Tag Archives: Watch What Happens Live

Dec13

December 12, 2023 – Ned Wants To Make a Deal With Nina, She Shines, Daytime Emmy Info, Speaking Out, Mishap, No Snow, Not So Pretty, VanderTrailer, Stay Healthy, Holiday Pets (!) & Feliz

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Tracy walks into the nook and sees Ned on his guitar. She says she knew it was too good to be true. Eddie Maine has clearly not left the building.

Brook is about to knock on Maxie’s office door, when she hears Maxie talking to Felicia on the phone. Maxie says, her mom and dad have already helped her so much. She can’t allow them to jeopardize their financial future to get her out of this mess.

There’s a knock at Nina’s office door, and she says, come in. Willow walks in and asks if it’s a bad time, but Nina says, never. She’s so happy to see Willow. Willow asks if she’s sure, because lately, it feels like she’s been pulling away.

Obrecht meets Scotty at Kelly’s, and he asks her to have a seat, but she says she’s not sitting. She’s not staying. State his business. He says, coffee. He thought they agreed if they ran into each other in public, they’d be civil. She says, they did, but this is not a chance encounter where they can nod their heads regretfully to each other in passing and continue on. He says, you call that civil? and she sits down. She says, he asked her here to what end? and he says he thinks their relationship ended too soon.

At the counter, Hume asks Brennan why he keeps coming back to Kelly’s, and Brennan says he likes the ambience. Hume says, he knows this place is owned by Corinthos’s ex-wife. What if someone recognizes them?

Sam meets Kristina at Kelly’s, and Kristina gives a crazy coffee order. Sam says, it sounds like someone needs a pick-me-up. Did she have a late night? Kristina says, no. Just indulging while she can. Sam asks what that’s supposed to mean.

Dante hangs around the lockers until he’s sure no one is around. He takes out the key.

As Brook listens, Maxie says she loves that her parents want to bail her out, but if they could just make the money back, they’d have it… Okay. Let her look at the numbers. Maybe they can come up with a compromise, like a partial loan or something, but she has to go… She loves Felicia too. Bye. Brook knocks at the door, and Maxie says, it’s open. Brook comes in, and Maxie says, this is a surprise. Brook asks if she’s in the middle of something, and Maxie says, always, but it’s good to see her. Brook asks if everything is okay, and Maxie says, fine, great actually. Deception is back and better than ever. Brook asks if she’s sure, and Maxie says, yeah. Why does she ask? Brook says, because she was just eavesdropping on her.

Ned continues to play, and Tracy says, the Bridge and Tunnel twins swore up and down he was in his right mind. She doesn’t know why she let them get her hopes up. Clearly those perpetual teenyboppers prefer having Eddie Maine around. He asks if she really thinks so, and she says she knows so. The Pink Ladies from Bensonhurst are probably tearing each other’s hair out, battling over who gets to wear his leather jacket. He says, are you quite finished, mother? and she says, it’s ridiculous to… Did he just call her mother? He says he’s sure that’s not the only thing he’s called her, and she says, Ned? He says, it’s me.

Nina says she hasn’t been distancing herself from Willow. Absolutely not. It’s just with the magazine and the MetroCourt and the holidays, she’s been jammed. Willow asks if she means that, and Nina says, of course (🍷) she does. Willow says, because if this relationship is going to work, they have to be honest with each other, and Nina says, absolutely. Willow wonders if she said or did something to upset Nina, but Nina says, it’s just she’s been swamped on all fronts. She knows people were concerned when she offered to sell her half of the MetroCourt back to Carly. They thought she was doing it to score points with her and Willow, but honestly, it’s really that having two full-time jobs has taken its toll. Willow says, of course (🍷). She gets it. Nina says she’s glad Willow is here because she wanted her input. She has some ideas, but wanted Willow’s opinion. What does Willow think she should get Wiley and Amelia for Christmas?

Obrecht says, the bond she and Scotty shared was broken, and he’s the one who broke it when he chose to help Elizabeth, even though Elizabeth’s lies contributed to her Britta’s death. He says, she was his client. Confidentiality. Obrecht, as a doctor, knows it would have been unethical for him to tell her. She says, legally and medically, they’re both such paragons of ethics. She’s truly sorry, but their problems are unsurmountable. He says, they also had a lot of fun even though they have these problems. The way he sees it, they march to a different drumbeat. That’s why he thinks they are a good match. She says, that’s why they were a good match, but now… He doesn’t want her back. He just wants someone to avoid being alone. She thinks people understand that. She’s been in relationships where she felt more alone than when she was encumbered. (Truth!) That’s how she knows it’s best not to settle. He says, settle. She hasn’t even been around. She’s been galivanting all over the country to all these medical conventions and everything else. Tell him. Is she not just a little bit lonely?

Sam tells Kristina that she heard about the miscarriage. Molly is devastated. Kristina says, it’s awful. She ran into Molly in Rice Park. She was bawling her eyes out, so Kristina took Molly back to her apartment. They talked about things, and they decided she’s going to be Molly’s surrogate.

Brennan tells Hume that the only one who would recognize him is Anna Devane, and it’s been over thirty years. He doubts she’d recognize him. Hume says, spies have very long memories; it’s part of the job. Brennan is living proof.

Dante opens the locker and takes out a box wrapped in brown paper. Another man comes in, and Dante puts his hand on his gun, but the man takes out his phone and keeps walking. Dante closes and locks the locker, and leaves with the package.

Nina says, wheels. Got it. How about Amelia? Willow says she understands Amelia is too young to understand what she’s playing with, but if Nina decides to get her a doll, she prefers it to be a doll with a career. (Do baby dolls have careers now?) Nina says, all right, so like a doctor, a lawyer doll? and Willow says, or even an editor/hotelier like her grandmother. Nina says, or a nurse like her mom, and Willow says, all good ideas. Nina says she just has to tell Willow… She thanks Willow for coming here. She really appreciates it. Willow says, right back at her, and Nina says, Willow will let her know if she overdoes it, right? Willow says, total honesty means total honesty. Since they’re discussing Christmas, Michael tells her that they’re going to be spending Christmas Eve with her and Sonny. Nina says, yeah. Is that okay? Willow says, it’s great. She was thinking the kids could open up their presents from her and Sonny while they’re there. That way, Nina can see their reaction.

Tracy says she missed Ned so much, and he says he faked that amnesia for months just to hear her say that. She asks if he wants another head injury, and he says, not that he doesn’t deserve one. He’s sorry for how he behaved toward her when he thought he was Eddie. She says, no apology necessary, and he says, really? She says, actually, it’s Eddie Maine who owes her an apology, but his non-existence in and of itself is a gift. She’s so grateful to have her son standing in front of her is enough. He says, she knows he loves her, right? and she says, of course (🍷). What’s not to love? He laughs, and she says she loves him too. She punches his arm, and he says, what? She says, he’s wasted so much time, and he says, saying they love each other? She says, he let her go on and on about him being Eddie Maine still, and he says, have you ever tried to stop you? She says she wants him to put this guitar in the attic. He needs to focus and stop Michael from taking ELQ. He says he thought she wanted nothing to do with ELQ, and she says she doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean she wants to see Alan’s surprise offspring and his grandson run away with it. Ned needs to get his head in the game.

Kristina tells Sam that she doesn’t have to say anything. She knows how Sam feels about it. Sam’s already told her that she doesn’t think it would be wise for her to be Molly and TJ’s surrogate. Sam tells her that she never said that. What she meant to say was, being pregnant and giving birth are bigger than Kristina could ever imagine. They have to be experienced to be understood. She just wanted Kristina to think about it carefully before she made a commitment. Kristina says, Sam was right, 100%. She wasn’t ready. And now she is, and so is Molly.

Brennan says he knows Hume has met Corinthos face to face. Is there anyone else in town who could recognize him? Hume says, a few of his guards and business associates. Other than that… Brennan says, maybe it’s time for Hume to head back to DC, and Hume says, whatever the circumstances require. Brennan says, but before he goes, find the report that Forsythe stole from Anna Devane.

Obrecht tells Scotty that she may be alone in her travels, but she’s never lonely. She’s interacting with her peers, talking about her expertise. And she’s learning so much; discoveries and developments in disease, discoveries in technology and treatments. She can’t begin to tell him how exciting it all is. He says, that’s it. He wants her to tell him this stuff. She says, Scotty. Stuff. He says he wants to tell her something, since they may never see each other again, and she says, an ominous prologue. He says he thinks she may be doing all this traveling to hide from her grief, and she says, Auf Wiedersehen. Have a good life. She gets up, and goes outside, but he follows her. He says, hang on a second. Talk to him. he understands the grief she’s going through. More than anybody. He buried three children. Their children were forces of nature, and he thinks if they talk about them, if they share their grief – he takes her hand – that will bring them closer together. She says, that is precisely why they’re not together. He couldn’t be more wrong.

Maxie tells Brook, what can she say? At least Brook is admitting upfront this time that she’s spying. Brook says she wasn’t spying… this time. Maxie’s door was a little bit open and she just happened to hear part of the conversation. Maxie says, fine. She guesses that’s the definition of eavesdropping. Since Brook isn’t here for corporate espionage, what is she here for? Brook says she wanted to share some news, brushing her hair back with her left hand so Maxie can see the ring. Maxie says, oh my God. Brook and Chase? Brook says, they’re engaged, and Maxie squeals, running over to Brook. She says, congratulations, hugging her, and Brook thanks her. Maxie says she has to look, and takes Brook’s hand, checking out the ring. Brook asks if it meets with her approval, and Maxie says, yes, it does. That is a good stone. Her feelings are a little hurt that Chase didn’t consult with her, but whoever he did go to steered him in the right direction. Brook says, he did his research and the was thorough. Chase is so sweet that way. Maxie asks if Brook and Detective Adorable have set a date yet, and Brook says, not yet, but they’re thinking early in the new year. Maxie says she sees, and looks at Brook’s stomach. She says, for real this time? and Brook says she’s not pregnant. Maxie says, why the shotgun? and Brook says, there is no shotgun or weapons of any kind. They just… Violet doesn’t believe in long engagements. Maxie says, all right then. If she needs a wedding planner… Brook says, like she would consider anybody else. And she’s sure Maxie has planned her entire wedding already. Maxie says she has a file… and a vision board. She has color samples, dress choices, dinner and dessert menus, a DJ playlist, venues… Brook says, she hasn’t picked the band yet? and Maxie says, Brook is the one who knows all the musicians. Maxie says she’s missed them, and Brook says, her too, taking Maxie’s hand. Since Maxie is going to make her the happiest woman on her wedding day, maybe there’s something she can do for Maxie in return. Maxie says, such as? and Brook says, spill it. Tell her what’s going on.

Nina says she and Sonny would love to watch Wiley and Amelia open up their gifts, and Willow claps her hands and says, yes. Nina says, as long as Michael’s okay with it, and Willow says, it’s Christmas. She can’t imagine why he wouldn’t be. Ned knocks on the door and says, this is convenient. He can kill two birds with one stone. Willow says, he has something to discuss with both her and Nina? and he says, as a matter of fact, he does. Drew. Willow says, what about Drew? and Ned says he just wanted to make sure they both knew; Drew will be spending Christmas in Australia with a business deal. Willow says she knew that. Nina? Nina says, that’s news to her. She’ll have to make sure Sonny knows that. She thanks Ned for coming by and telling them. That might change Carly’s holiday plans, which might change their plans. Ned says, the domino effect. One decision sets in motion a whole chain of events. Willow says she’s got to run. She’ll talk to Nina if she has any more gift ideas for the kids. Nina says she’ll do the same, and Willow leaves. Ned closes the door and says he can’t tell Nina how tempted he was to let Willow know he wasn’t the one who turned Drew and Carly in to the SEC. It was her. She says, so why didn’t he?

Maxie tells Brook, when Tracy’s lawsuit stalled Deceptor sales, the stocks plummeted, and she stopped drawing salary. Brook says, no, and Maxie says, she went from paying off her credit cards monthly to only making the minimum payments, but she still had bills, so she was still charging. She basically blew through her savings and dug herself into a major hole. Brook says, but Deception is recovering, right? And Maxie’s salary is going to kick in soon. Maxie says, if only, and Brook asks what she’s going to do. Maxie says, her mom and Mac want to liquidate part of their financial portfolio to help her out of this debt, but she doesn’t feel right about doing that. They’ve worked their entire lives to earn that money so their portfolio can grow. Brook says, okay, so how about if she loans Maxie the money? and Maxie says she appreciates the thought, but she can’t accept that. Brook says, why not? She’s a trust fund baby. She has tons of funds in an account that she didn’t earn. She would be putting it into good use. Maxie thanks her for the offer, but her parents are going to help her, and Brook asks if Maxie would even be in this position if it weren’t for Tracy’s lawsuit, or her spying. Maxie says, no, she wouldn’t, and Brook says, so let her fix this. She owes it to Maxie. Maxie says, this is not Brook’s problem to solve. It’s hers and she will. Now she really needs to get back to work. Brook says, why? It’s not like she’s getting paid. Maxie says she can’t wait to plan Brook’s wedding, even more than she already has, and they hug.

Scotty says he doesn’t understand why Obrecht won’t let him comfort her, help her here. Forget about a relationship. Why won’t she let him help her? She says she doesn’t want him to. She doesn’t want anyone to. When she lost Nathan, she didn’t think she could go on, but she did. In part, because she still had her Britta. Some people might find comfort that their child died heroically. She envies them. All she feels is grief. She doubts she’ll ever make sense of why she’s still alive and her children are gone. Perhaps it’s so she can redeem herself with her grandson James. He reminds her so much of her son Nathan. She starts to cry, and he says he understands the whole grandkid thing. Elizabeth’s kids aren’t his by blood, but he is their grandfather. He likes it that way. She says, it’s good they can still count the few remaining blessings they have, and he says he thinks they can have more blessings. She says, just when they were doing so well, and laughs. He says he wants love. He thinks she does too.

Kristina tells Sam that she knew how badly Molly wanted to be a mother of course (Auf Wiedersehen), but she never really grasped it until she saw Molly in the park that day. She wants to be Molly’s surrogate. She wants to give Molly and TJ what they want more than anything.

Hume says, they’ve been attempting to reconstruct Forsythe’s movements from the night he retrieved the report until his death. Brennan asks when they’ll have actual results, and Hume says he’s been assured, very soon. Brennan says, none of this would be necessary if someone hadn’t jumped the gun quite literally and got rid of Forsythe prematurely. He was much more valuable alive.

A bank officer brings Dante a safe deposit box, and thanks him for choosing their bank. He leaves, Dante opens the box, and takes the package out of his duffel bag. He puts on gloves, takes out a pocketknife, and slices open the paper.

Kristina tells Sam that she just knows Molly and TJ want this so badly. She wants to be a good sister. She wants to give this to them. Okay, hit her. Thoughts, concerns, questions, objections. God knows Sam’s got them. Sam says she does, and she can see Kristina has thought this through, and it’s coming from a place of love. And she supports Kristina all the way.

Dante takes a box out of the paper and opens it. He takes out some papers and looks at them. It looks like it’s probably the report in question because it talks about an operation and Forsythe’s name is all over. We see Anna’s name, and something about a whole lot of money that was never recovered. At the bottom, it says, WSB. After flipping through it, Dante sets the report aside, and shakes some photos out of a small envelope. He sees a headshot of a guy I assume is Forsythe, one of Anna, and when he looks at the last picture, Dante says, who are you? I’m thinking Brennan, younger and without facial hair.

Scotty says he knows he and Obrecht were crazy about each other a while back. He thinks they can be crazy about each other again. She says, is that so? and he says, yes, it is. He has another point. Time is ticking away and they’re not getting any younger. So he says they strike while the iron’s hot. She says, he believes they should embrace this opportunity because another, better one might not come along, and he says, yeah. If they can take this opportunity, why wait for another opportunity? She says, an admirable attempt. What Maxie would call, a nice save. If one of them is settling, then they both are, and she never settles. She kisses him on the cheek and says she hopes he knows, even though they won’t have their own happy ending, she hopes he finds one himself. She leaves.

On the phone, Maxie says, they can let Haven know they’ll consider booking another segment with Sasha and Cody, but Haven will have to agree, in advance, to limit her own camera time. Lucy comes to the door, but says, sorry. Maxie’s busy. She’ll come back. Maxie signals her not to go, and says, just give Haven the message and let them know what she decides. They’re not in a hurry. She asks Lucy, what’s up? and Lucy says, nothing really. No. Nothing… She thinks she made a mistake.

Brook asks if Tracy’s got a minute, and Tracy says, for her granddaughter, always. She shows Brook her tablet and says, look at these pictures. Isn’t Sasha radiant? Brook says, she always is, and Tracy says she doesn’t really get the point of Cody though. Brook says, everyone has a different demographic, right? and Tracy says she supposes so. Sasha has the department store and boutique crowd, and he maybe increases foot traffic… Can Brook imagine? Lucy Coe wanted to replace her with a random singer? Brook says, that random singer’s name is Blaze, and she happens to be wildly popular and extremely talented. Tracy says, good for her, and Brook says, Blaze is also her client. Tracy says, good for Brook. She’s definitely not the Face of Deception, nor will she ever be. Brook says, which coincidentally, she wanted to talk to Tracy about. Tracy says, the singer? but Brook says, no, Deception.

Ned says he doesn’t know. Why didn’t he expose Nina to Willow and blow up her newfound detente with her? Nina says, there’s one thing everyone seems to be conveniently forgetting. Regardless of who turned in Carly and Drew to the SEC, that doesn’t change the fact that they committed insider trading. He says, so Drew at least got what he deserved, including a beating… She says, Drew didn’t deserve to be attacked, but that had nothing to do with the insider trading, and he says, Drew wouldn’t have been in Pentenville in the first place if Nina hadn’t turned them in. She says, if Carly and Drew hadn’t committed a crime, and he says, if this had been about justice or doing the right thing, she wouldn’t have used Martin as her go-between. So now, she’s scrambling because she wants to keep all of this quiet, because she doesn’t want to lose Sonny or lose any chance of having a relationship with Willow, her sweet, beautiful daughter. So far, it’s worked. So far. She says, if he wanted to blow up her life, he wouldn’t be talking to her right now. He’d be out there talking to Sonny or Michael or Willow or whoever. But here he is talking to her. So tell her, what does he want? he says, what he wants is to make a deal with her.

Tracy says she thought Brook wanted nothing to do with Deception. That she wanted her sole focus to be music, and she couldn’t have Deception as back-up because it would prevent her from going all-in on her dream of being a so-called manager for so-called talent. Brook says, Tracy was listening, and Tracy says she heard every word. Brook says, how else could Tracy use it against her later? and Tracy asks if Brook just dropped by to remind her that she turned her nose up at that generous offer? Brook says, actually, she dropped by to tell Tracy that she reconsidered, and Tracy says, reconsidered what?

Maxie asks, what’s the mistake? and Lucy says she had drinks with Scotty. Maxie says, she’s done that billions of times. Not literally billions, but at least in the thousands. Lucy says she’s not making herself clear, is she? and Maxie says she can’t believe she’s asking this, but can Lucy elaborate? Lucy says, Scotty asked her to join him for drinks, and like Maxie said, a billion times, so she agreed, but it quickly became clear, Scotty’s really lonely. He seemed out of sorts. He had that break-up with Liesl… Maxie says she never thought he was good enough for her, and Lucy says, what? She always thought exactly the opposite. Scotty has faults, she agrees – many, many faults – but deep down underneath, he has a big heart of gold. And therein lies the problem. Maxie says, that she thinks Scotty has a big heart of gold, and Lucy says, yes. She can’t help herself; she sympathizes with him. And sympathy always leads her down this road that she’s traveled many, many, many times. And the last time she traveled that road, she lost her Doc for good, and she doesn’t want the same thing to happen with Marty. Maxie says, of course (🍷) not, and Lucy says, she and Maxie were thinking the same thing; she and Scotty are just friends, right? They’re best friends. They’re just friendly friend, friend friends, and could never be anything else but just friends. Because if they cross that line of romance, it leads ultimately to total disaster. She ends up heartsore, humiliated, and broke; sometimes all three happen at the same time. But at the same time, it’s not Scotty’s fault. He’s a unique, funny, wonderful man. He’s also absolutely the catalyst to some of the worst decisions she’s ever made in her entire life. There’s a knock on the door, and Scotty asks if he’s interrupting.

Nina says, in return for Ned keeping quiet about her turning Carly and Drew in to the SEC, he wants what? He says he’s willing to continue taking the blame for Drew going to prison, if she gets him some insider information. She says, he doesn’t lack for audacity, does he? and he says he sees the irony hasn’t escaped her. (Me neither.) She says, okay, so this isn’t a joke. He wants her to get him insider information on what? Crimson or the MetroCourt? He says, Drew and Michael have been double-teaming him again with ELQ and Aurora. What he wants – what he needs – is an advantage, specifically inside information on Crimson’s parent company Aurora.

Kristina says she’s got to run and asks Sam if everything is okay. Sam says, yeah. She was just hoping to hear from Dante. He’s working on a case and she wants to make sure everything is okay. Kristina says, Dante is a badass. She’s sure he’s fine. Sam says, when Kristina is right, she’s right, and Kristina asks her to say it again. She wants to make that her ringtone. Sam says, when she’s right, she’s right, and Kirstina says she loves Sam. She kisses Sam on the cheek, and leaves.

Hume says, continuing to search for the report could leave them exposed, but Brennan says, that is the risk. Hume asks if it’s worth taking, and Brennan says, if that report were to fall into the wrong hands, it would not only compromise the WSB, it would compromise Pikeman. Does Hume think it’s worth it?

Sam is about to send a text to Dante: Everything okay? but she puts her phone down. Willow runs over to her table, and Sam jumps. Willow says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to startle Sam.

Dante looks through a wallet, but it’s empty. He puts everything back in the box, closes it, folds the wrapping paper, and puts it on top of the box. He puts everything in the safe deposit box, but as he’s about to close it, he takes the wallet back out. He puts the wallet in his pocket, closes the box, and locks it. He picks up his duffel bag and leaves.

Brook says, since she got engaged, she’s realized Tracy is right, but Tracy says, she’ll have to narrow that down. Brook says, until she gets more clients and gets them more gigs and more contracts… Tracy says, and until she starts making money… Brook says, it’s going to be hard to live on Chase’s salary. So it seems like a good idea to find something more stable to supplement her income. So if Tracy’s offer is still on the table… Tracy says her offer is still on the table. She’d be delighted to have Brook join her at Deception. Brook thanks her, and Tracy says, and some day in the future, the company will be Brook’s. But until then, she has a lot to learn, and Tracy can’t wait to start teaching her.

Lucy says, she and Maxie were in the middle of a very important conference, and Maxie says, Scotty’s not here on Deception business, is he? He says, no, it’s personal, and Maxie says, she and Lucy were in the middle of something. Lucy says, they were, but tells Maxie, they’re fine. Maxie thanks her for the escape, and leaves. Lucy asks what exactly Scotty wants, and he says he’s flying down to Florida to see Serina for Christmas and say hello to the manatees. She says, that’s really nice, and asks him to give Serina her love, but he says, why doesn’t she tell Serina herself. Does she want to tag along?

