. The only world he ever wanted, was the one they were in. He doesn’t know how to do without them. She says, he tries, like the rest of them. Now how about if he tries to find her stuff?
They look around, Michonne carrying the flashlight. She sees a pair of boots. She looks them over, and cries. She grabs Virgil, and asks where the hell did he get these?
There’s a large ship right off the shore. Inside, Michonne pushes Virgil into the captain’s quarters, and he says the boots washed up. He doesn’t know where they came from. She looks through the captain’s log, and whatever papers are there. She sees a dead cell phone, and realizes there’s a picture of herself and Judith etched into the glass, along with Rick and some figures. Virgil says, holy sh*t; it’s her and the kid? She says he knew. He came to find them at Oceanside. He asks why he’d do that, and she says, because of this. He says he’s never seen it, and she asks what it’s doing there. He says how would he know? and she says he knew the boat was there. He says, the world ended, boats wash up. She grabs him, and says he knew there were no munitions. He was setting a trap, and laid a trap for him. What did Virgil do to him? Virgil asks who she’s talking about, and she presses her sword lengthwise against his throat. She slowly releases him, and looks at the phone. He says he doesn’t know what she thinks he has, or who she’s looking for, but maybe it wasn’t an accident that they met. If the others help, he thinks he can get the engine working again. If the person was on this boat, maybe she can find him again.
Next to the road, Michonne caresses Rick’s boots. Virgil pulls a wagon, and the three people take their stuff from it. She says, it’s going to take some time, and Virgil says they’re out of time. She says they’re willing to let him come. There’s only one boat left. Either he leaves now, or doesn’t leave. He says, after everything, he can’t believe they’d want him to come, and she says, sometimes the most injured are the most forgiving. They’re good people. They’re giving him a chance; a way off the island. He says he promised her flowers every day.
The boat moves off. Michonne looks at Virgil, standing on shore.
Michonne cries as she looks at the phone. She takes out her radio, and says, Jojo, are you there? It’s Danto. Anyone? There’s dead air for a moment, and then crackling. Judith says she’s there. She’s been trying to get Michonne. Michonne says she’s sorry; she’s here now. Judith asks if she’s still with Virgil, and Michonne says, no, but she found three people she’s bringing back. She missed Judith and her brother so much. RJ says, mama? and she says, hey baby, and tells him to talk in code for safety. She asks how he is, and says she loves her little brave man. She asks Judith how she’s doing, and Judith guesses okay; better now. Michonne asks, how’s home? Anything with the Whisperers? Judith says they got them. Alpha can’t hurt them anymore. Michonne cries, and says she found something. It’s something really important to all of them. Judith asks, what does she mean? and Michonne says she found something that belonged to the brave man. It points to where he might have been recently. She doesn’t know what it means, or if means anything at all. Judith asks if he’s alive, but Michonne doesn’t know. Judith says if Michonne thinks he’s alive, she’s got to find him. Michonne says, not now. Judith and her brother need her with everything that’s going on in Alexandria. Judith says Michonne has to go. She has to. They’re okay. What if he needs her more? What if he’s trying come home and no one will help? Michonne says, if she goes, and Judith interrupts, saying, when she goes. Michonne says when she goes and finds the brave man… One of the men says, they’re at the coast, and Michonne says she has to go. Judith says, she knows. Listen to Uncle Daryl. Michonne says she’s going to try. She’s heading north. She’ll call every morning for as long as she can. Judith says she’ll take the walkie with her everywhere. Michonne says she loves Judith and her brother so much. Judith says they love her too. Go get him. Over and out. Michonne heaves a huge sigh.
Michonne cuts the arms and mouths off two zombies, and ties them to her. She walks through the woods, and sees a man and woman, stumbling through an overgrown field. They ask if she can help; they’ll leave without them. She asks, who? and looks out over the cliff, seeing a crowd of people forming a square. The woman says, please. They won’t wait.
Michonne remembers how Rick let her into the prison. The man asks who she is, and she swipes her sword across the necks of her zombie buddies, slicing their heads off. The couple is afraid as she comes toward them, but she holds out her hand, saying, come on, and helps them up.
The camera pans out to show several blocks of people in formation in the distance.
Next time, Alpha’s head on a pike, Negan tells Carol to hold up her end of the bargain, carol says she’s not coming back, Eugene is willing to be the fool, and Beta gathers the Whisperers.
⭐️ Best quote of the night: Sometimes the most injured are the most forgiving.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 