Nina says, Ned thinks she can get insider information on Auroa, and he says, Crimson is one of Aurora’s biggest assets. That gives her access. She says, it doesn’t. Aurora is all Michael and Drew. Michael hates her guts, and she and Drew aren’t exactly best friends. Ned says, if she thinks he hates her now, just wait until he finds out she’s the reason he almost died in prison. She says, even if she sets up a meeting with Drew to talk about Crimson and Aurora, he’s not going to talk to her about anything except Crimson. He’s not going to give her any relevant details about Aurora or ELQ. Ned tells her to think back to those bygone days in Nixon Falls, when she kept Sonny’s identity hidden from him; when she kept Sonny’s very existence hidden from everyone here. She says, he’s bringing this up why? and he says, to remind her just how resourceful she can be, especially when her back is up against the wall, which it most certainly is right now. She says, Nixon Falls is a very small town. All she had to do was not say anything, and people still found out. He says, get him that intel. Otherwise, he’ll just make that short, three-minute walk from the mansion to the gatehouse and share some insider information of his own with Willow about just how low Nina can stoop.

Willow says, Christmas Eve, she and Michael are taking the kids to Sonny and Nina’s, and Sam says, she and Dante are taking the kids to the Quartermaines on Christmas… She suddenly gets up and runs to the door where Dante has just come in. She throws her arms around him, and Willow says, perfect.

Brennan tells Hume, worst case scenario, Forsythe passed the report on to someone else. Hume says, and if that is the case… Brennan says, whoever has it now will have to be dealt with.

Tomorrow, Nina asks what’s got Ava so terrified; Sam asks if Dante trusts Anna; Kristina says she knows what she’s in for, but Alexis says, no, she doesn’t; and Brennan says, perhaps Carly can accompany him.

🌞 She’s No Slouch…

At 9 years old, I was playing with Barbies.

The Story Behind Jophielle Love’s GH Song “Shine!”

🏆 Awarding Daytime…

This Friday, December 15th, 9 pm EST, on CBS and Paramount+.

Daytime Emmys 2023: Everything You Need to Know

I like how they chose the presenter for Susan Lucci’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

This Year’s Daytime Emmy Presenters and Performers Announced

🚽 Ozempic Not OK…

Maybe it’s me, but I’m not into the side effects.

https://okmagazine.com/p/bravo-celebrities-who-have-spoken-ozempic/

🎤 Her Show Went On…

Seriously, does it really make any difference?

https://pagesix.com/2023/12/10/entertainment/luann-de-lesseps-powers-through-mic-mishap-at-atlanta-cabaret-show/

🐉 Jon Stalled…

Looks like a wall got put up on this one.

https://www.cbr.com/jon-snow-game-of-thrones-disappointing-update/

👠 And She Oughtta Know…

What she said was very accurate. I also highly recommend her new film Leave the World Behind on Netflix. It really keeps you guessing.

https://ew.com/julia-roberts-responds-pretty-woman-gift-real-housewives-beverly-hills-8413985

🍸 Prolonging the Pain…

Milking the VanderCashCow.

https://people.com/vanderpump-rules-season-11-extended-trailer-8414301

🍰 Staying the Course…

And remember, it’s not what you eat between Christmas and the New Year, but what you eat between the New Year and Christmas. Although admittedly, that eating business begins at Halloween.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/food-dining/2023/11/20/staying-healthy-holiday-tips/71570950007/

🦌 On Doberman and Dachshund…

Luckily, my newest dog doesn’t mind a hat.

Festive Pups! See Stars Celebrating Holiday Seasons With Their Beloved Pets

🐀 Not a Creature Is Stirring…

Join me tomorrow for soap and the nonsense that is Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay hydrated even in the cooler months, and stay embracing opportunities, but not settling.

Nov3

November 2, 2023 – Halloween Celebration In Port Charles, Austen Must Be Held Accountable For a Bra On the Ottoman & Husband

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Michael and crew go into Kelly’s where the party has begun. They’re dressed as characters from Star Wars, Michael being Darth Vader. Carly asks if that’s Michael in there, and Wiley says, he’s Luke Skywalker. Carly says, he certainly is, and Michael says, I am your father. Willow, as Princess Leia, tells Carly, may the Force be with you tonight. She may need it. Carly says she thinks so, and cowboy James asks if Wiley wants to round up some bad guys. Wiley says he has his light saber, and Michael says, to infinity and… Wiley tells him, wrong movie, dad. The kids run off, and Maxie says she’s glad James has another sheriff of sorts to fight the bad guys. Willow says, they’ll be occupied for hours, and Michael says, somebody’s got to keep the peace. Carly says she doesn’t think it’s going to be those two. Donna comes in as Little Bo Peep, and Carly says, her costume turned out perfect, and pumpkin Scout looks amazing. Carly thanks Sonny and Nina for bringing the girls, and Sonny thanks her for doing all this. Nina says, they’re going to have so much fun, and she and Michael exchange a look.

Trina, a sexy-ish Little Red Riding Hood, says she doesn’t know how she’s going to pull this together. Thank God Josslyn is here. Adjusting Trina’s costume, Josslyn says, she’s going to look fantastic. She’s going to be the life of the party. Trina says she can’t believe Josslyn isn’t coming. She was so excited for tonight. She’s going to miss an epic party. Josslyn says she doesn’t know. Dex was supposed to come with her, and now that she’s solo, she doesn’t want to go and deal with all the drunk frat guys hitting on her. Trina offers to protect her, and Josslyn thanks her, but says she thinks she needs some me time. But go, have so much fun, and text her all of the tragic costumes. Trina tells her to get ready for the pictures.

Sasha looks at her bank account on her laptop, and sighs. She says, talk about a horror show. There’s a knock at the door, and cowboy Cody says, happy Halloween.

Anna tells herself that she’s cracked tougher codes than this, and takes some folders out of the trunk. She opens one and says, so many years of secrets. She closes it and says, it’s not a trip down Memory Lane. Let’s get this worked out.

Charlotte walks outside and adjusts the jack-o-lanterns. She takes Anna’s keys out of her pocket, when Valentin comes out and asks what she’s doing. She holds the keys behind her back.

Pirate Aiden tells Avery that the cookies are great. He’s all about 3-D cake decorating. Check this out. He shows her his phone, and she says, he did that? He says, pretty complicated.

Anna sets volumes of some kind on the table, and says, 1983, 1985, 89. There’s a knock at the door, and Felicia says, it’s her. She’s holding a giftbag and Anna asks, what is it? Felicia says, a housewarming present, something no self-respecting Englishwoman should be without. She gives the giftbag to Anna.

Charlotte goes back inside, stuffing the keys into her pocket again, and Valentin asks why she’s not in her Halloween costume. Her friends are going to be here any minute. She says she was just fixing the decorations. She wants everything to be perfect when they get here. And her costume is easy. She can just put it on before they go trick-or-treating. He says, she’s pretty excited about Halloween this year, and she says, last year was so boring. They barely did anything at boarding school; the headmaster was so strict. He says he’s sorry she had to go through that. They’ll make this one a Halloween to remember. She says, it’s already better. She’s here with him in a house of their own. There’s a knock at the door, and Charlotte says, it must be them. Remember their deal about no chaperoning. She opens the door, and Jake, Danny, and Georgie say, trick-or-treat.

Josslyn opens the dorm room door, and Spencer jumps out dressed like a werewolf. Josslyn tells Trina, Bigfoot’s here, and we see Trina with her red hood. Spencer says he has no words, and she says, silence is gold, baby. He kisses her, and she says, it’s Ace’s first Halloween. Was he excited to take Ace trick-or-treating? He says, yes. It was wonderful. He didn’t know how Ace was going to react at first because he was so scared of that jack-o-lantern in the lobby, but he was great. He had so much fun. At first, Esme was trying to walk Ace up to the doors, but he decided it would be better to just float him up. They had a nice time. Of course (🍷) Ace passed out by the fourth house, so he dropped Ace off and now he’s all hers. She asks what they’re waiting for. Let’s get going. Josslyn opens the door and tells them, have fun. Don’t do anything she wouldn’t do. Spencer gives the standard answer of, that leaves a lot of options, and he and Trina leave. Adam walks dejectedly down the hall, and Josslyn asks, what’s going on? It looks like he’s seen a ghost.

Avery tells Sonny that she wants to show Willow her costume, and he tells her, go have some fun. She runs off, and Sonny asks if Aiden misses his brother. Aiden says, yeah, but they talk on the phone all the time. Sonny asks if Cameron likes school, and Aiden tells him, you could say that, but he’s really interested in Ueki, his new girlfriend. Sonny laughs.

Outside, Nina asks what they have here. A cowboy and… Wiley says, Luke Skywalker, and James says, yes, ma’am, and if she needs any help with outlaws, they’ve got her covered. She says, that’s good to know, pardner, and Wiley says, they could patrol the island. James should see where Grandpa and Grandma Nina had their wedding. There are big caves to explore and a lot of spiders. They’re going to go back again soon, right? Nina says, yes, they are, although she wishes he wouldn’t mention those spiders. Michael takes a peek outside, keeping his eye on Nina.

Willow asks how the girls came up with their costumes, and Avery says she wanted hers to be a surprise. Donna kept wanting to find out. Donna says she did not. She just wanted to know what color it would be. Scout says, or if it was an animal or a person or if she would have a tiara. Avery says, Donna decided what they would wear, and Donna says, only because you let me. Avery makes air quotes and says, let you.

Michael goes back to the kitchen and asks if Carly’s had any word on Drew, but she says, no. Radio silence, and it’s driving her crazy.

Sasha asks if it isn’t a little late for trick-or-treat, but Cody says, that’s just if you want to get candy. He’s here to give it. He’s carrying a pumpkin bucket full of candy, and she says she appreciates the gesture, and she does have a sweet tooth, but she thinks if she ate all that, she’d go into sugar shock. He says, this isn’t for her to eat. At least not all of it. It’s for her to give away. She says she doesn’t think any little goblins are going to be ringing her doorbell. There’s not so much as a skeleton on the door or a plastic pumpkin out front. He says, hold that thought, he’ll be right back, and leaves.

Josslyn invites Adam in and tells him to have a seat. She’ll get him some water. He says he doesn’t know what went wrong. He’s never taken a test like that before. She says, that was Organic Chemistry. It’s tough, and that was a heinous test. The professor warned them. What did he get? He says he got a 92.5, and she says, and that’s tanking? He says, 92.5 is not going to get him into any of the medical schools on his parents’ list, and she says, she’d better not apply to any of the schools on his parents’ list, because she got 89% and that’s better than she thought. He says he wishes he could be like her. She’s so relaxed and level-headed. If he gets less than a 95, he has a panic attack, and has to dodge all the calls from home. She says, that’s intense. He has to stop being so hard on himself. He’s so smart and he’s so capable. He’s going to make a great doctor. He thanks her and says he really needed to hear that. Her phone dings, and she says she guesses she’s going out for Halloween after all.

Anna takes out a pair of mugs with the Union Jack flag on them, and tells Felicia, this is perfect. How did she know? She’s so desperate for a cup of tea. Felicia says she had a hunch, and Anna says, Felicia didn’t have to give her a gift. The whole place is gift enough; just her figuring out she could sublet from Maxie. Felicia says, two birds, one stone, right? and Anna says, Felicia has a unique ability. It makes her perfect to be a patient advocate. She just figures things out and helps people work through difficult situations. Felicia says she wouldn’t engrave that on a plaque just yet. She nearly sank her career at the hospital before it even set sail.

Charlotte says her friends look great, and tells them to check out their new house. Devil Georgie says, this is so cool. They both have new places. Charlotte says, it’s kind of weird Georgie’s living in her mom’s old house. What room did she pick? Georgie says she got the room with the window seat, and Charlotte says, that’s where she used to sleep. Mad scientist Jake asks, what are these? and Charlotte says, pumpkin bars. She made them. Valentin lets Sam in, and asks if he can offer her a glass of sparkling pumpkin spice apple cider. She says she’s good (as I would), and he says, probably a wise choice. He thanks her for bringing the kids by, and she says, her pleasure. They were all really excited. Elizabeth is working and Maxie took James to Kelly’s. Sonny and Nina offered to take Scout so she could drop the kids off here, but Carly is throwing a huge Halloween bash for adults and kids. Valentin says he wasn’t aware there was a party; he wasn’t in the loop. She says, according to Carly, the more the merrier, so if anyone wants to join… and he says, that might be preferable. Let’s ask them what they think. Sam tells the kids, Carly is throwing a huge Halloween bash at Kelly’s. Any takers? The response is underwhelming.

Maxie tells Sonny and Nina, congratulations, lovebirds, for skipping town like fugitives. Sonny says he wasn’t going to let Nina get away, and Maxie says, that’s sweet. She had the perfect theme for their wedding; flying cherubs, towering gladiolas, taffeta for days. But she supposes eloping does have its appeal. Nina says she wishes Maxie could have been there. If she’d done the wedding, Nina’s sure it would have been amazing, but this is exactly what they wanted. Sonny says, quick and simple, and Maxie says, probably for the best, because weddings in Port Charles usually attract bad mojo. Nina says, no bad mojo, and Maxie says, all they need is happiness, and they both clearly have that going on. Sonny says, you got it, and kisses Nina.

Outside, Avery says, girls play better, and Donna says, yeah. James says, no way. Boys do because their arms are strong. Avery says, who cares about strong arms? You have to aim good. Donna says, yeah, and Scout says, like using a slingshot. Daddy says you have to tilt a little higher than you see. Bringing Wiley out, Michael asks what they’re talking about, and Aiden says, cornhole is really a gender war. James tells him, Avery says girls are better, and Michael says, those are fighting words. It’s not that simple though, right? Everyone has their own skills and talents. That’s what goes into making a winning team, right? Wiley says he guesses.

Willow tells Carly, Michael’s such a good dad, and an amazing big brother. Carly agrees, and says, he’s the rock of the family. He’s always stepping in to help his siblings, and double that for his own children. It’s a gift, and sometimes a burden.

Nina comes out and asks what they’re doing. Wiley says, they’re going to play cornhole. He wants her on his team. Michael obviously can’t stand this.

Sam says, don’t all speak at once, and Chalotte says, thank you for the invitation to Carly’s party… Steampunk Danny says, they talked about this. The party at Kelly’s is totally for little kids. They want to go trick-or-treating. Sam says, okay, but if they change their minds… Jake says, they won’t. Right? Danny says, they’ll let her know, and Valentin says, the mob has spoken.

Felicia tells Anna, it was a nightmare. She was so humiliated. Anna says, $11,000 is so much, and Felicia says she knows. The patient couldn’t afford it, and how was she going to explain that to Mac? Anna asks if she’d be on the hook for it, and Felicia tells her, she couldn’t very well say to the poor man, sorry, my bad. Stella Henry saved the day. Anna says, Curtis’s Aunt Stella? and Felicia says, yes. She had her checkbook out, ready to pay, and Stella knew of a research project at the hospital, so she made a call. The patient agreed to share his data, and boom, the hospital stepped right in and covered the cost. She couldn’t believe it. Stella knows everything. Anna says, Felicia will too. She’s just a diamond in the rough. Felicia says, more like a lump of coal, but Stella has all this information, and it’s right here. She taps her head, and Anna says, Felicia has it up there too. She’s a perfectionist. That’s her strength. She’s not going to be a rookie forever, and her heart is in the right place. That’s the most important thing.

Dex knocks at Josslyn’s door, and Josslyn opens it, dressed as Alice in Wonderland. She says, wow, nice costume. It’s really a mobster, security detail look. He says, very funny. He got here as soon as possible. She says, he gets points for that, and he says, besides, nobody’s going to be looking at him. She asks how he got the night off, and he says, Sonny told him that he didn’t have to work tonight, so he didn’t ask questions. He just grabbed the opportunity. She says she’s glad he did – he kisses her – but they should probably go or else they won’t get out of here. She really wants to see Trina and Spencer. He says, okay then. Let’s get going. They leave, and Adam shuffles out from around the corner. He’s getting good at this lurking thing.

Cody tries to hang a ghost on Sasha’s door, but it falls, and she says, told him. He says, this thing is surprisingly heavy for a ghost, and she says, maybe it’s real. He says, maybe they have to use real magic then, and takes some tape from her. He says, hocus pocus, shazam, and steps away. The ghost stays, and he says, magic. She says, magic tape, and he says, behold. Her abode is now goblin friendly, and fab-boo-lous. She says she can’t believe it. He’s turned her boring apartment into a haunted mansion, but he says, let’s not go overboard. He just ran to the bargain mart and grabbed whatever they had left. But this witch’s hat had her name written all over it. He puts a blue sparkly witch’s hat on her head, and she asks if he’s implying she’s a witch. He says, she definitely cast a spell on him (groan), and she is quite enchanting. She says, that’s very sweet of him to say, and honestly, she appreciates him thinking of her tonight, but he doesn’t have to feel obligated to check up on her. He asks if that’s what she thinks he’s doing, and she says, isn’t he? but he says, she’s got it all wrong. He’s not checking up on her. He’s just making it easier for her to check up on him.

Maxie tells Carly that she has an errand to run. She’s going to leave James here. She’ll either be back to get him or her mom will come. Is that okay? Carly says, she has an errand to run on Halloween? and Maxie says, wish her luck. Carly says, good luck, and don’t worry about James; she’ll keep an eye on him. Maxie says, she’s a lifesaver. And hats off to her for staging this flawless soirée. Carly says she’ll take it. That’s a compliment coming from Maxie.

Wiley says, they flew on his grandpa’s private jet, and he got to meet the pilot, but James says, no way. He’s making that up. Wiley says he is not. He high-fived him. Ask grandpa. They go over to Sonny, and Wiley says, tell James about the jet. Sonny says, what about the jet? and James says, he really has one? With a pilot? Sonny says, yes, it’s true. He cannot lie. Wiley says he told James that he wasn’t lying, and Willow tells him, remember what they said about the word gracious? Wiley says he guesses, and she says, gracious winners don’t gloat. He asks what gloat means, and she says, it means he needs to apologize to James. Wiley tells her, James said he was lying, and she just looks at him. He tells James, okay, he’s sorry, and Sonny says he’ll show James the jet this weekend and take him on an adventure. James asks if he means it, and Wiley says, grandpa does not tell lies. Willow says, it sounds fun. Maybe Grandma Nina, daddy, Wiley’s sister, and she could join in and make it a family day. Nina says, that’s a wonderful idea, and Wiley and James high-five. Nina asks if James is ready for a jet-setting lifestyle. It’s going to be very special for all of them.

Danny asks if Sonny means it. He’ll actually take them up in the plane? Sonny says, sure. The real question is, where are they going to go? James says, they can go anywhere? and Sonny says, within reason. James says, how about the biodome in Montreal? It’s like the rainforest and Antarctica all in the same place. And there are monkeys and turtles that have been alive for over 100 years. Willow tells Wiley, that sounds too cool to pass up, and asks Nina if she’s still going to Paris for work or can she come with them. Nina looks at Michael, who shakes his head slightly, and I can’t write here what I say to him, since the blog is PG. Nina says she took care of her Paris business without having to go to Paris, but the weekend is still really busy. She has a big deadline. Sonny says, she can spare a day, and she says she’d love to – she glances at Michael again – but she really can’t. Wiley says, please, and Michael says, they have to respect his her decision. Sonny says, they’ll do something with Grandma Nina some other time, and Nina tells them to have a great time without her. Make sure they take a lot of video for her.

Sam walks in, and hugs Scout, asking if Scout missed her. Scout says, they need her on their team. She’s the best at cornhole. The only one better is daddy.

Trina and Spencer walk into the gallery, and Trina says she never thought she’d be so happy to escape a party. He says, it was a zoo. It was loud and crowded… She says, and obnoxious, and he says, and way too many dudes trying to hit on her. She says, kudos for him. He was this close to throwing some punches at someone, wasn’t he? He says he was, and she says, good for him. Gold star. He says he thinks he deserves a little extra credit, and she says, here’s his bonus, kissing him.

Sasha says she hopes Cody won’t be too disappointed if no trick-or-treaters show up. He says, you never know. It pays to be prepared. A horde of sugar crazed children might show up at her door like a zombie apocalypse. She says she supposes it could happen, but honestly, if it doesn’t, she’s really glad he brought all this candy, because given the state of her finances after Gladys raided her bank account, it might be the only food in the house for a while. He says he still can’t believe Gladys did that to her. Talk about a witch. She says she’s sorry she brought that up. She’ll be fine, she promises. She just needs to find herself some work. There’s a knock at the door (opportunity!), and Cody says, what did he tell her? They put their hats on and open the door, but it’s Maxie.

Felicia says, it looks like she caught Anna in the middle of something, and Anna says, all of this was in storage. It’s just old books and documents from her early years at the WSB. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s Valentin. Felicia tells her not to leave him hanging. She’ll make some more tea. She goes to the kitchen, and Anna answers, happy Halloween. He says, happy Halloween to her too, and she says, it’s good to hear his voice. He says, it’s always good to hear her. How’s the apartment? Sorry he couldn’t get away to help her settle in. She says, that’s okay. He had all those burnt pumpkin bars to take care of. How’s Charlotte now? Is she okay? He says, she’s better, and Anna says, Robert helped her earlier, and Felicia is with her now actually. He says, that’s great, and asks Anna how she is. Anna says she’s fine. She’s always armed, so he shouldn’t worry about her. He says he likes worrying about her, and she asks what he’s doing. He says, at the moment, he’s bracing himself to take four teenagers trick-or-treating, and she says, sounds scary. He says he thinks this may be the most dangerous mission of his life, and she laughs.

Spencer takes out his phone, and Trina says, he’s not texting Esme to check on Ace, is he? He says, no. Quite the opposite. He’s trying to connect to the gallery’s speaker because he’d like to dance with her. She says, in that case, follow her, and she takes his phone.

Josslyn says, Dex should have seen his face when the cops showed up, and he asks how she could. She was too busy yelling, drive around the block, drive around the block! She says she didn’t want to miss the action. She was looking for Spencer and Trina. He asks if that’s why she was recording on her phone, and she says, it was funny watching all the frat guys scurrying about when the lights came on. They go into her room, and she says, he’s telling her that wasn’t funny? Adam shows up, and says, they’re back. Josslyn says, the party could have been legendary, but the second they showed up, the cops did. So they opted for food instead. She holds up a takeout bag, and says, happy Halloween. Dex suggests Adam steer clear of Xavier Hall. It’s not a pretty scene right now. Josslyn says, bye, and closes the door.

Maxie says she was thrilled to get Sasha’s text. Knowing she’s staying in town is such a relief. They could have made it work if she left town, but Sasha being based here will help them launch the new campaign. Cody says, new campaign? and Maxie says, with the lawsuit officially behind them, they can relaunch The Deceptor and unveil their new line with Sasha as the Face of Deception. Sasha says, her? After all the bad PR? Maxie says, full transparency, they toyed with the idea of bringing in a new face, but Tracy of all people, insisted on rehiring Sasha, and Maxie is glad she did. Cody says, Tracy Quartermaine? and Maxie says, yeah. She is now the majority shareholder of Deception. Cody says, color him impressed. Maybe she’s not so ruthless after all. Maxie says she wouldn’t go that far, and Cody says, at least she made the right choice. Maxie says, the ball’s in Sasha’s court. Does she still want to be the Face of Deception? Sasha says, yes! She thanks Maxie and says, Maxie has no idea how much this means to her. They hug, and Maxie tells her, welcome back. Cody asks if she wants some candy, but Maxie says she has to go back to Kelly’s and get James. Carly is throwing a Halloween party for the little ones, so happy Halloween. It’s going to be a great new chapter for all of them. She leaves.

Wiley says, ready to lose? and Avery says, only in his dreams. Michael says, focus, captains. They have to finish picking teams. Avery has two more. She says, Aiden, but he says he’s Switzerland here; strictly an impartial observer. She says, okay then, Sam… and Mama Carly. Wiley says he gets mommy and Grandma Nina. Michael says, the first team to touch their noses gets first play. Ready… Set… Go. He says, Willow was last, and Wiley whines, mommy... She says, sorry, champ.

Cornhole is played, and there’s laughing and cheering. They all kind of stink, but Nina gets one in, and Wiley hugs her. She picks him up, much to Michael’s annoyance.

Anna says, if there’s a clue in here at all that can lead her to who’s targeting her… She believes it’s someone from the WSB or an agent from back in the day. Just a breadcrumb in amongst all the chaos that could trigger a memory or something. A name would be perfect. She would love if she could find a name. Felicia says she could help Anna sift through all of this stuff tomorrow. She doesn’t have to be at the hospital until mid-afternoon. Anna says, it just has to be her… and a strong cup of tea, thanks to Felicia, and Felicia says, okay, but Anna has to promise to call her if anything unexpected comes up. And for heaven’s sake, stay vigilant. Anna says, Felicia doesn’t have to worry about her, and Felicia says she should go. She promised Maxie that she’d pick up James at Carly’s Halloween bash. Anna walks her to the door and thanks her for coming around and her gift. She loves it. They hug, and Felicia says, take care. Anna double locks the door, and looks at the stuff spread out.

Valentin asks, where’s Charlotte? and Danny says, she had some last-minute issue with her costume. Valentin calls to her, let’s go. They’re running out of time for trick-or-treating. Charlotte comes out dressed as a cheerleader, and Valentin says he didn’t expect that. Charlotte says, what’s the matter? Doesn’t he like it? He says, it’s great. Let’s get going. He’ll bring the car around. He leaves, and Jake asks, what’s with the backpack? They’re not getting that much candy. She says she’s just bringing a sweater. It can get chilly out there. Danny says he thought she was going to be the hermit figure from her tarot card deck, but she says she changed her mind. The way Valentin was looking, I assume this costume has some significance.

Aiden thanks Carly for the party, and she thanks him for helping the girls decorate cookies. He asks if she means desecrate cookies, but she says, not once he started to show them how to do it. Avery’s a big fan.

Maxie arrives and runs into Felicia outside. They hug, and James runs out. He says, guess what? Wiley’s grandpa has a jet and he’s going to take them to Antarctica. Felicia says, really? and he says, not exactly. The Montreal Biodome. Maxie says, that’s almost cooler, and James says, good one mom, cooler, and they laugh.

Sam tells Carly, it was excellent. The kids had so much fun. Carly says she’s so happy everyone could get together. Scout thanks her for the cookies and asks if she can take some extra for daddy. Carly says, sure can, handing some to her, and Scout tells Sam that she wants to save it for when daddy gets home; he loves chocolate. Sam, Aiden, and Scout leave, and Sonny tells the girls to say goodnight to Carly, who says, they’re going to need these for a sleepover. She gives them cookies, and they hug her. She says, goodnight to her sweetest girls, and Donna says, this was the best day, and not too scary. Willow asks if Wiley is ready, and Michael tells him to say goodnight to his grandmother. He hugs Carly, and then Nina, telling her, it’s not her fault they lost. They hug again, and Willow tells Michael, Wiley sure loves his grandma Nina. Steam comes out of Michael’s ears.

Cody says, so the Face of Deception rides again, and Sasha says, it would seem so. He tells her, don’t look so happy. Cheer up, the tides are turning. She says she knows, but why on earth would Tracy Quartermaine stick with her after all the tabloid scandals? He says, could be – and he’s just spitballing here – that Tracy thinks she’s talented and the best woman for the job. She says she appreciates his faith in her, but… There’s a knock at the door, and he says, this is it. Go time. He puts her hat on her head and hands her the candy bucket, and she goes to the door.

There’s a song part, and Trina and Spencer dance and kiss.

Josslyn tells Dex, this costume is cute, but she feels like she’s wearing a straitjacket. He says he has just the cure for that, and she says, please, help me, doctor. He unzips her dress, and they get busy.

Adam looks online at his grade. He pulls at his hair and says, stupid.

Anna picks up some reports to look at. She flips through some pages, then focuses on one. She gasps and says, my God, that’s it. She quickly puts the folder back together and leaves.

Valentin tells the kids that their chariot awaits. Trick-or-treating ends at 9 pm, even if they only get twenty minutes on the trail. They file out, and Valentin asks Charlotte to lock the door. She stands in the doorway, looking at Anna’s keys, and Jake asks, what’s that for? She says, this is the key to getting everything she wants.

Tomorrow, Anna tells Robert that she knows exactly who she’s up against; Laura tells Doc, who knows what kind of lies he filled her head with; Carly tells Sam, what happened in Puerto Rico seems to have changed everything; and Valentin tells the kids, stay right where you are.

Southern Charm

Shep calls his mom and says he’s taking the guys to the house in Linville.

After the party, JT’s space looks a mess, and he tries to clean it. Rod joins him, and says, there was a lot going on. JT says, Craig was trying to give him Big D*ck Energy, but it was really Tiny Pillow Energy. Rod says, Craig is half-adult, half-child inside, and JT says he’d wanted the meal to give Olivia a sense of normalcy. The last thing he wanted was for it to be WWIII. Rod says, Taylor was caught in four lies, and JT says he thinks she’s an angel who’s been beaten to sh*t by Shep. Just because people make bad decisions, doesn’t make them bad people. In JT’s interview, he says he wasn’t easy to be around after his divorce. He has to wonder if someone isn’t trustworthy or are they going through pain. Rod says, the only way Olivia will be friends with Taylor again is if she never lies again. If a new story comes out, like Taylor sleeping with Austen, he can’t see Olivia getting over it. JT says, it burns him that Austen is the biggest liar. He was just sitting there like a coward. Rod says, he was thankful he wasn’t on the skewer.

Austen meets Olivia at the park for coffee. He says he was thrown for a f***ing loop about Taylor sending Whitney the nude pic, and Olivia says, it was a strange decision. She doesn’t know what Taylor was thinking, sending it to Whiteny. She asks if Austen got one, but he says he never got a nudie from Taylor. She says she and Taylor haven’t talked about it. They’ve talked about everything else, and Taylor’s been there for her, but she just wants to be happy with their friendship like she is with Austen. In Olivia’s interview, she says, Austen stepped up for her after the funeral. He dropped off some food and she talked to him, and they hugged. Having someone who understands how it feels to lose a sibling come through and be there is comforting. Austen tells her that he’s been talking to a therapist and thinks maybe he doesn’t make it clear to the people in his life how important they are. The talk that he and Olivia had at Shep’s dinner – we flash back to Olivia telling him that he didn’t know how to be a friend – made him aware. She thought he didn’t care about their relationship, and he doesn’t want it to be that way again. He wants her to know how important she is. Olivia says she wants to trust him, but doesn’t know how. She has a mental blockage. Yeah, it’s called repeatedly being kicked in the ass, or in more concise terms, experience. In Austen’s interview, he says, he’s trying to take the mature approach and let Olivia work out her feelings. But he’s going to continue to push through the ice wall if it kills him. He tells her that it always goes back to proper communication. He’s heard it from other people. Yes, when more than one person is calling you a donkey, check the mirror for long ears. Olivia says she’s not talking to Taylor anytime soon about her feelings. At the time, she told Taylor that Austen said he loved her, and she’d given him a chance, but he f***ed up. Austen says, that was the truth. He loves her and knows he hurt her, but he also knows they’re supposed to be in each other’s lives. Olivia says she wants to lean in to what he’s saying, but she’s in a bit of a funk. It’s nice to be around him and not be daydreaming about how to kill him. Austen says he’ll continue to text her movie quotes and things like that. Olivia says she appreciates the direct line of communication, and Austen says he wants to keep it going. She says she looks forward to it. Dare I say it? There might be hope for Austen yet, but I think the key here is therapy. He was on Watch What Happens Live and said he’s doubling up on his sessions. Alex Cooper also told him to go outside the  friend circle, which is great advice. It’s definitely part of the problem with this group. Even though Criag is technically seeing someone from outside, she’s still in the God-awful Summer/Winter House.

Shep meets Whitney at a beach bar for lunch, and brings along Little Craig, so of course this is the highlight of the show right here. Little Craig also sits at the table with them. Whitney says, dogs work on a reward system. Their dogs are spoiled, feral animals. Shep says, Whitney should have told him about the nude photo, but instead, he showed it to everyone else. That’s not cool. Whitney says he thought it was just a joke; he wasn’t concealing it. (Sigh. Really?) Shep says, they’ve known each other for a long time. He wishes Whiteny had told him, especially since he was showing the photo to their friends. It sucks. Whitney says he deleted it, and Shep asks if it was explicit. Whitney says, no, and Shep tells him that Taylor said it was dark. Whitney says – wait for it – he doesn’t remember. Gets that many nudes, does he? He says he was joking about it with his mom, and thinks it’s been made more serious than it was. Shep says, Taylor needs support, an ally. Taylor’s a f***ing island, and he hates it for her, and feels guilty. In Shep’s interview, he says, it pains him to see Taylor morally and spiritually lost, and he feels responsible. We flash back to Madison ripping into Taylor, and Taylor saying she just went through a breakup that crushed her. In his interview, Shep says, they were in love, and he hurt her and he has guilt. He tells Whitney that he needs to get out of town, and tells him about the trip to Linville. Whitney isn’t able to make it, and Shep says, they’re just going to cook steaks and fish. He knows JT is a lot to deal with; he’s kind of nerdy. Whitney says he thinks JT is cool. He’s amusing. My take on these two. In some ways, Shep can be a really good friend, oddly enough, to women; he’s too competitive with other men. And to give him credit, he never lies about wanting to get married. At least not on camera. As for Whitney? Pffft. He’s Whitney and lives with Patricia. What more can be said? They’re a force unto themselves.

Taylor’s Penny has to wear a panty, and I understand since I had a female unneutered Peke. Luckily, she enjoyed wearing clothes, and Penny doesn’t seem to mind either. Taylor calls mom Leslie, who asks how she is. Taylor says, there’s been little things going on with a lot of people, and she thinks she wants to come home; get out of the house. Leslie asks if she’s okay, and Taylor says, she will be. In Taylor’s interview, she says, when things are difficult, she wants to be with her family. They’re so loving and want her to grow. No matter what she does, they love and care for her. She tells Leslie that she feels like everybody is against her, and Leslie says she’s sorry. Taylor says she’s working on it. Leslie says, she screwed up like we all do, and Taylor says she breached Olivia’s trust. She wants to move past it, but with Connor passing, they put the conversation on pause. She’d like to invite Olivia to the lake house, where they can revisit it if Olivia is ready. Leslie thinks it’s an outstanding idea, and in her interview, Taylor says, where to begin with the lake house. She’s been going there since she was three. Her grandparents and aunt and uncle live down the road. It’s a happy oasis. Leslie says, it’s a perfect place for healing, and Taylor says she’ll always love and value Leslie. Leslie says, Taylor will do the right thing. Now these girls. Olivia seems to be overreacting, but it’s not about Taylor being with Austen when he was telling Olivia that he still loved her. She knows Austen is a lying liar who lies. It’s about her BFF not telling her. I think they’ll eventually work it out.

The guys pack for Linville, and driver Jacob pulls up to Shep’s in an RV size van. Rod brings bourbon, and Craig calls it the bang bus because he’s five. In Austen’s interview, he says, it’s not normal to be confined in a small space with someone who’s trying to date your ex. Strap him to the roof of this bus. JT gets out of the car, and whoever brought him (probably his mom) drives off with his stuff, and he has to chase the car.

Six hours to Linville. Shep says, they’re going fly fishing, and JT says he’s never caught a fish. Craig complains that he paid extra to get Valentine stuff delivered to Paige, but it’s not there yet. He asks for everyone’s relationship status, and Rod says he’s openly dating, Austen and JT are single, and Rodrigo says, tied down. Craig says, Austen doesn’t know how to be alone. On the road, Taylor calls Shep, who tells her, happy Valentine’s Day. She asks if he was going to ask her to be his Valentine, but he says, Valentine’s Day is for losers and weak people; he hates it. He asks how she is, and she says she’s good. She’s going to Asheville tonight to spend time with her parents. Then she’s hoping Olivia comes tomorrow, and they can have a talk has. He says he’s having a caterer come tomorrow and they have extra room. It would be awesome if she came up. Taylor says she’d love to, but they’ll see. Keep her updated. Shep tells the guys that Taylor will be 45 minutes from them, and Rod says, there will be a lot of testosterone in the house. They need some pretty girls.

4 hours to Linville. The frat boys swig bourbon.

3 hours to Linville. The frat boys are sleeping.

2 hours to Linville. Shep points out that the topography is changing. Craig looks at his phone and wonders why a signature is required for flowers.

1 hour to Linville. Craig wonders if pandas are real, and JT tells him that they are. In Shep’s interview, he says he thinks Craig’s got a screw loose, and we flash back to Craig screaming about walking backwards the rest of his life if he gets a crazy government shot. I assume he means the covid vaccine. Rodrigo asks Craig why he doesn’t think they’re real, and Craig says, there’s no evidence. In Craig’s interview, he says, pandas are definitely not real. They’re people in panda suits.  Um… I saw the pandas. They don’t look like people in suits. They look like pandas.

Olivia arrives at the lake house bearing wine, and gets lots of hugs from Leslie and dad Rick. They hug Penny too, Leslie saying how much she’s grown. In Olivia’s interview, she says, it’s a mountain oasis. When they’re there, they hang out, build a fire, drink wine, and relax. They used to not have a TV and really unplug, but now they have TV and WiFi. Olivia’s grandparents Marshall and Baba come over, and in her interview, Olivia says, her grandparents have been married nearly 70 years and that’s wild. She can’t think of 70 years of her own life, much less spending that much time with someone else, but it’s what she wants. Her brother Worth joins them with girlfriend Caroline, and Worth points out that Penny is wearing a diaper. Olivia says, she’s a woman now. Worth wonders when everyone stopped using the word courting, and Olivia says, now you have to DTR, define the relationship. She asks how long Marshall and Baba have been married, and Marshall says, 67 years. Baba says, she’s now reaping the rewards. He’s doing everything she says. But you have to wait until 65 years before they start obeying.

The frat boys arrive at the Linville house, and Shep gives out rooms. The house is so huge, it could be a hotel. In Shep’s interview, he says his family has been going to Linville since the 50s. His grandfather built the place, and his mom went there as a kid. The surroundings are beautiful, with streams and golf and fishing; all the stuff that makes him happy. They get fires going outside and inside, and Shep says his mom stocked the house with food. He and Rodrigo make burgers, and Rod texts JT from upstairs, asking him to bring a White Claw. Rod tells JT that Austen is proving zero benefit of all doubts, and he’s pretty sure something happened between him and Olivia. Meanwhile, Craig wants to talk to Austen, and they go to Craig’s room. Rodrigo tells Shep, welcome to ADHD kitchen. Austen tells Craig about meeting up with Olivia, and Craig tells him that Rod thinks something happened. Rod tells JT that he was out with a girlfriend that Austen’s dated here and there. After they saw each other, she went by Austen’s since he was around the corner. She saw Austen’s ottoman had a bra on it. Since Austen had Olivia over, he’s assuming it’s hers. I feel like I just typed a scene out of Mean Girls. Or CSI.

Austen tells Craig that he and Olivia met for coffee, talked, and went to lunch. Olivia wanted to watch a movie with him like it used to be, but they sat on opposite sides of the couch. Then they watched three-quarters of an Ashton Kutcher rom-com, his favorite. Craig asks if it was Friends with Benefits. Again on WWHL, Austen said he thought it was Just Married, but wasn’t sure. Andy was skeptical that he wouldn’t remember, but I’m not, since they’re basically all the same. Austen says, guess who left their bra on the pouf? I wonder, who calls it a pouf?

JT rants to Rod that it’s not okay behavior. Austen is getting away with murder. Rod says he went to Austen like a gentleman to tell him he wanted to pursue Olivia. Why do these boys always talk about women like they’re prey? Rod says, now he’s watching Austen f*** with her feelings, and JT says he’s sure if the bra came off, something happened. Let me interject this. Not necessarily. JT knows nothing about wearing a bra – at least I don’t think so – but it often comes off even before the shoes after a long day. Craig asks Austen if he and Olivia hooked up, and Austen says, no. In Craig’s interview, he says he thinks it’s crossing the line. It’s not the right time to invite Olivia over, but Austen’s an idiot. I love how everyone knows what’s good for Olivia more than she does. Austen is actually looking like the shining star in this episode.  Austen says he would tell Craig, but nothing happened, so it’s not worth bringing up. Craig says, Austen shouldn’t tell anyone but him.

Rod says he’s disappointed in Austen, and in his interview, he says he could be upset at Austen, Olivia, or both, but he doesn’t know what to do with it. He’s nervous that Austen wants her again. Hello? Olivia has a say. What’s with these guys? JT says he can’t keep quiet, and Rod says, when Austen looks at him wrong, he’s going to bring it up. Shep goes outside to grill, and Rod and Austen come back downstairs. Shep says, mac and cheese and burgers are a euphemism for his childhood. It’s his happy place. JT keeps baiting Austen, and in JT’s interview, he says he’s getting upset. He can’t watch Austen get away with murder. Austen thinks he walks on water, but JT sees everything, and Austen is hurting people. Now I want a burger. Ooh, mushrooms! Now I want mushrooms on that burger. Craig says, the burger process never looks clean, but the end result is pretty great. They toast to friends, and we get a lesson from Shep how, in the town where sriracha is made, fumes hang in the air and everyone goes around coughing and teary eyed. In his interview, Austen says, there’s so much sh*t going on, the last thing he needs is JT chiming in like a mosquito in his ear. They talk about cooking, and JT says he loves to stir a pot. I’m not sure if he’s trying for a double meaning or it’s a Freudian slip. Rod says he was going to enjoy his mac and cheese, but he has to be blunt. He heard Austen and Olivia hung out, then one of his girlfriends came over later. Austen says, so what? and Rod says, she told him there was a bra on the ottoman. Shep asks, whose bra? Do they realize how ridiculous they are when they see this later? Probably not.

Craig says, she got comfy, and JT says, you take your shoes off when you want to get comfy. What I said. Austen says, nothing happened. They cuddled, she hugged him and kissed him on the chest, and left. Craig thinks Austen and Rod should talk in private, so they go outside. At the table, Rodrigo says, enough, since he’s the only sane one, and JT says, enough of Austen getting away with murder. Craig says, Olivia is just as guilty, but JT says, they don’t hold Austen accountable. Shep says, that would cause a disturbance in the force, and in Shep’s interview, he says, Austen doesn’t know how to be accountable. He wants Austen to change, but doesn’t think it will ever happen. Outside, Austen says he was hoping to speak to Rod, and Rod says he let his imagination go wild, but in what world would they not have made out. Austen says he has nothing to hide. He admits it brought back feelings, but he can’t answer why he did it. In Rod’s interview, he says he wants Austen to admit he did more than he realized and he’s hurting people. That’s not what being a gentleman is about. Austen tells Rod that he’s not trying to get Olivia back. He would only hurt her again. Rod says he heard the story, but doesn’t believe Austen is telling the truth. He thinks they made out. Austen says, that’s not what it was. If Rod wants to be head over heels for someone, he’s not getting in the way. Rod says he hears Austen and his subtone, and I laugh. Subtone? What?

Inside, Craig says, JT’s not Olivia’s boyfriend, and JT wails that she has feelings. Craig says, they didn’t hook up, but JT says, there was a bra on the chair. Pay attention, JT. It was an ottoman or pouf, not a chair. Rod tells Austen that the chemistry is there, and Austen says he’s not against it. He doesn’t want to see it, but he’s not trying to sabotage Rod. He’s trying to change every aspect in his life. That’s why he’s in therapy, and that’s it. Rod says he’s not rushing things, and Austen asks, what’s his plan of action? Rod says he’s going to sleep on it like a mature adult, have a conversation with her, listen, and go from there. Then, who knows?  

This season, a boat trip; an island trip; snorkeling; waterfalls; Craig wants a wife and family; Madison wants a baby, but not bedrest; Shep says, Austen doesn’t give a f**** about anyone but himself; JT says he would marry Taylor tomorrow; Shep feels trapped; and tinfoil hats.

🧸 Gummi Bear’s Picnic…

Join me tomorrow for soap, enough tea for a proper Englishwoman, quotes, and a musical moment. Until then stay safe, stay remembering the clock change this weekend (fall back), and stay understanding that just because people make bad decisions, that doesn’t make them bad people.

Oct11

October 10, 2023 – Took Me a Minute, About Lois, Celebration, Sobering, Sharing, In NYC, Daryl’s Week, Reunion Talk, VanderDogs, AKC’s Finest & Watching

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

There was no GH today because maybe, kinda, sorta we might have breaking news. I thought I was losing my mind when I put it on, and Carly and Josslyn were talking about Trina getting back into PCU. I thought, wasn’t she just making a big deal about a paper for class? Then the lightbulb came on…

GENERAL HOSPITAL Is Preempted Today

🎧 History Brush Up…

It’s been a while since Lois was in town.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/what-happened-to-lois-on-general-hospital

How the stars aligned for her return.

Rena Sofer Reveals Why She Came Back to GH

🎉 Not Quite Italian…

Not quite Benard either.

Maurice Benard Celebrates His Hispanic Heritage

☕️ Una Amiga Sobrio…

Not to be discouraging, but I think part of it is the company you keep. We’ll see how this goes with her palling around with Vicki and Tamra.

RHOC’s Shannon Beador Enrolls in Outpatient Program for Alcohol Treatment as Source Explains Her Plans to Continue With ‘Tres Amigas’ Comedy Tour After DUI

🍹 Watch What’s Not Charming…

For someone who wasn’t upset, he sure seemed upset. And his cheating is nuanced? What does that even mean?

Southern Charm’s Shep Rose Shares Where Taylor Heard Paige Cheating Rumor, If He’d Hookup With Olivia, and Hints There Was More to Taylor Split Than His Cheating, Plus If He’s Met Brynn Whitfield, & Hypocrisy Claims

🗽 Living the Dream…

What happened on RHONY this week.

Real Housewives of New York Season 14, Episode 13 Recap: Jessel Feels Bullied by the Mean Girls

⚰️ This Week In Daryl…

This is such a great show. It’s everything The Walking Dead should have been and Fear tried to be.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-recap-episode-5-deux-amours/

The surprise guest… sort of.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-carol-cameo-melissa-mcbride/

I don’t know about this theory. I figured she was talking about Rick and it was more of a set-up for The Ones Who Live.

https://screenrant.com/daryl-dixon-carol-cameo-walking-dead-season-12-setup/

👢 Could Happen…

People laugh at me, but I loved their music and they put on a great show. Back in the day, their concert was one of the few things I ever watched using pay-per-view.

https://extratv.com/2023/10/03/geri-halliwell-talks-spice-girls-reunion-and-reacts-to-mel-b-message-exclusive/

🐶 Pros and Controversies…

That whole thing with Dorit still annoys me. Knowing how rescue works, Dorit was in the wrong. Period. And the constant chatter about it wasn’t coming from Her Majesty. If anyone could single-handedly end the dog meat trade, it would be LVP.

The Biggest Successes and Controversies Surrounding Lisa Vanderpump’s Dog Rescue

👻 A Whole Lotta Treat…

These are some of the cutest costumes I’ve ever seen.

25 Adorable Photos of Dogs in Halloween Costumes

☎️ Hanging Up If the 90s Calls…

Take a break tomorrow for some soap (I think) and what I hope is the end of OC season. Until then, stay safe, stay not raining on anyone’s Halloween parade, and stay not hanging out with Vicki and Tamra if you want to curb your drinking.

Sep8

September 7, 2023 – Nina Begs Carly For Help, Winner, On Hiatus, Going Back, Runway Finale, OC Rehash, Miami Creep, Happy Surprises & Weaver

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At Kelly’s, Carly hands Mac a menu, and asks if it’s just him. He says, yes… no. Felicia’s joining him. She asks if he’s sure, and he says he is; don’t mind him. He congratulates her on taking over Kelly’s. Felicia told him that Bobbie sold it to her for a dollar. Carly says, yeah. It was her mom’s great idea, and she couldn’t be more grateful. It gives her something to focus on. He says, it must be chaotic after Sonny’s arrest. She says, they were all shocked. They dragged Sonny out of the MetroCourt in handcuffs in front of Michael and Willow and Wiley. He says, that must have been upsetting for Wiley to watch the FBI arrest his grandfather. Felicia runs in, apologizing, and Carly says she’ll get her a menu, but Felicia says she’ll share Mac’s. She tells Mac that she knows she’s late. She dropped all this stuff she downloaded from her online course as she was leaving the house, and now it’s all out of order. She shuffles the papers around and says, there are two online units she has to complete to get her certification before she can do her practical training for patient advocacy. She asks if he’s mad at her because she’s late or because she’s volunteering. He says, none of that. He thinks it’s great and he’s glad for her. She says, then why is he so upset? and he says, Cody. He’s been locked up.

Josslyn and Trina stick their feet in the pool, and Trina says she can’t believe the summer’s over. Spencer runs in, apologizing for being late, and joins them. Trina says, Spencer Cassadine, late again. What is the world coming to? He says, it’s kind of a pattern with him, but Ace was really upset, and Trina asks if everything is all right with Ace. Spencer says, everything’s fine now, but he was really, really fussy before, and they tried everything to get him to calm down. Nothing was working, so they put him in a lavender bath. It was Esme’s idea, but it worked. Something about the smell just calmed him down. (Helpful hint: lavender scent works for dogs too.) Josslyn says, thank God Esme was there, and Spencer asks if she’s heard anything about Uncle Sonny. What about Dex? He’s sure Dex was arrested too, right? Josslyn gets up, and he asks what he said. She tells him, just the usual, and starts to walk away, but she comes back. She says, by the way, Dex was not arrested. She doesn’t want to talk about Sonny, and she especially doesn’t want to talk about Esme.

Gregory goes to Alexis’s office, and says he finished his piece on weekend the section; blue pen, red pen, uploaded to the main server. He’s going to head out now, unless she needs him. She says she’s good, and thanks him. He says, if anything changes, just text him, and he can come right back. She says, it appears he doesn’t want to leave. No plans tonight? He says, actually, he does have plans; something he’s put off way too long. She asks if it’s something on his bucket list, but he says, no. It’s actually something he’s been dreading. He’s going to tell Chase about his illness. She says, good. With Finn? He says he needs to do this by himself, and she says, it’ll be fine. Good luck. He thanks her and says, chances are he’s going to need it.

Brook knocks at Chase’s apartment door, and he answers the door shirtless because they try to catch him that way as often as possible. He says he’s behind the curve. He just did a workout. He’d kiss her, but he’s all sweaty. She says, he’s not getting off that easy. Besides, she doesn’t mind. They kiss, and he tells her, come in. She only has one suitcase, and he asks if the rest of her stuff is in the car. He’ll grab a shirt, and he can get it. She says, no need. This is all she has. He says he thought she was moving in, not just spending the night, and she says she is. This is all she needs.

Gladys sneaks around a hallway somewhere and sees someone. She says, about time. They’re taking a chance meeting here. It’s too dangerous to be meeting out in the open like this.

Dante asks if Sam got his message, and she says she did, but she didn’t have a chance to call him back. What did he want to talk to her about? He says he was talking to his mom, and she mentioned Cody was taking off for a few days, and he was surprised to hear that. Then she said she heard that information from Sam, which he was even more surprised to hear. Sam says she did tell his mom that, and he asks if she wants to tell him where Cody is. She says, Cody was going to be away for a few days, and he didn’t want Dante’s mom to worry or fire him. He asked her to let Olivia know about his alternate plans, so she did. He says, she’s not answering his question; where’s Cody now? She says, now? and he says, yeah. She says, Ferncliff.

Cody asks Sasha if she can hear him. It’s Cody; he’s here. He’s going to need her to wake up. He shakes her shoulder, and she turns over, but doesn’t open her eyes, and he says, what did they do to you?  

On the phone outside Kelly’s, Nina says, Sasha Gilmore. She was supposed to be released today… Okay. Then let her talk to Sasha’s doctor… No, she’s not a reporter. She hangs up and sees Carly coming out of the diner. She calls to Carly, and Carly asks what she wants. Nina says she wants to talk to Carly about Sonny. She’s concerned. Carly says, about what? and Nina says, he’s in custody. He’s facing prison time, and she wants to do whatever she can to help. Alexis said the whole family could be in danger, including the children. They all could be targeted for revenge. Carly says, it’s certainly a possibility, and Nina asks what she’s going to do about it. Carly says, what is she going to do about it? What is Nina going to do about it?

Chase says he’s never seen Brook pack so light before, and she says, there’s a first time for everything. She’s very efficient. He says, when he asked her to move in, he wanted her, the woman he loves, and she says, that’s exactly what he got. He says, it kind of seems like she’s trying to reinvent or restrict herself to please him, and she says, let’s be clear. She appreciates that he accepts her for exactly who she is, but guess what? She’s adaptable and can use this as a chance to see herself in a whole new light. He says, so she’s become a Zen master hoarder, and she says, fat chance of that happening. Part of being in a relationship, especially when you’re living together, is accommodating one another. She doesn’t have to move in here with every single one of her things. It’s not like she’s not going to spend time at the mansion. She wants to see Leo and Olivia, and check in on Willow and her dad, whoever he is at the moment.

Spencer walks over to Josslyn’s chaise lounge, and says he’s worried about Uncle Sonny too, but he’ll shut up and not bring up Esme anymore, okay? She says, great, and he says he’s going for a swim. Trina sits down and says she’s sorry. Sometimes Spencer can be a jerk, but he’s her jerk. Josslyn asks why it doesn’t bother Trina more that he’s spending all of his time with Esme, and Trina tells her, who said it doesn’t?

Alexis tells Gregory not to underestimate Chase’s ability to handle his diagnosis. And he can’t shield his children from life. He says he knows. She’s right. He guesses he just got caught up in the protecting Chase mode since he was a little boy. Finn never needed it. He was like an ancient tree top; sturdy, never cried, always inscrutable. He kept everything inside. She says, Hamilton Finn, a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and he says, Chase on the other hand, pure id. You always knew exactly what he was feeling just by looking at him. Always full of wonder, laughing and singing, his heart right there on his sleeve. She says, well, great. Gregory will know exactly how he feels. Then Gregory will look out for Chase, and Chase will look out for him. Piece of cake. He says, as usual, she cuts right to the heart of the matter. He’s always been amazed at how his two sons can be so completely different. She says, right? Two unique people are raised under the same circumstances. Her children, Kristina and Molly, couldn’t be more different. Kristina knocks at the door and asks if they’re talking about her.

Dante says, Cody’s in Ferncliff? and Sam says, yes. He says, what the hell is wrong with him? Dante told Sam that Cody was going to do this. He was acting all crazy to set the stage to get put in Ferncliff to be close to Sasha. Sam obviously knew this, since she gave the message to his mother, right? She says, yes, she knew about it, and she helped him get committed.

Carly says, Nina is the new Mrs. Corinthos. At least she’s going to be. She doesn’t understand how any of this is her responsibility. Nina says, without Jason here to step in for Sonny, there could be a power vacuum here in Port Charles, and Carly says she knows. She still doesn’t understand what this has to do with her. Nina says, Carly stepped in before. She held everything together. She kept the peace in Port Charles last time Sonny was gone. Carly says, Nina means when they all thought Sonny was dead, and Nina knew he was alive and didn’t tell his family? That time? (D’oh!)

Felicia says, Mac told her how erratic Cody was at the PCPD the other day. Did he violate Gladys’s restraining order? Mac says, nothing like that. Cody wasn’t arrested; he was committed. She says, committed? Does this have anything to do with how he was at the stables? Mac says he had a feeling something was going on, so he checked up on Cody. Cody’s been admitted to Ferncliff. She says, that’s where Sasha is.

Dr. Montague tells Gladys that she worries too much. It’ll give her crow’s feet. There is no problem with them being seen together. He’s Sasha’s doctor and she’s her concerned mother-in-law. She asks what the hell that means? She is concerned. He says he shares that concern, and she says, like hell he does. Why doesn’t he just drop the sweet doctor act? All he cares about is bleeding her dry to line his pockets. When does she get Sasha out? She wired the money to the offshore account like he said. He tells her that he got the notification earlier, and she says, okay. Let’s go bring Sasha out, and she’ll take her home. He says, not so fast.

Cody says, please wake up, and pats Sasha’s forehead with a wet cloth. She opens her eyes, and he says, thank God. It’s Cody. Does she remember him? Startled, she sits up and scoots away, saying, don’t hurt me. He says, it’s me, Cody.

Trina asks if Josslyn doesn’t think it bothers her that she and Spencer hardly get to see each other. Of course (🍷) it does. She thought they’d be spending the whole summer together. It’s already over, and now she has to go back to school and the gallery’s getting busy. Whenever she does see Spencer, they spend have the time catching up. He’s telling her about Ace and of course (🍷) Esme. They just… Josslyn knows what she means; they barely ever get any alone time. Josslyn says, that must be so hard, but Trina says she’s not complaining, especially with everything her mom is going through with Curtis. She just wants to be strong for her. Plus her dad is still hurting and she doesn’t want them to lose their connection. She loves him so much. Josslyn says she knows, but Trina has so much on her plate right now, and Trina says she tries to remind herself, it’s not going to be like this forever. And even though Spencer sometimes messes up, he’s hers, not Esme’s, so she can’t let Esme get under her skin like that. Josslyn says, that was beautiful. Is she taking philosophy this semester? Trina laughs.

Gregory says, it’s always good to see Kristina, and she says, him too. He tells Alexis, they’ll talk later, and she says, yes and good luck. He leaves, and Kristina says, he’s a great writer. It was so smart of Alexis to add him to the Editorial Board. Alexis says, he brings a lot to the table, and Kristina asks if she’s free for a bite; her treat. Alexis says, yes. She’s starving. What’s on the agenda? Kristina says her dad. How much trouble does Alexis think he’s in?

Nina follows Carly into Kelly’s, and says, wait. She’s new to this, and they have to figure out what’s best for this family. Carly has experience, and Nina is asking for her help. Please. Carly says, Brick’s been in touch. Everything’s under control. Everything is stable in the business right now. The pact with the Families is strong, especially since Sonny got rid of Billy Novak. She doesn’t think anybody’s going to make a move just because Sonny’s been detained. Nina says, Carly still seems pretty informed with Sonny’s dealings, and Carly says, Nina should be grateful for that. It’s not glamorous carrying around this kind of burden. It’s not a competition. They do have to work together to keep the family safe. Nina says she gets it, and Carly says she hopes so. Brick will be in touch, and she’ll go over everything with Nina, but Nina has to stay calm. For Sonny’s sake. It sends a bad message when his inner circle is running around upset. Okay? She’s more concerned with who gave credible information to the Feds. That means someone broke rank, and they turned state’s evidence against Sonny.

Felicia asks if Mac really thinks Cody lost it, but he says he doesn’t know what to think. Cody’s situation reminds him exactly of what he went through years ago. She says, Dominique, and he says, it’s just so eerie. Cody is convinced Sasha is in danger and he has to rescue her from Ferncliff. She says, just like what Mac went through when Leopold Taub had Dominique stashed away in Shadybrook. He says, and Cody told him that he’d do anything to get past the restraining order and into Sasha’s orbit.

Gladys asks if Montague is trying to double-cross her, but he says, of course (🍷) not. They’re friends. But they both need to be smart about this. Sasha has to be weaned off the medications Gladys had him administer to her. Gladys says she never asked him to drug Sasha, and she wants Sasha out now. He says, if Sasha recovers too quickly, people will ask questions. Sasha herself might become suspicious and ask for a toxicology report. That’s not going to look good for either of them. It’ll take at least 24 hours for it to clear her system. She says, so he’s telling her that Sasha can’t be released for another 24 hours, but he says, no. He’s saying, the weekend at the earliest. She says, absolutely not, but he says, come on. They both know she’s not holding a Royal Flush here. It’s time to fold her hand and start playing by his rules. There’s too much at stake if they don’t move forward with Sasha.

Dante asks why Sam would help Cody violate a restraining order. She helped him break into a secure mental hospital? She says she had to, and he says, and disturb a woman who’s in recovery? She says, no. It was to help her. Cody thinks that Sasha is in serious danger, and she believes him. And the only way around Gladys and the restraining order was to get him committed as a patient at Ferncliff. Dante says, Gladys is a pain for sure, but she’s not the one who stabbed Cody; Sasha is. What happens if he’s in Ferncliff, and she goes off on him again?

Cody backs away, raising his hands, and says he promises he’s not here to hurt Sasha. It’s the opposite; he’s here to help her. She says, no, no, no. That doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense. Cyrus was coming after her. She had to defend herself. But then everyone said Cyrus was Cody, that she stabbed Cody. She doesn’t know what happened. She doesn’t know what’s real. Cody says, she doesn’t have to think about that right now, and she asks if he’s real. Is he really here? He says he’s very real. See for herself. Take his hand. He promises he won’t grab her. Please take his hand.

Gregory knocks on Chase’s door, and Chase says, what a pleasant surprise. Come in. Gregory says he’s glad to find Chase home. Since Chase got back on the force, he doesn’t know Chase’s schedule. Chase says, it’s been a little hectic, but anytime Gregory wants to hang out, just shoot him a text. Gregory says he appreciates how Chase always makes time for his old man, and Chase says, old man? Please. He could outrun all of them. He knows Finn teases Gregory about being a bookworm, but he remembers those camping trips. He can’t wait for Gregory to teach one of his kids, and Gregory says, the reason he came by… Brook comes out to show Chase the new sheets she bought, and stops when she sees Gregory. She says she didn’t realize he was here.

Alexis says she’s not going to lie to Kristina. Her father is in trouble. The FBI would not have contained him if they didn’t have compelling evidence against him. Kristina says, they swarmed in there like he was El Chapo, and Alexis says she can’t do anything about it this time. Diane is on it and will do what she can. In the meantime, she’s just going to hope and pray that it’s not as bad as she thinks it might be. Molly comes in, sees Kristina, and says she was just going, but Alexis says, oh no. Get back here. She grabs Molly’s hand and drags her into the office. She says she knows she told them that she wouldn’t micromanage this, but she’s getting really tired of it. They got into a fight – get over it. Because they’re sisters. Molly says, this isn’t the time… but Alexis says, it’s the perfect time, because life is too short for them to be at each other’s throats. Now kiss and make up. They both have way too many things going on.

Carly says, if she were Nina, she’d be more concerned about when Sonny is released and he finds out who went to the Feds, because it’s not going to be pretty. Nina asks what she means, and Carly says, Sonny values loyalty more than anything else, and if someone out there crossed him, he’s going to find out who it is and he’s going to make them pay. Just stay under the radar and take care of herself. Hopefully, Sonny will be out soon.

Felicia says, Cody already tried to break in to see Sasha once, and Mac says, which only got him a restraining order which, if he violates… He swears Cody has bit off more than he can chew. She says, he must think he has no other choice, and Mac says, whatever the reason, what he’s doing is extreme. If something bad happened to Cody, he’d never forgive himself. She asks what he’s thinking, and he says he’s going to go see Cody, but she says, oh no. He’s not.

Gladys says she kept her end of the bargain. Montague has his money. He says, and he appreciates it. They’re both betting on the same suit. Stay steady and Sasha will go through her diva detox by the weekend. The tabloids will have their stories, Gladys can retain her cash cow, and everything will be hunky dory. Gladys asks, who is Hunky Dory?

Sam says, Cody’s convinced Sasha didn’t mean to stab him, and Dante says, she had a breakdown, but Sam says, she’s being drugged. He says, Cody’s looking for an explanation. He’s trying to find some tangible thing that he can latch onto that he can save her from. So he’d rather imagine Gladys is pumping Sasha full of drugs than face the truth that she had a serious mental breakdown. He can’t save her from that. Sam tells him that she said the same thing a few weeks ago, that Cody would be doing more harm than good, and he says, that’s his point. She says, then Cody asked her to stop for a second and just consider if he was right. How would she feel if she were in Sasha’s position? She thought about it, and thought, what if it were her or one of her sisters stuck in Ferncliff? She would pray there was someone out there that would come in and get her. Admit it. Dante would be that person. Cody was willing to fight for Sasha, and she wanted to help him.

Cody tells Sasha that it’s not her fault. She can’t think clearly because someone’s been drugging her. Sasha shakes her head and says, no, that’s what they say. They say she’s using again, but she’s not. She wouldn’t. Not after what she went through with Brando. She got clean, okay? She thought that everything was okay, but then it wasn’t. The nurses keep asking her where she got the drugs, but she didn’t want them. The doctor is making her… He says, don’t worry about the doctor. He’s not here right now; I am. He’s on her side. Please trust him. He holds out his hand and says, please take his hand so he can prove it. She puts her hand in his.

Josslyn leaves a voicemail for Dex, asking, why is his phone off? She hasn’t heard from him in a minute. Just calling to say she loves and misses him. She’ll see him soon.

Brook says it’s good to see Gregory and hugs him. He says, same here. Sheets, huh? Chase says, Brook is moving in… well, partially, and Brook says, fully, with less parts, just with everything she needs. Gregory says, that’s wonderful news, and suggests he buy them dinner to celebrate, just the two of them, but Chase says, you pay, you stay. Gregory says, if they’re sure, and Brook says, you know what sounds yummy? Chase says, Gino’s, and she says, yes. He looks for the menu, and Gregory sits down with Brook. Gregory asks what made Brook take the next step, and she says, Chase was being chivalrous… Chase says, was not, and she says she’s having a little conflict with her grandmother. Gregory says, why is he not surprised?

Kristina says she agrees with Alexis, but Molly made it perfectly clear how she feels about her, and if she wants no further contact… Molly says, that’s a lie, but Kristina says, no, it’s not. Molly says, Kristina is choosing to play the victim, but Kristina says, that’s not true. And she thinks she knows a little bit more about being a victim. Strangely, this is so much worse, because Molly is intentionally cutting Kristina out of her life. For what? Because she takes up too much attention, too much space, too much air? Molly says, all of the above, and tells Alexis that she’s sorry. She can’t do this. She’ll call Alexis later. She storms out, and Kristina says, can Alexis believe that? Alexis says she can’t believe any of this.

Mac says, there’s no harm in him going to Ferncliff, but Felicia says, please, leave it alone. He’s the acting Police Commissioner. He says, so? and she says, Cody made a public spectacle when he accused Gladys of exploiting Sasha. Mac said himself that he almost arrested Cody for harassment. Cody has no proof of anything. Sasha stabbed him. Mac says, Cody swears there’s something else going on, but Felicia says, Maxie was there. She swears, on record as a witness, that Sasha suddenly went crazy. Mac can’t get involved. He can’t go there.

Gladys tells Montague to listen to her, when her phone rings. Nina asks, what is going on? She’s waiting for word on Sasha. When can they go get her? Gladys says, soon, and Nina says she called Ferncliff. They won’t give her any information. Gladys says, everything is on track, and Nina asks what that means. Gladys says she’ll have to call Nina back, but Nina says, Gladys is not calling her back. She wants information and she wants it now. She’s at Kelly’s. She’ll wait for Gladys here. Gladys says she’ll be right over, and tells Montague, that’s his benefactor. He better hope she doesn’t blow a fuse about his timetable. He says, that’s Gladys’s job, to make sure she doesn’t. He’ll be in touch. Gladys leaves, and his phone rings. He says, they have excellent timing. He was just about to call them. He needs something so good, it will make you forget you met someone (don’t we all?)… As soon as possible.

Dante says he knows Sam well enough that when she makes a decision and thinks it’s for the right thing, there’s no stopping her. She says, this is the right thing, and he says, but she lied. She pretended Cody was sick to get him into the mental hospital. She says, it was our only option, and he says, our only option? Her and Cody? What is he? She’s the woman he loves, the woman he shares his life with. She says she knows, and he says, she’s been keeping things from him, and he knows it’s because she just wants to protect… She says, his father is in FBI custody. That’s what he should be focusing on. She didn’t want to add on to that. He says, but he never gave her a reason to keep him on the outside, and she says, maybe not, but would he really want her compromising his integrity as a cop?

Mac says, Cody believes a woman’s sanity is at stake, and Felicia is worried about his standing as Police Commissioner? He doesn’t care about the optics if Cody is right. Summer was there years ago to help him with Dominique. She says, he misunderstands. She doesn’t care about any of it. She just doesn’t want him to ruin it for Cody.

Back on the phone, Nina says, listen. She needs to talk to Sasha Gilmore’s doctor right now. What is his name?… If they won’t even tell her the doctor’s name, she promises she’ll be there tomorrow with the police. Gladys grabs the phone out of her hand and says, she’ll do no such thing.

The desk nurse at Ferncliff says, hello? She hangs up and leaves the desk as Montague walks in.

Cody tells Sasha, see? He’s real. He’d probably be convincing if he was wearing his own clothes, but they made him put on these… He doesn’t even know what they’re called. Pajamas? She smiles, and he says, they can’t stay here though. They have to go. Will she come with him?

Spencer apologizes to Josslyn for what he said about Dex. He’s just worried about Sonny. He knows they both love him. (Boy, is he out of the loop.) Josslyn thanks him, and Trina says she’ll see Josslyn later. She leaves with Spencer.

Chase pours some wine, and a pizza arrives. Gregory watches as Brook feeds Chase a bite, and everyone’s all happy.

Josslyn gets a text from Dex: Got your message. Sorry I haven’t been in touch, but I just want to tell you, I love you.

Alexis tells Kristina that she’d give her right arm to have her sister back, and the two of them are busy arguing over semantics. Whose position is more superior; who’s more aggrieved? It breaks her heart. Kristina opens her mouth to say something, and Alexis says she’s not going to micromanage this. They’re both adults, but she’s begging Kristina, think about what’s at stake.

At home, Molly sits on the couch and picks up Valiant. She flashes back to Kristina saying she thinks she knows a little bit more about being a victim, and this feels so much worse. Kristina cries and hugs Valiant to her chest.

Sam tells Dante that she doesn’t have a law degree and obviously wasn’t going to ask her mother, but she’s guessing getting someone checked into a mental facility so they can see another patient is probably frowned upon, if not highly illegal. He says, Sam… but she says, no. Stop. There was no way he could be involved. She wasn’t going to put him in a position where he either tried to stop them or look the other way. He sits next to her and says he trusts her judgement – a helluva lot more than he trusts Cody’s. But for the record, he doesn’t want to be kept in the dark. She says, noted, and he says, if she thinks this is the right thing to do, he’s backing her 100%. They hug and she thanks him.

Felicia says, if Cody is right, and Sasha is in danger at Ferncliff, Mac can’t interfere with his plans. Mac asks, what if he’s in over his head? but Felicia says, he’s smart and he’s capable. Look how far he’s managed to get already. They need to trust he knows what he’s doing. Mac says, she’s impressed with this little adventure, isn’t she? It’s like one of her old capers. She asks, what’s the worst thing that can happen to Cody if he gets exposed at Ferncliff?

Nina says, what the hell? and Gladys says, there’s no need to threaten some overworked nurse at Ferncliff with the police. Nina says, then Gladys needs to tell her what’s going on right now. She knows the money was transferred, so what is the hold-up on Sasha’s release? Gladys says, there’s no hold-up. The doctor promised she’d be out tomorrow. Nina says, why tomorrow? Why can’t it be tonight? Gladys is driving her crazy. She wants Sasha home, and she wants her home now.

Carly looks out Kelly’s window and sees Nina arguing with Gladys.

Sasha says, go where? and Cody says, away. They have to leave Ferncliff. He’s been here for less than 36 hours, and it’s more than enough. Sasha’s been here way too long. She does want to leave, doesn’t she? She says, more than anything, but they said she couldn’t. They can’t just walk out. He says, that’s no problem. He’s very creative, but she’s going to have to trust him. Does she trust him? She nods, and he helps her get up. No surprise, Montague walks in.

Tomorrow, Ned/Eddie asks if Leo wants to make some music; Cody says he can see exactly what’s going on; Ava says she needs someone to face the reality; Dex blames himself for Sonny getting busted; and Montague wants to know just what’s going on here.

🏆 He’s the Best…

Andre is one of my favorites on GH, and apparently his alter-ego is a busy guy.

GH Alum Anthony Montgomery Wins Best Actor for The Do Over!

🕶 Waiting On Information…

Sounds kind of cryptic.

John J. York Announces He’s Taking a “Brief Hiatus” from GENERAL HOSPITAL

🎒 Just Like Us…

The three words a kid hates to hear – back to school.

Soap Stars Celebrate Back-To-School — See Their Pics!

👗 Eight In Eight…

It was the Project Runway finale and down to the final three – Brittany, Bishme, and Laurence. I suddenly realized I knew most of the models by name, so I guess I’ve been paying pretty close attention. The guest judges were designer Zac Posen and icon Billy Porter. This finale was very different than the other Runways before it, where the finalists go back to their homes and have several months to complete their collection. The All Stars finalists had eight days to create eight pieces. No doubt they’ve been thinking and planning all season long, but talk about pressure. I can just imagine the seams on garments I had eight days to create… and it wouldn’t be pretty. Before I started watching this show, it never occurred to me that designers also had to be tailors. I have mad respect for that, since you need the patience of a saint. Each collection was vastly different from the others, and the judges had their work cut out for them, since they were also all fabulous. Brittany used her signature activewear meets ready-to-wear. There were a lot of buckles and neon going on, and it reminded me of 80s fashion, a personal favorite. Bishme had a combo of monochrome looks, plaid, and a woven pattern with fringe. His closing outfit had an amazing skirt that practically took up the whole room. Laurence did her leather thing, and there was the usual admiration for her tailoring talents with a difficult fabric. I was sure she’d be the winner, although I’d rooted for Brittany, but it was not to be ladies night. Bishme got the big win, and it was precious to see how thrilled his mom was, who was there to watch the Runway in person. This episode gave me all the feels. Here are the particulars:

‘Project Runway’ 20 finale recap: Did Bishme, Brittany or Laurence win the grand prize? [LIVE BLOG]

🏰 Must Be Nice…

All about that $55 million home deal. Can you even imagine? I want to like Fancy Pants, but she’s so out of touch. She doesn’t get that it’s not what she’s saying, it’s her delivery.

https://people.com/heather-dubrow-reveals-why-she-kept-chateau-sale-secret-7967084

Emily tells it like it is.

RHOC’s Emily Simpson Talks Shannon & John’s “Biggest Red Flag,” & What Heather Did Wrong, Plus She Addresses Tamra’s Bullying Claim, “[Messing] Up” BravoCon Drama, and Weight Loss

😟 There Are No Words…

WTF is wrong with this guy? And the woman he’s with?

REPORT: RHOM Star Lisa Hochstein Was Kicked Out of Star Island Mansion as Lenny Allegedly “Berated” Her & Called Police, Plus He Announces Halloween Ball With Katharina

🐘 New To The World…

A new way to make an elephant.

https://people.com/indianapolis-zoo-announces-historic-elephant-birth-7966062

And a giraffe with no spots. I want one.

https://people.com/spotless-baby-giraffe-at-tennessee-zoo-named-kipekee-7965381

🐩 Best In Show…

Hang a U-ey back tomorrow for soap, tea, astute words, and music to send you into your weekend. Until then, stay safe, stay always absorbing knowledge, even if you’re not technically going back to school, and stay keeping in mind that life is too short to be at each other’s throats.

Jun21

June 19, 2023 – Drew Gives Sam Bad News, Hacked, Strange, Strike Out, Oh Daddy, Signs, Wives Guide, Not Done, Crazy, Cattitude, Watch This & Cruel

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth looks at Epiphany’s photo on the memorial wall, and says, hello, my friend. I miss you, especially on a day like this. I’m about to start my first shift as head nurse. I’m excited and nervous, and could really use a no-nonsense Epiphany pep talk right now. Remembering your words that I’m the best choice for the job are almost as good… almost. But when I start to doubt myself – which is more often than I care to admit – I remember I was taught by the best, so I got this. I won’t let you down.

Molly thanks Dr. Navarro for seeing her and TJ on such short notice. TJ says, they realize their call is a little… Molly says, spur of the moment. The doctor says, it’s her pleasure, and asks how Molly is feeling since she started treatment for endometriosis. Molly says, better, thanks. She hadn’t realized how much pain she’d been in since the medication got rid of most of it. Unfortunately, there still is some. Dr. Navarro asks if she’s given any more thought to hormone therapy, and Molly says, actually, that’s why they’re here. If she starts hormone therapy, her periods will stop. So before that, they want to harvest her eggs. What’s their first step?

Carly tells Drew, they don’t have to do this. Call his lawyer, and tell him the deal’s off. He says, they already settled this, and she says, if by settling this he means he won’t listen to reason. He says he has the best reason in the whole world, and she kisses him. She says, don’t pin this on her, but he says he’d 100% rather do the time than see her do it, and they kiss again. He tells her that he’ll see her later.

Nina finds Ava in the park, and thanks Ava for meeting her. Ava says, of course (🍷). When Nina said she was going to come clean to Sonny, Ava thought Nina would be in a lot worse shape than she is. She wonders if Nina came to her senses and realized she’s better off without him anyway, but Nina says, no. It turns out she didn’t lose Sonny after all. Ava says, don’t tell her that Sonny forgave her for turning Carly into the SEC, but Nina says, she didn’t tell him. She was ready to tell him; she was thisclose. But she looked into his eyes and couldn’t say the words. Ava says, but what about Ned? Didn’t he regain consciousness yesterday? Nina says, yes, and Ava says, Ned knows what she did. It’s only a matter of time before he tells everybody the truth. Nina tells her, let’s just say Ned is no longer interested in clearing his name.

Elizabeth asks a nurse if Ned is still combative this morning, and she says, only when they forget to call him Eddie Maine. She feels so sorry for his family. At the reception desk, Amy says good morning to Portia, and apologizes for waking her. She thought the on-call room was empty. Portia says she wasn’t really sleeping, and Amy says she hopes the patient’s okay. Portia asks, what patient? and Amy says she figured one of Portia’s patients must have taken a turn for the worse. Why else would she be sleeping at the hospital? Elizabeth hears, and asks Amy to check on Mr. Pascal in 1013 to make sure he ate his breakfast. Amy leaves, and Portia says she’d better get started on her rounds. Elizabeth asks if she wants to talk about it, and Portia says, about what? Elizabeth says, yesterday was Curtis’s birthday, and she knows there weren’t any emergencies on the floor last night. So why did Portia sleep here instead of at home with her husband?

Carly goes to Sonny’s penthouse, and he asks if she’s okay. She sounded awful on the phone. Carly says she thinks Sonny should know that things are about to be resolved with the SEC, and he asks what she did. She says she didn’t. Drew did.

Dante lets Drew into the apartment, and Alexis is there. Drew says, it’s a nice surprise, and she hugs him. She says she was delivering one of Danny’s skateboards, and Sam said he was stopping by, so she thought she’d stay and say hello. He says, it’s always great to see her, and she says, same. Now that she’s said hello, she’s on her way out. Drew asks her to stay; this actually involves her, in a way. Sam asks what he wants to talk to them about, and he says he’s asked his lawyer to offer a plea deal to the SEC, and he has every reason to believe they’re going to accept. Dante asks what Drew offered them, and Drew says he’s going to have to pay a fine, and he’s also going to have to go to prison. Sam asks how long he plans on being in prison (like he decides), and he says, they haven’t accepted the deal yet, but his lawyer proposed six months. Sam says, that doesn’t seem like a good deal to her, and asks if it does to Alexis. Alexis says she wouldn’t recommend it if she were his lawyer, and Drew says his lawyer isn’t crazy about it either, but he’s made up his mind. (Is it me? It doesn’t sound that bad considering it’s usually like, two years.) Dante asks if Diane suggested the same thing for Carly, and Drew says, no. Sam says, of course (🍷) she didn’t. Drew’s going to prison so Carly doesn’t have to. Drew says he’s weighed all the options, and she has to trust him that this is the best possible solution. Sam asks what Carly says about this, and he says he was just hoping they could figure out a way to tell Scout together. She asks, what would be their approach to that conversation, because she doesn’t know how they explain to their six-year-old daughter that he’s not only leaving her again, but this time, it’s his choice.

Taggert goes to Jordan’s office, and she asks, how’s his head? He just looks at her, and she asks, what brings him by? He says he wanted to apologize for being such an ass yesterday, but she says she doesn’t need an apology. She’s just glad to see he sobered up. He says, lesson learned, and she says, since she doesn’t need an apology, and he doesn’t need an intervention, what else can she help him with? He says, actually, there is something. He needs a job, so he was wondering if there’s any room for another detective at the PCPD.

Portia says she knows this is Elizabeth’s first day in charge. She must have a million things to do. Elizabeth says she has a meeting with Monica in an hour. Until then, she’s free if Portia wants to talk. Portia says she doesn’t even know what to say, and Elizabeth says she doesn’t have to go into detail. What she does know is that Portia’s upset, and she wants to help. Portia says she appreciates Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says, stop her if she’s prying. Portia says, pry away, and Elizabeth asks if things aren’t working out with her and Curtis. Portia says she thought they were. Don’t get her wrong; she knew it was going to be a long path to reconciliation, but when Curtis moved back in, she took that as a sign he was ready to try. From the guest room, but still. Elizabeth says, that seems like a fair assumption, and Portia says, they actually started to talk again. Trina came to his birthday party, and it made him really, really happy. Things were still tense, but they were so much better than they had been. She could really start to see a future where they were family, but it turns out Curtis had other ideas.

Ava says, so Ned thinks it’s the 90s, back when he was performing as Eddie Maine? and Nina says, from what she understands, he actually believes he is Eddie Maine. He only remembers his stage persona. He doesn’t remember his life as a Quartermaine at all. Ava asks if that means he doesn’t remember Tracy. She doesn’t think Tracy would take that well. Nina says, all she knows is, he doesn’t remember she was the one who called the SEC, and her secret is safe. Ava says, they’ll get to that, but if Nina didn’t come clean to Sonny, why isn’t she wearing her engagement ring? Nina says, Ava was there. She put it on the mantel when she was going to the hospital to tell Sonny the truth. There she was, ready to come clean… Ava says, and she looked into his eyes, and his dimples… and Nina says, then she had to come up with this lame excuse for why she didn’t have the ring on. She told him that she lost it down the drain. Luckily, when they got to the house, she managed to swipe it off the mantel and put it in the sink. Ava says, she’s crazy. That is a big, very expensive diamond. Nina says, he called the plumber. All right, she panicked. It’s a small price to pay. This is such a mess. Ava says, Nina has to know, this situation is not sustainable. Sooner or later, Ned is going to remember his real life. Nina says, trauma victims often don’t remember the events leading up to their accident. Ned overheard her conversation with Martin, then he bumped his head, so that knowledge may be gone for good. Ava says, she better hope so. If Sonny finds out now, Nina’s going to be under the gun with no way out.

Sonny says, it’s a good deal Drew made. It keeps Carly out of prison. That’s if the Feds agree to the terms. Carly says, it’s not a slam dunk, but Drew’s an optimist. Sonny says, if it keeps her out of prison, then the Feds won’t be pressuring her to flip on him. That’s if he’s really willing to do this. Carly says, he is. She didn’t even hear about this deal until after Drew’s lawyer submitted it to the SEC. Sonny says, it’s an honorable thing to do, and she says, Drew totally cut her out of his decision. Sonny says, how could they get out of this, and nobody take the fall? and she says, that’s the thing; there’s no other way out. At least none that she can see. And if they take their chances in court, they could go to prison for a helluva lot longer than six months.

Nina tells Ava that Ned has a traumatic brain injury. He’s lost most of his life as Ned Quartermaine. If he ever gets his memory back – which she sincerely hopes he does – what are the odds of him remembering this small little detail about her? Ava says, if Ned gets his memory back, she thinks it’s pretty likely that he’d remember being wrongly accused of turning Drew and Carly in to the SEC. Even if he doesn’t, if those two go to prison, everyone who believes he’s innocent will be looking for the guilty party. Nina asks what she’s supposed to do, and Ava says, she’s supposed to do what she said she was going to do. Come clean to Sonny. Tell him that she made a mistake, and wishes she could take it back, but she can’t. Nina says she just can’t do it. She can’t lose Sonny now. And what about Willow? If she finds out Nina is responsible for putting Drew and Carly in prison, Willow’s never going to speak to her again. If the truth comes out, she’ll lose the man that she loves, and she’s going to lose any kind of relationship she has with Willow. She’s just going to have to keep walking the tightrope she’s been walking, and hope for the best. Ava suggests they go for a latte, and Nina says she thought they were going for a run, but Ava says she only agreed to that because she thought Nina would have broken up with Sonny, and would need the endorphins. She clearly doesn’t, but Ava needs the caffeine.

Dr. Navarro says, they’re all set. The technician will be in shortly to prep Molly for the ultrasound. Molly says she can’t wait, and thanks the doctor again. Dr. Navarro leaves, and TJ asks if Molly is okay. Molly says, once she’s on hormone therapy, harvesting her eggs won’t be an option, so it makes sense to do it now. They can decide what they do with the eggs later. He says he hates that she’s in pain, but she says, it’s better. He says, any pain. If the hormone therapy can take that away, he wants her on it as soon as humanly possible. She says, her too. So they freeze her eggs and keep all of their options open. She keeps reminding herself that her endometriosis might make it harder for them to have a baby. He says, but not impossible, and she says, even though she might not be able to carry the baby herself, they can use her eggs and find a surrogate to carry their child. He says, tons of people do it, and she says, they do, but they’re not us. So she has to ask. Would he be okay with using a surrogate?

Alexis says she’s sorry, but she has to go. She has to go to GH and check on Ned. Dante says, they’ll keep her posted, and she leaves. Sam says she’s waiting. How are she and Drew supposed to tell their daughter that he’s chosen to leave her? (I dunno, but I bet it’s easier than having to tell her about a trial dragging on forever, and then him being in Pentenville for a few years.) Drew says he doesn’t want to leave Scout, and she says, then don’t. Fight the charges. It’s not like he and Carly made money on the merger because Carly knew about the merger; the merger didn’t even happen. ELQ and Aurora are still separate companies, and they both lost money. Dante says, not to be cop in the room, but it’s the intent that matters with insider trading. It’s not the outcome. Sam says she doesn’t care, but Drew still deserves the lesser sentence. Carly is the one who bought the shares. Drew says, she was trying to help him and Michael, but Sam says, that’s still on her. Unless he expects her to believe that he and Michael told her to buy the shares to drive up the stock, which not in any universe does she think is possible. Dante says he thinks there are dishes that need to be done, and jets to the kitchen. (The Invader announces, for the first time ever, a man volunteers to do dishes. Just kidding, male readers.) Drew asks Sam not to make this any harder than it already is, and she says she’s not going to make it any easier, that’s for damn sure. He says, this is the best way out of a bad situation, and she says, best way for who? Not for him. Not for their daughter. So she guesses it’s best for Carly then. He says, Carly’s got primary custody of Donna. If Carly goes to prison, Donna’s whole world gets turned upside down. Scout has Sam and Dante, and she’s used to not seeing him. She says, what is he talking about? He was held captive in a dungeon for half of her life. Drew says, she can bring Scout to see him in Spring Ridge, and she says, that makes everything okay. He says, Dante is an amazing father, but she says, don’t you do that. Dante and Scout have an excellent relationship, but Dante is not Scout’s father; he is. When they lost Drew the first time, Scout was truly too young to miss him. She didn’t know what she was missing because she had no memories of him. But now she’s going to know he’s gone, and she’s going to miss him every single day of her life, and she’s not going to watch their daughter go through that kind of pain.

Jordan says, Taggert wants to work here? Again? He says he’s a good detective, and she says, one of the best. She just thought he preferred working for himself these days. Picking and choosing his own cases. He says he did. It was great, but now with all this traveling, it’s getting old. He wants to stay in Port Charles. She says, so this is about Trina, and he says, if he told her no, would she believe him? She says, and she thought it was the booze talking yesterday. Come on. Is he really worried Curtis will replace him in Trina’s life?

Portia tells Elizabeth, all these months, all she wanted was for Curtis to move back home. She thought they needed to be together, so they could figure out if they could get their marriage to work. But as soon as her feelings get hurt, she runs away. Elizabeth asks why she ran. With Curtis in the guest bedroom, Portia could have avoided him if she wanted to. Portia says, that’s just the thing. She didn’t want to avoid Curtis. She wanted to hurt him the way he’d hurt her. She didn’t go home last night because she was afraid if she and Curtis were in the same house, she would say something in anger that she couldn’t take back. And then that would push Curtis to say something he couldn’t take back, and then their marriage would really be over. Elizabeth says, so despite what Portia found out about him and how he hurt her, she still wants a life with him? Portia says, sure… She doesn’t know. They sit, and Portia says she’s been working so hard to regain Curtis’s trust. She wanted to show him that she could make up for all the mistakes she’s made. He kept saying, it was too soon to talk, and she’s thinking, it’s because she hurt him so deeply that he needed time to heal; she needed time to atone. In her mind, they were both getting stronger, and they were going to come together and work on their marriage. Turns out Curtis wasn’t thinking about their marriage. He wasn’t thinking about her at all.

Jordan says she can’t imagine what a blow it must have been; Taggert learning Trina wasn’t his biological child. She is still his daughter, no matter what. He tells her, that’s what everyone keeps saying, and she says, he honestly doesn’t think Trina would cut him out of her life, does he?

TJ says, he wants to raise his and Molly’s child with her, no matter how they get there, and she says, if they choose surrogacy, how do they choose the surrogate? It’s a huge responsibility. He asks, what qualities are essential besides general good health? No drinking, non-smoker. Molly says, she has to be a vegetarian, and he says, agreed. Is that it? She says she doesn’t know. How picky can they get? Can they ask her to read to the baby, and listen to classical music, and to refrain from watching any violent movies? He says he’s not sure, and she says, fortunately, there are experts who can advise them. He says, right. Let’s listen to the experts. You know what? He thinks this’ll work. They kiss.

Jordan says, they don’t have to talk about it if Taggert doesn’t want to, and he thanks her, adding, he doesn’t. So let’s talk about that job. She says, bottom line, she doesn’t have room in the budget for another detective, and he says, oh well. Didn’t hurt to ask. She says, but she does have another position opening up, and he says he’s listening. What job? She says, hers.

Drew tells Sam, if he could find a better solution, he’d take it in a heartbeat. It breaks his heart thinking of being away from Scout. Things he’ll be missing. Things they’ll be missing together. The things they love to do together; like camping, and the holidays, and trick-or-treating, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She says she just wants him to know how important he is to Scout; that he’s not taking this deal because he thinks Scout won’t miss him. Because she will. She’ll miss him every day. She loves her daddy. He says he knows that, and he loves her too. Please don’t ever let her doubt that.

Carly tells Sonny that she still can’t believe Ned turned them in. Speaking of whom, is it true? Ned thinks he’s Eddie Maine? Sonny says, yep, it’s true. Olivia is so upset because he says he doesn’t know anybody. He even told Leo that he thinks Leo’s not his son. Carly says, poor Leo, and Sonny says, that’s Ned. Even when he doesn’t know who he is, he’s hurting people. (Ha-ha! Poor Ned.) She says, before all this happened, she and Drew were trying to figure out a way to persuade Ned to get the SEC to drop the charges. He asks if she can tell him what the plan is, but she says, it doesn’t matter. He thinks he’s Eddie Maine. And it makes her sick to think of Drew behind bars again, after everything Peter August and Victor Cassadine did to him. Nina walks in with Ava.

Elizabeth says, Curtis wouldn’t move back in if he’d truly given up on their marriage, and Portia says, she’s right. This is why she shouldn’t be talking to Curtis yet. She’s just not ready. She has no clarity. She’s just a ball of hurt and resentment right now. Elizabeth’s phone chimes several times, and Elizabeth says, and so it begins. Portia asks if those are all from the same person, and Elizabeth says she wishes. Portia says, that’s what comes with being in charge. Go. Be head nurse. Just remember… They say it together, you asked for this. Elizabeth suggests they pick this up over lunch, and Portia thanks her, but says, Elizabeth has helped her realize who she really needs to be talking to.

Alexis sees TJ looking at some files, and she says, he’s working? She thought he and Molly had an appointment with Dr. Navarro this morning. He says he’s not officially working, but since he’s here… She says, he couldn’t help himself. He says, Molly’s having an ultrasound to have an some-medical-term count, and Alexis says, what’s that? since she’s as confused as I am about that word. He says, it’s a way to determine how many eggs Molly has left, which will tell them how many eggs they can hope for if they harvest them. Alexis says, that’s good, right? and he says, yes. It gives them options just in case. She says she knows this isn’t how he and Molly imagined having a baby, and he says, it sure isn’t. Funny thing is, ever since they were teenagers, they were told, don’t have sex; you could get pregnant. Alexis asks if they heard that from anyone else besides her, or was she the lone voice in the wilderness? but he says, it felt like everybody. She says, but her voice was the loudest? It happens often. Go on. He says, they were so careful, but now that they actually want a baby, it’s not this instantaneous thing they’ve been worried about all these years. And if that’s not confusing enough, it’s no longer private. Something just between him and Molly, it’s doctors, testing, labs. She says she knows they didn’t plan it this way, and she knows it’s not ideal. He and Molly can keep focused on the prize, which will be a baby coming to them, one way or the other.

Jordan says she’s the new acting Deputy Mayor, and Taggert says, wow! That’s amazing. Congratulations. She thanks him, but says, she can’t do both jobs. She needs to find her replacement. He says, she’d be like his boss? and she says, yes, just like she would have been if he’d taken the detective job. She can’t just offer him the position, but she can run it up the flagpole and see if it flies. He asks if she thinks he can really be Police Commissioner, and she says, if she didn’t think he’d be good at the job, she wouldn’t have mentioned it. So what does he think?

Carly says, she was just leaving, and addresses Ava as she walks out. Sonny says, good run? and Nina says, they decided to walk to Perks instead. Ava asks, how things are with Carly? Is there anything new from the SEC? Sonny says he hates to disappoint Ava, but the insider trading charges aren’t going to be a problem for Carly. Nina asks, why is that? and Sonny says, there’s a deal in the works. Carly and Drew are just going to have to pay a fine, so she doesn’t have to spend any time behind bars. Nina says, Carly didn’t agree to give Sonny up to save herself, did she? but he says, nothing like that. Drew agreed to spend some time at Spring Ridge, so Carly doesn’t have to go to prison.

Drew tells Sam, Scout didn’t even remember him when he got back. She was so shy around him; they’ve come so far. Sam says, now she can’t wait to be around him, especially when he picks her up for sleepovers. He says, she’ll have sleepovers at the Quartermaines, and he’s sure she’s still going to try and teach Leo and Annabelle II how to play the keyboard. Sam says, but who’s going to be there to teach her how to play the harmonica? Or go to her swim meets? Can he really stand not seeing their daughter for six months? He says, no, he can’t, but he’s going to have to. There’s a knock at the door, and Dante opens it to Carly. She says she thought Sam might have a few things she wants to say to her, and Sam says, Drew’s going to prison. She’s not happy about that. Carly says, neither is she, and Sam says, but it is his decision, so she respects that. Carly says, for the record, she tried to talk him out of it, and Sam says she appreciates that. She turns to Drew and asks if he’s figured out a way for them to tell their daughter. He says, the deal hasn’t been officially accepted yet, and she says, he thinks they should wait. He says he thinks it’s better they don’t say anything until he has an exact date that he’s heading to Spring Ridge. Sam says, Scout doesn’t need to know any maybes. This is going to be hard enough. Drew says, which is another reason he wanted to talk, so that Sam, him, and Dante can figure out how to tell her. Dante says, Drew wants him there? and Drew says, absolutely. Dante says, that means a lot. Thanks. Drew says, Dante means a lot to Scout, and he’s grateful she’s going to have the two of them in her life while he’s gone.

Alexis goes to the reception desk, and Amy asks if she’s here to see Mr. Maine. She’s trying to get used to calling him that instead of his real name. At least until he remembers who he is. Isn’t it crazy that he thinks he’s this singer from back in the day? Elizabeth calls over to Amy, who says she didn’t see Elizabeth behind her. Elizabeth says she just got here, but Amy must have… Amy says, patients to check on, and leaves.

Nina says, words fail her, and Ava says she thinks it’s great news, especially for little Donna. Sonny says he’s just glad his daughter doesn’t have to go through the pain of not having a mother, even if it’s temporary. But he does have some good news. Guess what the plumber found in the pipeline? He shows Nina her ring.

Sam tells Dante that she hates that Drew decided without consulting anyone. At the same time, she’s glad they have time to think of how to break it to Scout. He says he thinks they just have to tell her it’s temporary; that her dad is coming back. Sam says, maybe they can make her a chest, and he says, like a treasure chest? She says, exactly, snuggling next to him on the couch. They can put in report cards, her artwork, and… He says, disciplinary actions, and she laughs. She says, all the little things she does, and when Drew gets out, they can go through it together. He says he thinks it’s a great idea. That way, he won’t miss anything. She says, he’s going to miss a lot.

Walking outside, Drew says he’s so happy Carly and Sam are friends. She’s going to need a good, solid support system when he’s gone. She says, he’s going to prison. That means he’s going to be a prisoner again. (Another Sherlock!) He says, Spring Ridge is not exactly an underground cell in Crete. (Thank you.) He’ll be fine. She says she knows he’ll be fine; she’s not. How is she supposed to be okay without him? They hug.

Molly comes back, and TJ says he ran into her mom. He told her what they were considering. He hopes that was okay. She says, of course (🍷) it is. She’ll call her mom later, but right now why don’t they go somewhere and get coffee, and enjoy her rare day off. He says, they’ve already seen her OB/GYN. How can they top that? She really knows how to party. They walk, and Dr. Navarro comes by. She says she was just about to call them. Molly’s test results came in. Wow. Fastest. Lab. Ever.

Ava says she’ll leave them to it, and asks Nina to call her later. Sonny wants to talk to Frank, and Nina says she’ll walk Ava out. They go around the corner, and Nina says, can you believe it? Carly gets off scot free – again. Ava says she’s appalled, but not entirely surprised, and Nina says, Carly is the one who bought the damn stock. She’s the one who acted on the information she wasn’t supposed to have. Carly should go to prison; not Drew. It’s not fair. Ava says, there is a bright side to this Nina isn’t seeing. Carly getting off is really the best thing that could happen for Nina. Nina asks how Carly staying out of prison and staying in Port Charles good for her, and Ava says, because if Carly went to prison, and Sonny found out it was because of her, a broken engagement would be the least of her worries. If he finds out now, there’s a chance he might forgive Nina… maybe. Nina says, it’s small comfort.

Drew tells Carly, it’s six months. It’s not going to be fun, but they’ll get through this. She says she knows. He’s right. He says, does she know what else he is? Not wrong yet. They’re going to make the most of their time together. She says, that sounds like a challenge, and he says, what if it is? She says, challenge accepted, and they kiss.

Sonny puts Nina’s ring on her finger, saying, back where it belongs. She says she’s so relieved. It didn’t feel right not having it on. He says, never take it off, and she says she won’t. They kiss.

Elizabeth sees Amy, and asks if they need to talk about patient confidentiality, but Amy says, no, and she’s sorry. It’s just that Miss Davis and Mr. Quartermaine are practically family. Elizabeth says she knows, but practically family… Amy says, isn’t actually family. It won’t happen again. Elizabeth thanks her, and asks if she’s seen Portia. Amy says, her office is locked. She thinks Dr. Robinson left.

There’s a knock at Jordan’s office door, and she says, come in. Portia walks in, not looking too happy.

Tomorrow, Lucy asks Maxie, what exactly is the story; Gladys wants to know what someone thinks they have; and Portia asks, what on earth possessed Jordan to kiss her husband?

🕊 Nothing Is Sacred…

Although the posts do seem a little odd. I would think people caught on pretty quickly.

Nancy Lee Grahn Isn’t Leaving GH — Her Twitter Was Hacked!

🙋🏻‍♂️ It’s Not Right…

What a bummer he didn’t get a proper goodbye.

Charles Shaughnessy Opens up About His “Strange” Goodbye to GH

🪧 No Picket Sign For You…

Looks like there’s been a workaround.

Soap Stars Will Not Go on Strike With SAG-AFTRA

💪 Who’s Your Daddy…?

A little DILF for your coffee.

Soap Stars Celebrate Father’s Day — See the Family Photos!

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Here’s a Shock…

Even though she’s no prize, I’m dumbfounded Teresa takes the amount of crap she does from Louie. I figure she’s either in it for the money (and does he really have money?), or the TV time, or both.

Signs That Divorce Is Around the Corner for Teresa Giudice and Luis Ruelas

👠 History Lesson…

A handy guide to the Housewives franchise.

Real Housewives Complete Guide: Updates, Cast, Cities, Spin Offs

⚓️ He’s Got Plans…

It absolutely sucks that my Boat Daddy won’t be on Deck anymore, but I’m glad to hear there’s a Plan B.

Captain Lee Rosbach Dishes on Life After Below Deck

⛴ In Related News…

It doesn’t seem as bad as some of the things that have been on Deck. Well, except for the 💩 one.

https://nypost.com/2023/06/18/i-worked-on-a-superyacht-and-here-are-some-of-the-craziest-requests-ive-gotten/

🐈‍⬛ Follow That Cat…

Who could resist this feline fatling?

https://celebritypets.net/big-kitty-puss-puss-the-cat-with-an-attitude-as-big-as-her-appetite/

📺 If you can, catch Bryan Cranston on Watch What Happens Live. He reenacted Ariana’s speech to Sandoval where she told him that she was sorry she ever loved him. It was the best.

🏖 Currently Doing Summer…

Circle back tomorrow for soap and probably some OC smack talk. Until then, stay safe, stay not being your own worst enemy, and stay keeping focused on the prize, even if it didn’t come the way you’d planned.

Jun10

June 9, 2023 – No Soap For You, 2 Mollys, Jersey Mess, Vandermath, VanderNew, Sink It, Dead Dates, A Farewell, Star Releases, Sharks, Cuteness, Double 4 Quotes & Love

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Well there was this:

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-preempted-nationally-today-june-9-2023

So I did this:

💼 Ups and Downs…

She’s doing a good job so far. She’s not straying too far from the already established character.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kate-mansi-opens-up-about-taking-over-as-kristina-on-gh

She’s lucky she didn’t kill someone.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-haley-pullos-faces-lawsuit-over-dui-crash

👠 Jersey Devils…

They still don’t totally explain it. So like, what happened the next time Frankie and Louie spoke? Or haven’t they?

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/frank-catania-shares-why-frankie-stopped-working-for-luis-ruelas

Where they are now.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhonj-season-13-finale-recap-cast-updates

This one doesn’t live in the real world with the rest of us. I don’t blame Andy for losing his sh*t. It was like, STFU already.

RHONJ’s Jennifer Aydin Shades Andy Cohen for Being “Rude” to Her and Blasts Troll Who Accuses Her of ‘Deflecting’

About that text.

RHONJ: Melissa Gorga Leaks Text From Jacqueline Laurita That Blasts Teresa Giudice & Pokes Fun at Her Appearance, See the Shocking Message Plus When It Was Sent

And the rest.

Joe Giudice Addresses the Gorgas’ Alleged Involvement in FBI Case, Blames RHONJ for Deportation, & Gives Update on Relationship With Rosie, Kathy and Richie

🍸 Trying To Recover…

I don’t think there is a future for her on the show. At least, I hope not.

Raquel Leviss Addresses Future on Vanderpump Rules After Death Threats Over Affair With Tom Sandoval as Karlee Hale Breaks Silence Amid Tom Dating Rumors

I guess, but I can’t imagine she didn’t want to smack Rachel’s bobblehead face. I thought she was restrained.

https://people.com/lala-kent-regrets-attacking-raquel-leviss-at-vanderpump-rules-reunion-7510310

Giving you more Lala.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/raquels-big-secret-on-vanderpump-rules-reunion-lala-reacts

She’ll be fine. She dodged a narcissistic bullet.

https://extratv.com/2023/06/08/ariana-madix-reveals-plans-for-the-future-and-thoughts-on-marriage-after-scandoval/

She was so funny on WWHL.

Amy Schumer Doesn’t Have ‘Raquel Rage’ but Bashes ‘Narcissist’ Tom Sandoval

🎁 Just What We Need…

I still want more episodes of Overserved, but I’ll take what I can get. After I take a million showers to get the smell of the Reunion off.

Lisa Vanderpump Lands a New Spinoff Show Called “Vanderpump Villa” on Hulu! Get the Details, Plus Vanderpump Rules is Renewed for Season 11

⛵️ Aye, Aye, Captain…

She’s right. That boat needs to die. I’m sure Glenn and Colin are having a grand old time holding it together with duct tape and bubble gum, but it almost tanked the season.

‘Parsifal Needs To Die At The Bottom Of The Ocean’ Daisy Kelliher Calls For Yacht’s Retirement

⚰️ Moving Dead…

Updates on both Dead City’s premiere and Fear the Walking Dead’s mid-season finale.

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/05/30/walking-dead-city-updated-premiere-timing-amc/

https://screenrant.com/fear-the-walking-dead-season-8-episode-6-airtime-change/

🥀 She’ll Be Missed…

I love this show, and was so sad to hear this.

https://people.com/bling-empire-anna-shay-dead-7508300

👽 When the Force Will Be With You…

Updates on Star Wars releases.

https://ew.com/movies/star-wars-movie-tv-show-release-dates/

🦈 Doo-Doo Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo…

Cue the music.

https://people.com/sharkfest-2023-how-to-watch-sharkfest-7509679

🦙 Take a Deep Breath…

Some relief from all the nasty, awful reality this week.

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/cute-animals

☄️ Quotes of the Week

Some people think only intellect counts: knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy. – Dean Koontz

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.  — John Powell

The border to eternity is never ahead of us. It runs parallel to life and can be crossed over at any moment by old and young. – Reinhard Bonnke

A mathematical formula for happiness: Reality divided by Expectations. There were two ways to be happy: improve your reality or lower your expectations. – Jodi Picoult (I vote for lowering expectations.)

Even while we kill and punish we must try to feel about the enemy as we feel about ourselves—to wish that he were not bad, to hope that he may, in this world or another, be cured: in fact, to wish his good. That is what is meant in the Bible by loving him: wishing his good, not feeling fond of him nor saying he is nice when he is not. – C.S. Lewis, from Mere Christianity

I can tell you, without diversity, creativity remains stagnant. – Edward Enninful

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. – Plato

That wasn’t karaoke. It was you, a jukebox, and a bar full of angry people. – Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell), Mike & Molly

🕺🏽 Curly Shuffling Away…

Tune in for a chance of Fear on Sunday, and on Monday really Tuesday for soap and double the Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay respecting your elders no matter how old you are, and stay making sure that when you’re singing karaoke, you’re really at karaoke.

Apr20

April 19, 2023 – Michael Invites Sonny To the Wedding, Raquel Is Shocked That Oliver Misled Her Because She’s Hella Stupid, Five, Twinsies & Convenient

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Esme checks out of the hospital, and Elizabeth says, she’s had a head injury. She wants Esme to call if she has any of these symptoms. Is there anything else she can do for her? Esme says she needs to speak with Dr. Gatlin-Holt. It could be a matter of life and death.

Laura asks if Portia’s heard any more from Trina, and Curtis says, no, but Jordan has IT monitoring Portia’s phone in case she calls again. But it’s not enough. He’s going down to the PCPD and find out what’s taking so long to find the Haunted Star. Laura tells him that he can’t do that. It’s not going to help anyone; least of all Trina.

Trina sneaks back into Spencer’s stateroom, and he hugs her, saying, he was going crazy. He asks if she’s okay, and she says she’s fine. She’s sorry his uncle is denying him food. She can try to get him something… He says, it’s not worth the risk, and she says, they’ll leave soon enough. It worked. He says, she made contact in the communications room? She says she did, and more. She holds up the walkie.

Watkins tells Victor, the nurse says the baby is sleepless and constantly crying, and Victor asks what he’s supposed to do about it. Ambrose walks in, and Victor asks what he’s doing here. He’s supposed to be guarding Spencer’s room. Ambrose says, the deadbolt’s locked, and Victor says he’s heard that before. Why did Ambrose leave his post? Ambrose says, there’s a walkie-talkie unaccounted for. It’s most likely misplaced, but… Victor asks why he’s being bothered with these mundane details. Ambrose is supposed to be guarding his nephew, not counting inventory. Now get back to doing just that. Unlocked doors, mislaid equipment, inept nurserymaids. What is he running here, some kind of sloppy clown show? It’s unacceptable. He runs a tight ship. This carelessness will not be tolerated. They might have walked on as crew, but he can see to it they’re carried off as cargo.

At Windymere, Avery does a jigsaw puzzle, while Ava supervises. Ava says, well done, and Avery yawns. Ava says, it’s past Avery’s bedtime, but Avery says she can’t go to sleep yet. If she does, then Ava will be lonely. She hopes Daddy Nikolas comes back soon. Ava says, all she needs is Avery. How about if they read a bedtime story to each other? Avery says, yeah, and hugs her. The doorbell rings, and Carly says she knows Ava’s home. Avery says, that’s Mama Carly, and I say, pretty impatient since this is a 46 room house. Ava opens the door, and Avery runs over to hug Carly, saying, she’s so happy to see her.

Sonny and Nina go into the chapel, and Nina asks if it’s more bad news about Willow, but he says, no; nothing has changed about her health. Brook told him that Michael and Willow are moving up the wedding, and they’re getting married tomorrow. That’s a good thing, right? They have a baby, and deserve to be happy. She says she wishes she could see it that way, but there’s nothing to celebrate about this wedding. It’s the beginning of the end.

Carly asks if Avery has grown another inch, and Avery starts dragging her to the living room to look at her puzzle, but Ava suggests she work on it some more. They’ll be right in. Avery runs to the living room, and Ava asks, what’s going on? Carly says, Willow’s moved her and Michael’s wedding up. They’re getting married tomorrow. Ava says, why the rush?… Oh, she sees. She’s so sorry. Carly says, Willow would like Avery to be part of the wedding party. She’d like it to be a family affair.

Sonny asks why Nina says this wedding is the end, and she says, doesn’t he see why they’re doing this? He says, they love each other, they just had a baby… She says, and they’re running out of time. He says, giving your life to another person is a beautiful expression of love, and Nina agrees, even if that life is nearly over. Saying I do might be the last thing that Willow does. His phone rings, and she tells him to get it. It’s Michael, who asks, where is he? and Sonny says, the hospital chapel. Is everything okay? Michael says he needs to see Sonny, and Sonny asks if he’s at the gatehouse. Sonny will come to him. Michael says, Willow is resting with the baby. He’ll come to Sonny. Sonny says he’ll be here, and tells Nina that Michael’s coming here. Does she have any idea what that’s about?

Carly looks at the puzzle, and says, Avery is almost done. Avery asks what’s in the bag Carly is carrying, and Carly says she’s glad Avery asked. She takes out a white basket adorned with ribbons, and asks if Avery knows what this is. Avery says, it’s so pretty, and Carly tells her, it’s so pretty because it’s special. Ava says, only for flower girls, and Carly says, Donna has one too. And this could be Avery’s if she accepts a very important job. It’s for Michael and Willow’s wedding. Avery says, yes. She’s always wanted to be a flower girl.

Laura tells Curtis, the crime is taking place in international waters, way beyond the scope of the PCPD. They’ve reached out to the appropriate authorities, and also managed to freeze Victor’s assets, which should make it a little more difficult for him to operate. Curtis says, that doesn’t get them any closer to finding the Haunted Star, but she tells him to think about this for a moment. Jordan is being pulled in every direction imaginable; with Anna being shot, Laura’s grandsons being kidnapped, Esme being attacked, and Trina a stowaway. If Curtis goes marching down to the PCPD demanding answers… He says, then he’ll just be another distraction, and she says, exactly. She suggests they put their heads together and come up with a way to help where they’re not getting in the way.

Austin says he hears Esme suffered a head injury. How is she feeling? Esme says, never mind her. She’s fine, but her baby isn’t.

Trina tells Spencer, her mom, his grandmother, Jordan, and Curtis know they’re on the boat, and Laura was familiar with this boat and the communications room. Laura talked her through so she could find the heading on the radar screen. Spencer wonders if there’s anything his grandmother can’t do, and Trina says she just hopes she gave them enough so they can find them. He asks why she took the walkie, and she says, so they can know what the guards do. So now they just have to sit tight and wait to be rescued. He says he hopes they can find them in time, and she asks what he means. He says, while she was gone, he found out a few things himself. He always knew his Uncle Victor was a very powerful man with all kinds of connections, and knew he could be ruthless. But that man is more dangerous than he ever could have imagined. He has this plan that could endanger millions of lives, and if they don’t stop him before they make landfall, it will be too late for all of them.

Trina says, Spencer’s uncle wants to reduce the global population? and he says, yes. His uncle has made this his life’s mission, like some maniacal zealot. He only intends to clear out half the world’s population. The Cassadines are excepted, of course (🍷), so he can convince them to come over to the dark side. He wonders if Esme and his dad found out about this, and his uncle did something with them. Trina tells him, they can’t say that for sure, but they do know his uncle is insane. No one can engineer the future of humanity. He asks if she wants to be the one to tell him that. The captain talks on the radio, and she says, they can’t be allowed to reach wherever they’re headed. This might be her only chance. She knows where the engine room is. He says, she’s taken enough risks already, and she says, but what if their families don’t find them in time to stop Victor? She can buy them some time, so they can catch up to them. He says he knows that she’s smart and brave, but be careful. Promise him that she’s not going to take any unnecessary risks because he doesn’t know what he’ll do. She promises, and says she wants to come back to him. He kisses her, and she says, this is about more than just them now. They have no choice. They have to do something. It’s up to them. She peeks outside, locks the deadbolt, and jets. I have a vision of Victor tied up, saying, those meddling kids!

Esme says, her baby’s been kidnapped, and Austin says he knows. It’s terrifying. He hopes it’s some comfort to her, but he was once close to someone who had a baby kidnapped too. She was told to stay strong and keep it together. He thinks it’s really important that in moments like this they remain hopeful that Ace is going to be fine, and he’ll be back in her arms really soon. She asks if his friend got her baby back, and he says, she did. Elizabeth says, the PCPD is on it, and they’re going to find her baby, but Esme says, Ace’s cholic isn’t being treated. The stuff Austin gave her was in his diaper bag, and the kidnapper just left it. Austin says, if she’s concerned Ace’s cholic is going to turn into a serious health crisis, she doesn’t need to be. It’s not life threatening, and will probably just resolve itself. Elizabeth says, Ace isn’t going to suffer any lasting harm from cholic, but Esme says she hates the idea of him suffering at all. Austin says he knows, but these things have a way of working out. She says, but who’s rocking him to sleep at night? How does she know he’s eating properly if she’s not there to do it? Elizabeth says she heard that Spencer was also kidnapped, so they’re probably together. She knows Spencer will do whatever he can to comfort his baby brother and protect him. Esme asks if Elizabeth is saying she shouldn’t worry because her baby doesn’t need her.

Carly thanks Ava for letting her tuck Avery in, and Ava says, it was the only way they were going to pry the basket out of her hands. Carly says she should have known Avery would want to practice her flower girl duties, and Ava says she’s sure it will be a lovely ceremony. Carly says, aside from the fact that the bride may be dying, and Ava says, no one can predict the future. Her current feelings about love and marriage aside, she thinks this wedding is a great idea; life affirming even. Carly agrees, and says, celebrating with family and friends is the perfect medicine for Willow. She tells Ava that she’ll see herself out, and Ava says she wants to be clear on something. Carly said earlier that the wedding was going to be a family affair. She’s just curious. Does that include Nina and Sonny?

Sonny tells Nina, they’re moving up the wedding because of Willow’s condition, but that’s not the only reason. They’re saying to the world that they love each other, and that love should be celebrated, despite any situation. She says, he’s right, and despite her differences with Michael, she has to admit, his son loves her daughter. He says, more than anything, and she says, they’ll celebrate them getting married even though they can’t be there with them. Michael walks in.

Ambrose opens Spencer’s door, and Victor comes in carrying Ace, and looking like he’s never carried a baby before. Spencer says, Victor brought him. Is he okay? Victor hands Spencer the baby, and says, he’s fussy and restless, and he thought a visit with his brother would do them both some good.

The engine room guard gets called to the deck, and Trina runs inside.

Elizabeth says she wasn’t suggesting Esme’s son doesn’t need her, but Esme says, please, people have been lined up to take Ace away from her since the moment he was born. Austin says, she’s Ace’s mom, and from what he’s observed, she’s a conscientious and loving parent, so give herself a break. Don’t let people get in her head. She says she’s sorry, but he says, she doesn’t need to apologize. They’re all just really hopeful that Ace returns safely. She says, they’ve both been a great comfort, thanks them, and leaves. Elizabeth says, he handled that well, and he says, she did too, so thanks for that. Elizabeth says she didn’t want to get into that with Esme, but she’s lived through that trauma. Everything turned out okay, but when she didn’t know what was happening to her child… it’s indescribable terror. He says he’s glad she came through it okay, and he hopes Esme gets through it okay. She’s been through a lot, and he really feels for her. She tells him that she never thought she’d say this, but so does she.

Laura tells Curtis that she and Doc have a friend who’s a brigadier general, and he may be able to assist the coastguard. Curtis says, and he still has some contacts from his law enforcement and P.I. days. He wants to get a bead on Victor’s support personnel. From the description of the safehouse takeover, they sound like paramilitary. She says, that’s a very good point. He’s got a lot of resources. Esme joins them, and says she’s officially been released… although some may say she doesn’t deserve to be.

Carly says, the guest list is up to Michael and Willow, and Ava says she’s sure they took her feelings into consideration. Carly says, if Nina and Sonny aren’t invited, it’s not because of her, and Ava says she just knows Michael and Willow love Carly, and want her to be comfortable. And that might dictate who they include, and who they choose not to include. Carly says, Michael and Willow have their reasons for who they choose to invite and who they choose to exclude, and Ava says, of course (🍷). She just thinks a health crisis of this magnitude would bring them all together, and not make a bigger divide. Carly asks, what’s it to Ava? Why does she care? Ava says, Nina. Nina’s her friend, and she’s devastated about Willow, the daughter Carly kept from her. So she can’t ask if her friend has been invited to her daughter’s big day? Carly asks why Ava and Nina are friends. What could they possibly have in common? Besides hating her.

Nina says she hears congratulations are in order, and wishes Michael and Willow the best on their big day. Michael barely nods, and Nina excuses herself. Michael asks how Nina… and Sonny says, Brook. Michael says he’ll have to thank her for saving him the trouble, and Sonny says, Brook felt terrible for letting it slip, but he’s glad she did. He’s really happy for Michael and Willow. Give Willow his best wishes. Michael says, or Sonny could do it himself, and Sonny asks what that means. Michael asks if Sonny would like to attend their wedding. He and Willow want this to be a family affair, so that includes Sonny. Sonny says, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for Michael or Willow, and Michael says, Willow wants to keep it simple, so it’s going to be intimate. The guest list is going to be small. Sonny says he’s even more honored to be included, and Michael says he hopes Sonny understands this invitation is for him alone. Sonny says, so Michael wants him to come to his wedding, but doesn’t want Nina to come, and Michael turns to see Nina in the doorway. Technically, I can see both sides. Not everybody gets a plus one, and Sonny isn’t engaged to Nina.

Ava says she doesn’t hate Carly, and Carly says, her friend Nina sure does. And here Ava is, doing her bidding. How is this so-called friendship even possible? The woman immobilized Ava, and forced her to give birth to Avery. Ava says, Nina has definitely benefited from forgiveness and grace, and Carly asks if Ava is telling her that when she looks at Nina, she doesn’t see what Nina did to her. All is forgiven and forgotten? Ava says, to be honest, she tries not to think about it; and when she looks at Nina, she doesn’t see the disturbed woman she used to be. She sees the woman who has gotten help; who has turned her life around, and yeah, she and Nina have become friends, as unlikely as that is. It feels a lot better than harboring bitterness and resentment. Carly thanks Ava for the inspirational talk, and says, next time, she’ll make sure to wear beads and bring a candle. Ava says she’s not trying to get into it with Carly. She just wants Carly to see how much power she has here. She’s on the inside, and that gives her the perfect opportunity to broker peace. Carly says, since when did Ava become an authority on peace? and Ava says she gets a lot of quiet in this old house, but no peace. She’s just trying to spare Carly her regrets. Carly says, what regrets?

Elizabeth thanks Austin for dropping everything to be with Esme, but he says he was happy to help. Amy glances at Austin, and when he looks at her, she turns away. Austin quietly asks if Elizabeth can tell him why Amy is looking at him like that; she’s been doing it all day. Elizabeth asks Amy if there’s something Austin can help her with, and I miss something here, but the gist of it is, Amy tells Austin to watch out for Ava.

Carly asks if there’s anything else Ava needs to say to her; any more insight into her behavior? Ava says, just one more thing. This may be the last chance for Nina and Willow. She knows Carly is capable of rising above; she’s seen Carly do it with her for Avery’s sake. Won’t she do it with Nina for Willow’s? Carly says, it’s not her call. It’s Willow’s choice to make. Whatever boundaries she’s set with Nina, it’s what she’s comfortable with. Ava says, she tried, and walks to the door. Carly says, maybe she’s trying so hard to fix Nina because she can’t fix Trina, and Ava says, what about Trina? Did something happen?

Laura introduces Curtis to Esme, and Esme says she recognizes the name, but… He says, they’ve met before, but he’s sure she doesn’t recall, and she says, something tells her it’s best she doesn’t. It’s nice meeting him again. She tells Laura that she’s going to grab a drink from the cafeteria, and leaves. Curtis says he doesn’t know how Laura does it. He doesn’t know how she has Esme under her roof. Laura says, Esme is the mother of her grandson. He can relate to this. Family is everything, right?

Victor says, cholic? and Spencer says, it’s a condition where perfectly healthy babies will sometimes cry for hours. It seems Ace is a little bit fussy right now. He’s surprised Victor’s nanny didn’t know this. Victor says, that’s why he brought the little tyke to Spencer, and Spencer says he’s happy Victor did. He’s happy to help. Ace can stay here with him. Victor tells him not to press his luck, and Spencer says, Victor may not believe him, but babies, especially infants, need routine and familiarity. Victor says he wouldn’t know anything about that. He hasn’t had any interaction with babies; not with Valentin, or any child. Spencer asks if that’s what this is about. Did losing Valentin finally push him over the edge? Victor says, this has been his plan all along. He did include his treacherous son, but it’s his loss. Spencer says, Victor said is. Is he saying Valentin is still alive? Victor says, the incident in Paris was just a ruse. It worked for a while. He was distracted with grief for a son who was alive and well. Meanwhile, Valentin and his allies were conspiring to keep him from the one thing he needed to complete his mission. Valentin betrayed him, and very nearly condemned this planet. Valentin’s alive, but when all is said and done, he’ll wish he was dead. As will anyone who stands in his way.

Victor says he’ll take the baby back to his nurse. Hopefully, she’ll know how to deal with this cholic. Spencer says, Victor didn’t give up on his father. Why should he give up on his own son? It’s not too late for him to put this plan of his on ice, and reconcile with Valentin. Victor says, nice try. Don’t make him regret allowing this visit. There’s a knock at the door, and Watkins asks to speak with Victor privately. In the hallway, Watkins says, there’s trouble with the engine. The electrical cable that supplies power to the motors is badly damaged. The engineer says, if he can’t fix it, he may have to call for an emergency tow vessel. Victor says to tell the engineer he’d better damn well fix it, or Victor will scuttle this ship with him on board.

Curtis asks if Laura really believes Esme doesn’t remember who she is – or what – and Laura says she hasn’t seen any signs that she does. But she can understand his reservations. What she did to Trina was a pretty serious thing. Honestly, she doesn’t feel like that person anymore. Even Trina argued for her to be released. He says, but what about when her memory returns? and Laura says, even if she does recover her memory, that doesn’t mean she’s going to revert back to who she was. She’s had so many conversations with Doc about this, and he’s made it clear to her that the mind and memory is an incredibly complicated thing. She witnessed that herself with Elizabeth. And what about Drew? He says, Drew. That’s right. She says, what’s right? The human mind is an incredibly complicated thing? He says, exactly. She just gave him an idea on how to find the ship.

Elizabeth says, that’s highly inappropriate, and Amy says she’s sorry, but she saw how chummy Austin was with Ava Jerome at the Nurses Ball. Austin asks if that’s an issue, and Elizabeth asks, what business is it of Amy’s? Amy says she just thinks he needs to know that Ava Jerome is someone to be careful around. She looks around, lowers her voice, and says, rumor is, she and her ex just went through a bitter divorce. Now he’s disappeared.

Ava asks if Carly is sure Victor has Trina, and Carly says, all she knows is, she was at Josslyn’s dorm when Dante wanted to ask Trina some questions. They all realized no one had seen Trina since the Nurses Ball. Josslyn said Trina was worried about Spencer, and they’re all just assuming Trina was with Spencer when Victor took him. Ava says, that son of a bitch. She has to go see Portia. She might have an update, and Ava should offer her support. Would Carly mind staying with Avery? Carly says she’d be happy to, Ava thanks her and runs out the door.

Victor asks, when exactly was the electrical cable damaged? and Watkins says, the engineer was alerted about 15 minutes ago. Everything was fine this morning. Spencer listens in, and Victor says, and Watkins recruited the engine room guard to look for the missing walkie? They hear the baby cry, and Spencer moves away from the door. He tells Ace, it will be okay, and Watkins says, when the guard was searching, the engine room wasn’t left unattended for more than ten minutes. Victor says, that’s plenty of time, and tells Watkins to listen carefully and follow his directions to the letter.

Nina says she forgot her purse, and as she goes to get it, Sonny says, Michael invited him to the wedding. She says, how wonderful, but Sonny says, he can’t do it. She says, no. Weddings are to be celebrated. She’s really glad he can be there to witness it. He says he wishes it was different, and she says, her too. Starting with Aunt Liesl. Nina wishes she was able to go through with the transplant, and Michael says he’s sorry about Liesl. Nina asks, how’s Willow? and he says, she’s weak, but planning the wedding has given her renewed energy. Nina says she’s sure there’s no shortage of people to help her. She’s glad Willow has people to support her. She definitely deserves that. Sonny says, everybody does, and Nina’s voice breaks as she says, just tell Willow that she’s thinking about her. Nina leaves, and Michael says, for a moment there, it sounded like Sonny was about to decline his invitation. Sonny says, that depends. Is this invite from the both of them, or just Willow? Does Michael really want him to be there?

Michael says he wants what’s best for his family, and that means having Sonny there. He also knows this could cause some issues with Nina, so no harm, no foul if Sonny chooses not to attend. Sonny says he also wants what’s best for his family, and Michael tells him, think about it and let him know. Sonny says he already made his decision. He’ll be there.

Amy says, Austin is a good doctor, and a good guy. Maybe he doesn’t know about Ava Jerome… Elizabeth says, that’s enough. Doesn’t she have charts she’s supposed to file? Amy says, no, and Elizabeth says, she does now. Amy jets, and Austin says he guesses it’s true. They say Elizabeth is going to make a great head nurse. She says, that’s not a done deal, but Epiphany wouldn’t allow this gossip mongering and neither will she. She’s really sorry about that. She doesn’t know what got into Amy. She apologizes for her. Austin says, it’s really okay. Amy just must have seen them at the Nurses Ball. She’s just jumping to conclusions. He sees Ava come in, and says, he can say for sure, things are not always what they seem.

Ambrose hears, all hands on deck, over the radio, and heads upstairs. Trina slips into Spencer’s room.

Carly picks up the basket, and flashes back to Ava saying, time is running out. This may be the last chance for Nina and Willow. She knows Carly is capable of rising above; she’s seen Carly do it with her for Avery’s sake. Won’t she do it for Nina with Willow’s? The doorbell rings, and Carly opens the door. It’s Nina.

Laura says she seems to have inspired an ah-ha moment. Does Curtis want to fill her in? He says, the human memory is complicated. It’s something he learned as a cop questioning witnesses. People remember more than they realize. Esme says she’s sorry to interrupt, and gives Laura some coffee. Laura says, that was thoughtful of her, and Esme says, Curtis is Trina Robinson’s stepfather, right? He says, right, and she says, she just had to tell him that Trina’s been very kind to her when from what she’s heard, Trina had every right not to be. She hopes he finds her soon. He thanks her, and says, same to her baby. He tells Laura that he’ll let her know what he learns, and leaves. Laura asks if Esme is ready to go, but Esme says she’s not sure. Laura asks if she’s afraid to go back to the apartment. Does she feel unsafe there? The city has beefed up our security, and Doc has made sure… Esme says, it’s not that. She’s sure Laura will protect her. Laura asks why she doesn’t want to go then, and Esme says, because Ace won’t be there, and Laura hugs her.

Watkins brings Spencer, still carrying Ace, to the main salon or whatever it is, and he asks what he’s doing here. Victor says he thought Spencer would enjoy a break from his close quarters, and tells Watkins to take Ace to the baby nurse. Spencer tells Watkins to be careful with him, and Watkins takes the baby. Victor says he decided to let Spencer eat after all, and Spencer asks, what changed his mind? Victor says, Spencer no longer has reason to pull those diversionary stunts of his. Victor holds all the cards. Spencer says he doesn’t know what Victor is talking about, and Victor says, no? He sees their dinner guest has arrived. Ambrose strongarms Trina into the room.

Tomorrow, Curtis says, Trina’s life depends on Drew remembering; Spencer says, Trina may have saved them; Victor says he knew Obrecht would rise to the challenge (and she looks like she might bite him); and Carly tells Nina that Sonny is finally choosing to put his family in front of her.

Vanderpump Rules

Get out your magnifying glasses and Sherlock Holmes hats.

Brock and Scheana do thank you cards, mostly Scheana. Ally asks if James has talked to Schwartz, and he says he can picture Schwartz and Raquel continuing to date, but she doesn’t see it. Raquel pretends to let Charli take photos for her Hinge profile. Katie visits Schwartz to pick up the dogs, and he tells her that he’s stressed out. They don’t have a kitchen staff, and they’re supposed to open. In Katie’s interview, she says, it’s liberating to know she doesn’t have to deal with this anymore. This mess isn’t her mess. She says, see you, and jets with the pets. Schwartz calls Sandoval during his interview, and says he and Katie usually catch up when they exchange the dogs, but Katie was only there 30 seconds. He did nothing wrong. Sandoval says, Schwartz is a single guy; they broke up. He was on vacation. In Schwartz’s interview, he thinks Katie is blowing this kiss out of proportion more than anything she’s exaggerated in the history of their relationship. He feels like he cheated. He thinks she’s more upset than he would be if the shoe was on the other foot. He says, if Sandoval and Katie got married, he would support that, and Sandoval says, funny he should say that… (🚩) Schwartz says, shut up, dude.

Charli and Raquel sit in the park after their photo session, and Charli says, Katie invited her to brunch, but she was disappointed with the information she was given. We see a clip of Katie telling her about the crowd cheering Raquel and Schwartz’s kiss, and Charli says, that they cheered was distasteful. It also happened to be Katie’s wedding anniversary. Raquel says, they’re not together anymore, and Katie chose to go on the trip when she wasn’t invited. Charli says she wouldn’t do that to her worst enemy, and would have respect for their 12 year relationship. She would have expected better from Raquel than that. (Wow. Just wait.) Not that she wouldn’t be friends with Raquel, but it’s not a cool thing to do. Well, kudos to Charli. I haven’t liked her very much, but that was definitely women supporting women. Raquel says, it’s not like they’re going to be dating, and in her interview, she says, if Schwartz showed interest, she would date him, but she’s not trying to be Debbie Desperado. She tells Charli that she’s going on a date with Oliver; he’s picking a spot. Charli says, that sounds like so much fun.

In Schwartz’s interview, he says he has a newfound sense of optimism and determination, even though he knows they’re not going to open. We flash back to Lisa calling them when they were at the wedding, and he says, it was tough; a jagged, bitter pill to swallow. They were trying to speak August 31st into existence. They were putting in the work, and had momentum, but now it’s not happening. General manager Brett meets with them, and tells them, the booth guy quit. A machine cut pieces for it, and they didn’t fit. The machine broke, and the guy quit. I have no idea what he’s talking about, but it seems like just one more thing to add to their pile. Sandoval asks if Brett tried offering him more money, but Brett says, absolutely f***ing not. They’re spending too much on things like this. Sandoval asks what they  besides kitchen staff, and Brett says, that’s most important. He feels like he was pushed into hiring the kitchen manager, and he’s letting him go. He’d had to perfect some dishes, and didn’t cut it. The dishes fell short; he’s not the right fit. Schwartz tells Sandoval, saying they have to open is pointless, and Sandoval says, they either open or they’re f***ed. If they have to serve potato chips, they’re going to do it. If they don’t, they’ll lose this place. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, they’ve invested a million dollars. He could lose his house and his mom’s retirement. Schwartz and Greg don’t have those stakes. Brett says, he’s worried about a guy who can’t make anything. It’s not his fault. Let the Toms work with them. In his interview, Sandoval says, he loves Brett, but at this point perfectionism is death, but he’ll be happy with a B+. Nobody ever performs at A+ level. Schwartz says he thinks their opening is closer than they think.

Katie goes to Ariana’s house bearing a basket of weird cheeses, since they’re going to make sandwiches. Sandoval tells them, congratulations, and Katie says, they paid the rent deposit, and bought out the previous owner’s setup. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he’s stoked for them, but he’s jealous of the low rent. It’s small, contained, easy, and no partners. He’s envious. Katie says, when she went to Schwartz’s to get the dogs, he was saying how Schwartz & Sandy’s wouldn’t be able to open, and he was stressed. She said, sounds awful; see ya later. They’re not friends. Sandoval asks if this is because of Schwartz making out with Raquel, and she says, it is. Sandoval says he doesn’t think it’s a big deal. They’re two single people who are decent looking (why this has anything to do with it, I don’t know) in Mexico who decided to make out. Katie says, they had multiple conversations about it, and Schwartz said it would never happen. It’s too close to home. Ariana says, it would be different if Raquel wasn’t in the friend group, and Katie calls her a whore. She says, Schwartz has the habit of sticking his tongue where it doesn’t belong, so it shouldn’t surprise her. Sandoval says, they’re not together, so if Schwartz wants to do something stupid… (🚩) Ariana says, he and Katie made a deal, and Katie says, he doesn’t see her hopping on his friends. In Katie’s interview, she said, they agreed and had an understanding. She could try to forgive, but she’s not betraying herself. She says she’s been respectful in her dealings with Schwartz, and Sandoval says, Schwartz has had no other girlfriend, and when his friend Jo stayed with him, she called crying that Katie was leaving her messages. It isn’t crossing line for him to have a female roommate. Katie said he’d never mentioned it, and Ariana says, he was being oddly secretive. In her interview, Katie says, Jo was Kristen Doute’s crazy friend, which says a lot about her. Jo texted her after the divorce, and said she’d always love and respect Katie, then moved in with her ex two seconds later. She’s that kind of bitch. Sandoval says, they need a healthy separation, and Katie says, it was something they decided together. Sandoval says, she decided, and Schwartz agreed. Ariana says, Schwartz wanted to be friends, and Katie says, and if he’s f***ing their friends, she’s not going to be his friend. If someone doesn’t understand that, she hopes it never happens to them.

James tells Lisa about the kiss heard round the world, and wonders, who’s next from the SUR crowd? Lisa says she thinks he’s jealous, but he says, definitely not. In James’s interview, he says he doesn’t care who Raquel makes out with. She made out with sweaty Peter after a six hour shift and move on to Schwartz. He’s over it. The Toms meet Lisa at SUR, and Schwartz says he’s relearning to communicate; he used to have a brain. Lisa asks what they’re snooping around here for, and Raquel comes over to the table as a server. She and Schwartz high-five, and she says they haven’t seen each other since Mexico. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he wouldn’t mind kissing Raquel again, but he doesn’t want another relationship after 12 years . He wants minimal feelings and all fun. Sandoval says he talked to Katie today, and she wasn’t happy. She called Raquel a f***ing whore. In Raquel’s interview, she says, Katie is so rude and bitchy. She’s trying to grow and be a better version of who she was. Lisa asks why Sandoval told her that, and Raquel says, now kissing people makes you a whore. In her interview, Raquel says, it’s a big roadblock for her, trying be liked. She gets all weepy, and says, people either charge or drain her battery, and she doesn’t want have the battery drainers in her life. Raquel wonders why Katie assumes they’re f***ing, and leaves with their orders. Lisa says, she’s probably upset. Nobody wants to hear that. Sandoval calls Raquel back, and she says she doesn’t appreciate being slut shamed; it’s not cool. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he didn’t anticipate Raquel being upset. He thought she’d shrug it off, and she’d want to know what people are saying. He tells Lisa, to him, it’s an eyeroll and a laugh, and Lisa tells him to take responsibility. In his interview, Sandoval says he feels like not many people are in Raquel’s corner. She’s a sweet girl, and there’s not a bad bone in her body. (🚩)

Ally, Kristina, and Katie visit Lala, who says, her upcoming birthday is a special birthday. It’s a completely new chapter for her. In Lala’s interview, she says, she’d rather live in this apartment for the rest of her life, feeling safe and surrounded by people she loves, than the house in Bel Air, which more like a torture chamber. She tells the girls that she’s invited everybody except Raquel, Schwartz, and Charli. Katie says she’s bringing a guy. In Katie’s interview, she says, Satchel is a sweet guy she met when she was out with Kristina. She tells the others that he was named after Satchel Page, and in her interview, she says, she just thought this could be fun. She didn’t anticipate staying. She came for the D, and stayed for the conversation. Katie says, no one’s met him, and Kristina says Katie has been living her life being too sensitive about others with her actions. Lala tells her to do what she wants. It is what it is.

It’s Villa Rosa time. Ponies! Swans! Puffy! It’s a sad time though, as pony Rosé has died. The Toms visit, and Lisa tells them that she’s very upset. Rosé was only six. They got her as a baby, and she never had a day’s illness in her life. In Lisa’s interview, she says, suddenly, Rosé was lying down, and in pain. Ken put her in the truck, and took her to the vet, but she died before they got there. The Toms give her flowers, and they toast to Rosé. Lisa says she feels emotionally depleted, but they need to talk. She assumes they’re not opening, and it’s giving her anxiety. Sandoval tells her that Brett and Greg fired the chef, so now they’ve lost all their kitchen staff. They’re tired of being nickel and dimed, and want to just f***ing open. Schwartz says, Sandoval huffs and puffs, but it doesn’t matter how loud he is if it isn’t backed up with action and effort. Lisa says, that’s a big accusation, and Schwartz says, when they were supposed to submit a menu, he was at band practice, and was late for the meeting because he was getting his nails done. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, band practice had been scheduled weeks in advance, and he’s not walking around with grubby-ass nails. (He has priorities, people!) Lisa says, it’s giving her terrible anxiety, and Sandoval says, one person is pulling the brakes. Schwartz says, they’re not ready, and Sandoval says, they’ll never be ready.

Sandoval tells Ariana that he’s starting his cleanse, and they talk about him making his deposit. In Ariana’s interview, she says, two years ago she froze her eggs, and has 26 that are viable. Good job, ovaries. She reads from a list, and says, don’t drink or smoke for five days, and in her interview, she says, her stance on all this being pregnant hasn’t changed, but she doesn’t like the idea of a biological clock running things. She tells Sandoval, manage stress, and he says he’s at peak anxiety. They were supposed to open on the 31st. She tells him that he can only do what he’s in control of, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says, last year, Ariana asked him to fertilize her eggs, and he was excited. We flash back to the Reunion when they’d discussed it, but he wonders why he wants to fertilize eggs when they might or might not have kids, if Ariana decides. He’s not thrilled about not drinking, and Ariana says, he needs to work on more healthy coping mechanisms. Not taking a shot isn’t hard. Sandoval says, it’s tough to talk to her, since she never agrees with him, and she says she agrees plenty, but he says, this summer especially. He says, if he explains a situation or point-of-view, he feels like she’s quick to take the other side. He doesn’t want anyone to have his back unconditionally, but he feels like she questions his intelligence. Ariana says she wouldn’t be with an idiot, and if she thought he was an idiot, she’d be nice to him all the time, poor thing. Tom says he feels like he annoys her, and Ariana says, he does it on purpose. They’ve been together a long time. She can only imagine how annoying she is.

Garcelle and Oliver meet Lisa at PUMP, and Lisa says, she gets worried when someone asks her to give their son a job, but in this case, she lucked out. They order drinks, and Garcelle says, Lisa’s rosé beats everyone else’s. In Lisa’s interview, she says, her rosé is much better than any rose your friends might try to create. This makes me want to try it, even though I’m not a fan of rosé se all day. Lisa says, the last time she saw Oliver, he was hanging around the girls, and Garcelle says she saw the photo and wondered if she should be worried. Oliver says, it was an eventful night, and Garcelle wonders if she should be here. Lisa says, Oliver had a snog, and Garcelle says, it sounds dirty, but Lisa says, it’s a kiss; a make-out. Oliver says, it was nothing serious, and Lisa says, the girls were all like, take me, take me. Oliver says, Raquel was super sweet, and they had a great time. They’re having a little rendezvous tonight. Lisa asks if he split up with his wife, and Oliver says, they’ve been separated for months now. They’re working on co-parenting in a healthy way. She’s a great mom, and her kids are fantastic. They’ll always be family. Garcelle says she thinks her ex-husband Michael modeled what a stepdad does.

James tells Ally that he’s been invited to a lot of Lala’s birthday parties, and disinvited to a lot of Lala’s birthday parties. Ally says, she’s scared she started something, and in her interview, she says she mentioned to the girls that she’d seen Sandoval and Raquel dancing at The Abbey after See You Next Tuesday at 1 am. (🚩) Personally, she wouldn’t be comfortable if her boyfriend was out with someone else at 1 am. James says he noticed Raquel was hanging out more with both Toms (🚩), but he wouldn’t put too much into it. Kristina brings Lala flowers, and in her interview, Lala says, it’s her motherf***ing birthday. She’s having the best day. It’s the first birthday she’s celebrate single in a very long time. She’s feeling like she also wants to end the night with birthday sex. Whoever is ready and willing, come to her bed. Kristina says she has so much to tell Lala. Oliver’s wife saw a picture he’d posted of him and the girls in Vegas, and he’d said he and Raquel made out and he was coming out for a date. Raquel knows none of this. Meanwhile, Raquel visits Scheana and Brock, and says, apparently, Oliver isn’t separated from his wife. His wife posted that he was cheating on her with multiple women, specifically Raquel. Scheana says, no way he’s not separated, and Raquel says, the way he was making out with her in Vegas, they definitely seemed separated. Huh. Maybe she is a dummy. She says she’s going to confront him about it, and Scheana suggests Raquel talk to his ex. Raquel agrees to do it, and say she’s terrified, and Brock says he doesn’t want be here. Raquel tells maybe ex, Samantha, that she’s so sorry. She read Samantha’s posts, and had no idea Oliver was still committed to her. In Raquel’s interview, she says, he made it seem like they were at least going through a divorce, and she tells Samantha that it was f***ed up of him to do this, and now he put her in this position. In her interview, Raquel says she’s pissed off. He was talking to Samantha like he’d made promises to work on their marriage, and they’re living in the same apartment. It seems manipulative and selfish. I laugh, and Raquel says she hates being in this position. Raquel tells Brock and Scheana that Oliver went home and slept with his wife after making out with her. Scheana says, now Raquel will be labeled the other woman, and it never goes away. <snort> Lala tells Kristina, it’s what’s called a mistress.

They meet at I don’t know what restaurant because I had a problem with my computer for a moment. Katie has brought her new squeeze, and in her interview, she says, it’s hanging out with Satchel, who’s sweet and shows her affection. It’s a nice change. We flash back to her misery with Schwartz, and she says she won’t be complaining about how his d*ck doesn’t work either. In Scheana’s interview, she says, it’s weird seeing Katie with this mactor shaggy dog motherf***er who looks like he just got groomed at Vanderpump Dogs. James asks if Schwartz is coming, and we see Schwartz wishing for a cup holder while soaking in the tub. They discuss the latest headlines about Oliver cheating with Raquel, among others, and Lala says she thinks they’re on a date tonight..

Oliver and Raquel meet at a restaurant, and Oliver says he’s sure Raquel knows there’s a lot of stuff going on in his life. His son’s mom put him on blast, and it’s been a rough day. Raquel says she felt she owed it to him to hear his side of the story. She had a conversation with Samantha, who said he cheated with multiple women, and she’s one of them. It was shocking the way he made it seem like they were separated completely. He says, they have been. He’s had his own place for 8 months. Sometimes he still sees her. Things happen, and sometimes people feel lonely. This is new, and he also wants to be around his son. He’s not excusing it, just putting it on the table. They’re getting divorced. Raquel asks where he stayed the night they kissed, and he says, at his own house, by himself. Raquel says, Samantha told her that they had sex, but he says, they didn’t that night, but maybe a few days later. She asks if he doesn’t think that’s confusing, and he says he’s sorry. This is messy and he brought her into it. That wasn’t his intention, and he feels horrible. She says she appreciates the apology, but it doesn’t make up for the bashing she’s getting on social media. People are saying she’s seeing a married guy, and it wasn’t presented to her that way. It’s unfair. He says he understands if she’s mad, and she says she is. He says he doesn’t blame her. It’s super messy, and wasn’t the foot he wanted to start out on. In Raquel’s interview, she says she’s furious. This made her look a certain way that’s not representative of her. It make her think he wants his wife to feel that. She tells him that they would have had a great time if he was divorced, and leaves. I’d cheer if it wasn’t Raquel, who is possibly the biggest hypocrite ever in this moment.  

Raquel calls Scheana, and says she needs to talk to Lala. Scheana asks if she isn’t on a date, and not knowing who Scheana is talking to, Lala says she wouldn’t be so quick to throw daggers. She bets Raquel’s mom is proud. Kristina says, it’s Raquel they’re talking about. Why would they expect her to make a wise choice? Raquel sends Lala a text, asking to meet her outside. Scheana goes out to see Raquel, who tells her that Oliver didn’t even stand when she left the table. They go back in, and Raquel approaches the table. Lala says, what’s up, mistress? and in Lala’s interview, she says, she’s not surprised. Of course Raquel would show up on her birthday. Raquel says she’d love to chat if Lala would hear her out. They go outside, and Sandoval says, it looks like Katie is getting joy from this. In his interview, he says, she’s proactively vindictive. It’s like she’s savoring the best piece of wagyu steak.

Outside, Raquel tells Lala, happy birthday, and Lala says, Raquel gave her the best gift already. Raquel says she wants to apologize for calling Lala a mistress. Her world turned upside down today. She had no idea Oliver was still with his wife. Lala says, Raquel should have asked how long it had been. She asked Randall, but he lied. Raquel says, that’s why she’s apologizing. She didn’t realize how easily a man could mislead a woman, saying it one way, and it’s the opposite. Yep. She is both dumb and dumber. Lala says, now Raquel knows how it feels. And he’ll get away squeaky clean while the woman takes the brunt. She suggest this be a learning experience for both of them. Lala doesn’t want beef with Raquel, and Raquel says, neither does she. Lala says she’s been called a homewrecking whore and a mistress, and they rise above because they know the truth. Raquel says, they were misled, but know their worth now. In her interview, Raquel says, she’s single for the first time in her adult life. She’s allowed time to reflect on who she is as a person. In the past, she’s limited herself, basing her worth on how other people valued her. Now she’s ready to break that. Lala says, Raquel’s not a mistress, and don’t let anyone say she is. I’m sure Lala is banging her head against the wall if she’s watching this. They hug, and Raquel says she’s really sorry. Lala says she forgives and forgets, and they go their separate ways. Inside, Ally is talking about seeing Raquel and Sandoval dancing at The Abbey.

Next time, James says, it sounds like Katie is saying Ariana and Sandoval are in an open relationship; Sandoval says, Ariana is always at him; James tells Schwartz to take a look at his own life, and throws a drink on him.

📺 On Watch What Happens Live, the Watch What Happens 5 segment was the top 5 cringeworthy Scandoval moments in tonight’s episode. They were adequate, but I think they missed some better ones.  

🍹 It happened. They were showing a rerun of Southern Hospitality, and I got confused for a moment, thinking I was watching Vanderpump Rules. My allegiance will always lie with VPR though, because, LVP.

👟  Taking Off My Blue Suede Shoes…

Swing back tomorrow for more soap and a dip in the teapot. Until then, stay safe, stay learning from your mistakes, and stay celebrating love, despite any situation.

Mar28

March 27, 2023 – Victor’s Plans Are Thwarted, Danielle Encourages Lindsay To Be Her Old Worse Awful Self, Our Boat Daddy & Parts

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer says he’s here to pick up Trina, and Trina says she’s heading out, but Marshall asks, what’s the rush? He invites Spencer in, and says he thinks they’re overdue for a chat.

Esme picks Ace up, and says, this is it. Grandmother Mayor be on the up and up, but she’s not willing to wait around and find out. She puts the money Laura gave her into her knapsack, picks it up, and opens the door, but Cameron is there, his hand raised to knock. He says, going somewhere?

A sign hangs in Charlie’s that says, Good Luck, Cameron, and Elizabeth writes out a card at one of the tables. Laura comes in, and asks how Elizabeth is holding up. Elizabeth says, letting go is hard, and Laura hugs her.

Anna tells Valentin that she thinks they should have heard from Eileen. She must have delivered the necklace by now. Valentin says, maybe she’s struck in traffic. Just give it time. They don’t have to assume the worst… yet. Eileen will convince him the necklace is real, and he’ll see the false code they engraved. Once he’s done that, he’ll make his move.

Victor looks at the necklace with a jeweler’s loupe, and Eileen asks what he’s looking for. He says, something’s missing, and she asks, what? He says, the key, turns the necklace, and says, that’s more like it. She says, he has what he needs, so are they done here? He says, to the contrary. They’re just getting started.

Anna tells Valentin that she’s convinced these codes are coordinates, but they’re not going to know until Victor takes the bait, and there’s no guarantee he’s going to fall for these fake codes. He could easily figure out someone’s trying to set him up. She has to say, she’s not in love with Eileen being their asset. Valentin says, there’s still the element of surprise. As far as Victor knows, they’re dead, and Drew Cain is completely above suspicion. He’s out of the loop. She says, it does give them the advantage, but they have to be ready for any kind of complication, and he says, one of them is taking an epic bubble bath as they speak. They just have to stay vigilant; they may have to improvise.

Eileen says she’s due back at city hall – good luck – but Victor says, city hall can wait. He’s spent years of blood, sweat, and tears to get to this moment. Surely she wants to witness it. She says she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious to know exactly what this is all about, and don’t call her Shirley, and he says, of course (🍷) she is, and she deserves some answers. He writes down the codes, puts the necklace back in the box, and hands it to her, saying, all hers. Call it a thank you gift. She says, this is worth millions. Doesn’t he want it? He says, fencing stolen jewelry really isn’t his style, and she says, but she’s a public official. She really doesn’t know what to do with that. He says, return it to the PCPD secure lock-up for all he cares, and she says, if he doesn’t want the necklace, what is he doing? He says, just saving the world.

Trina says, they have to go to Cam’s party early, so they can help set-up, but Marshall says, this won’t take long. Besides, didn’t she tell him that she had to get some photos ready for the party? He’s already had lunch. He promises he won’t bite. Trina tells Spencer that she won’t  be long, and goes upstairs. Marshall asks if Spencer wants to sit, and Spencer says, he knows Marshall and Trina’s family and most of Trina’s friends don’t approve of their friendship. Marshall says, except Spencer and Trina are more than just friends, aren’t they? Which changes everything.

Laura asks how the boys are dealing with their brother moving across the country, and Elizabeth says, they’re trying not to make a big deal out of it, but she can tell they’re sorry to see him go. Laura says, they’re not the only ones. She can’t imagine walking into Kelly’s and not seeing him there. Elizabeth says, it’s all she can do not to fall apart when she thinks of putting him on a plane to California. She knows it’s an incredible opportunity and a full scholarship. He’ll be playing division one soccer, and she wants him to live a full and happy life, but she wishes he was closer. Is that selfish? Laura says, no, it’s understandable. He’s her baby. Elizabeth says she wants him here where she can keep an eye on him, and Laura says she knows the feeling. They need to talk about Nikolas.

Esme says she doesn’t have to answer to Cameron. What she does is none of his business. He says he thinks it is; this is his grandmother’s house. She says, he’s Cameron Webber? Another one of Laura’s grandsons, and another one of her victims. Allegedly. He asks if that’s what her lawyers told her to say; allegedly. Actually. She actually ruined his life. She actually recorded him and his girlfriend having sex, and sent it to the whole university. She actually humiliated them, and turned what should have been a beautiful moment in their relationship into something awful. Now she doesn’t remember the hell she put him and his friends through because she lost her memory… allegedly. She tells him, come on in, and tell her more about the horrible person she was. He follows her back in, and she says she really doesn’t remember doing that, but he seems pretty adamant, so if she did, she’s really sorry. She hopes he and his girlfriend are all right. He says he doesn’t need her fake apologies; they mean nothing to him. She says, obviously, he’s angry, and she gets why he loves seeing her here, just out of prison and at the mercy of people she doesn’t trust. Karma’s a bitch, right?

Maxie sees Josslyn outside Kelly’s, and says she’s so happy she ran into her. Josslyn says, let her guess. Maxie wants to talk to her about the Nurses Ball. Maxie asks if she’s ever told Josslyn how smart she is, but Josslyn says, there’s no need to butter her up. Her grandmother told her that Maxie is trying to get everything together for the hospital’s 60th. Anything Maxie needs, she’s in. Maxie says, great, so she’ll perform, and Josslyn says, except that. She can do phone calls and decorations… Maxie says, anybody can do that stuff. She needs talent. Josslyn’s performance in 2020 was a huge hit. (So huge, I don’t remember it.) She can practically hear Lucy screaming, I need Josslyn Jax! Josslyn says, performing is really Cam’s thing, and it would feel really weird to do it without him, and Maxie says, it’s really unfortunate Cameron is leaving before the Ball, but she could perform with Trina, right? Josslyn says, that would depend on Trina, and Maxie says, think positive. And all the performers get a plus-one. Josslyn sees Dex come into the courtyard.

Eileen says she doesn’t understand. Victor said this was the necklace that would lead him to the place he’s been searching for. Victor says, the necklace is merely the conduit to the key. The code that’s engraved on the diamond is the key that unlocks the door. She says, to saving the world? and Victor says, many years ago, he and his brothers, Stavros and Mikkos, had the means of putting the world back to right. He thought at the time they were all motivated by the same idea; mitigating the harm humanity’s done to the world. What he came to understand was, Mikkos was largely motivated by power and money. He tried to make Mikkos see sense, but by then Luke Spencer showed up with Laura and ruined everything. Now they’re running out of time. He sits down and opens his laptop, and she asks how he intends to pull them from the brink; with that code? He says, they were aware their plan may well be thwarted, so they came up with a contingency. Mikkos had the code engraved on the back of the diamond, which he now has. All that remains is for him to crack the code. Eileen flashes back to Valentin saying, this isn’t over until they crack the code and find out what it’s for, and Anna saying, until they know what Victor is after, none of them are free. Eileen asks Victor how he plans to do that.

Josslyn and Dex say hello, and Maxie asks, who’s Josslyn’s friend? Dex introduces himself, and says he works for Sonny. Maxie introduces herself, and says she was just talking to Josslyn about the Nurses Ball. His boss is one of their biggest supporters. He says, Mr. Corinthos is quite charitable, and Maxie says she’s chairing the event this year, and is actually still looking to beef up one of their more popular acts. Does he dance? He says, not in public, but Maxie says, don’t sell himself short. She’s sure he has the pecs… pipes… chops. She asks Josslyn to tell him how fun it is, and Dex asks if Josslyn sings. Maxie says, she brings the house down every year; she’s excellent. He says, so she’s performing, and Josslyn tells Maxie that she didn’t say that. Josslyn says, don’t let them keep her, and Maxie says, okay, but she’s not done with either one of them. She’s going to get some caffeine. Don’t go anywhere. She goes inside, and Josslyn says, Dex enjoyed that a little too much. He says he didn’t know she sang, and she says, there’s a lot he doesn’t know about her. There’s a lot she doesn’t know about him. I’d say so, since they’ve known each other only all of five minutes.

Cameron thought Esme was staying at Kelly’s, but she says, that would require Ace staying here with Spencer and Laura, and she won’t be separated from her son. He’s all that she has. He asks why she was leaving then, and she says, they were just taking a walk. He says, it’s kind of cold out for a baby, but she says, babies need fresh air. He says, the old Esme was better at lying than she is, and she says, okay, he caught her. But he’s not going to rat her out to his grandmother, is he? By the way, she’s not here. Maybe they were testing her with this. She obviously failed. He says he didn’t come to see his grandmother; he came to see Spencer. She says, great. Now Spencer has more ammunition to take Ace away from her. Cameron asks if she can blame Spencer for wanting to protect his baby brother, and she says, he doesn’t need to protect Ace from her. Why doesn’t Spencer believe her? So Cameron’s not going to believe her either. She’s sure he loves seeing her taking care of her baby instead of in prison, but he says he’s actually not that mad about it. Especially since he’s part of the reason she’s free.

Spencer says he knows what Marshall is thinking, and Marshall says, enlighten him. Spencer says, when Marshall sees him, all he sees is the guy who hurt Trina, more than once, and Marshall says, no need to rehash it. Spencer says, but he does, every day. He lives with the regret of hurting Trina and hates himself for it, but he does care about her. He understands Marshall is reluctant, and doesn’t blame Marshall for wanting to keep him away from her. Marshall’s thinking Spencer doesn’t deserve her, but he’s honest with himself about what he did, and the kind of person he was, and he’s trying to be a better man. He knows Marshall has no reason to believe him… Marshall says, that’s where he’s wrong. Stop beating himself up before he knocks himself out. He knows Spencer is trying. He’s been steady support for Trina, with her mother and Curtis, and before them, with Rory. Now Trina tells him that Spencer is stepping up to fight for his baby brother. Despite what Spencer may think, he can appreciate Spencer for that.

Laura says she doesn’t blame Elizabeth. She just wishes Elizabeth had trusted her enough to tell her what was going on with Nikolas. When they made her aware of Elizabeth’s immunity deal, she realized Elizabeth had gotten involved with this right after she came back from seeing her parents. Elizabeth was in a very vulnerable state, and Nikolas shouldn’t have put her in that position. Elizabeth thanks Laura for her understanding, but says she owns what she did. She shouldn’t have gone along with his plan, especially once they realized Esme wasn’t The Hook killer, but by then, they were in so deep… Laura asks why Elizabeth didn’t come to her. Elizabeth can trust her; she knows that. Elizabeth says she does, but she didn’t want to bring anyone else in and make them an accomplice. Laura’s not only the boys’ grandmother, she’s the mayor. She didn’t want to bring Laura into this mess. And more than that, she values Laura’s opinion of her. She was ashamed of what she’d done, and didn’t tell Laura because she didn’t want Laura ashamed of her too. Laura says she’s not ashamed of Elizabeth. She’s proud of Elizabeth’s courage. Elizabeth stepped forward to take care of this thing, when Nikolas left her holding the bag. Elizabeth says, Laura’s still his mom and she knows Laura really loves him. It must be hard not knowing where he is. Laura says, it is, but she honestly doesn’t know what to do with Nikolas anymore; he keeps falling back into the same trap. He makes a rash decision, then he tries to cover it up, and then he runs away. If he felt able to confide in her, he’d be here right now. He’d be with his two sons instead of who knows where; possibly indebted to Victor. She’s sorry. She shouldn’t be doing this right now. Nikolas made the choices he made, and now they’re left to deal with the consequences. Elizabeth says, or in her case, almost no consequences.

Spencer tells Marshall, that was the last thing he expected to hear, but Marshall says, don’t get used to it. But seeing him stepping up for his baby brother, Marshall can’t be anything but appreciative. Spencer thanks him, and says, it means more than he knows. Marshall says, Spencer’s baby brother is one thing; Trina is a whole ‘nother thing. He’s not going to say he doesn’t have concerns about Spencer being with Trina, especially after all this mess with Esme. Spencer says he understands, but hopes he can get Marshall to believe he wants what’s best for Trina. He’s trying to be a better man for both her and his brother. Marshall says he’s glad Spencer wants to be better for the people he cares about, but in his experience, you have to want it for yourself. Looking for validation on the outside will only lead you back to your old patterns. Or worse still, down the wrong path altogether. Trina is willing to go to great lengths for Spencer. Marshall had better see her faith in Spencer rewarded.

Cameron says, he and his friends didn’t want the DA to prosecute Esme. It was Trina who pushed for it. So she contacted her attorney Diane Miller to intervene. She then spoke to the DA to ask him to drop all the charges. Esme asks why she’d do that? Don’t they all hate her? He says, if she were going to trial now without her memories, the jury might find her not guilty. Then if she got them back, they wouldn’t be able to try her again. She says, so this isn’t about grace. It’s about keeping her in check so she can still be convicted. He says, it’s also about keeping Ace out of prison, and she says, right. Spencer’s baby brother. He and Cameron are cousins and friends. She guesses Cameron would do anything for him, and Cameron says, pretty much. Spencer needs this for his baby brother, and he’s willing to wait to see her brought to justice. Sorry if it sounds insensitive. She says, it definitely does, but she thinks it just might be the first honest thing anyone’s said to her since she got back.

Anna and Valentin cuddle on the couch, and Anna says she can’t stand not knowing what’s going on with Eileen. Why couldn’t she just wear the bloody wire? He says, there’s nothing they can do about it now. Will she humor him? She says, yeah, and he says, it occurs to him that if everything goes according to plan, they’ll be heading home, resuming their normal lives. What is the first thing she’s going to do? She says she’s going to the airport and she’s going to book herself a ticket to the bay area so she can see Robin, Emma, and Noah, and she’s going to give them the biggest hug they’ve ever had in their lives. What about him? He says he’ll probably take a road trip with Charlotte, check a couple boxes off the bucket list while reconnecting with his teenage daughter; then dive head first into ELQ, and build some serious generational wealth. She says, it’s interesting. It seems like after all these months together, once they go home, they’re not going to be spending so much time in each other’s lives.

Victor tells Eileen, the trick was to track down the encryption key, but he finally – he digs in his pocket and brings out a flashdrive – managed it. All he needed then was the Ice Princess itself. But by the time he acquired that, Luke Spencer had already sold off several pieces. It took another several years to find the right piece, but now, finally, he has everything he needs to complete what he set out to do. (Does he even what that is?) She says, saving the world, and he says, and securing a place for his family and their progeny. But saving the world comes at a cost. She asks what he means, and he says he can insure the future of his family, but countless other souls will have to pay the price… possibly for generations to come.

Josslyn says she didn’t expect to see Dex back at Kelly’s so soon, and he says he was hoping she was still around. She asks, what happened to keeping their distance? and he says, it’s harder than it sounds. He just wanted to see how she was holding up. Cameron was a little intense earlier. She asks what he said, and Dex says, just that he cares about her and doesn’t want to see her hurt. She asks what Dex said, and he tells her that he said he cares about her too, when Maxie comes back out.

😐 Sorry, there’s a gap here. Circumstances beyond my control. Cameron starts to tell Esme about someone who was even worse than she was, but was redeemed.

Cameron says, after a while, they thought he wouldn’t be able to come back from any of it, but he stuck around and made a life for himself. Not only did he find acceptance, he found love, and a family too. She says, he’s not talking about himself, is he? but he says, no. He’s talking about his stepfather… and her brother.

Trina comes downstairs, and tells Spencer that she even has the photos on a flashdrive. He thanks Marshall, and says, it was illuminating. Marshall tells them to have fun tonight, and be careful. He leaves, and Trina says, be honest. Did Marshall put Spencer’s feet to the fire? He says, they’re a little smoky, but he’s good, and Trina says she’ll talk to him. Spencer says, not necessary. Marshall was honest and wise, and gave him a lot to think about; a whole new perspective. She says, on what? and he says, us.

Eileen asks what kind of cost Victor is talking about, but he tells her not to worry. He won’t forget her contribution. She’ll be taken care of. He puts the flashdrive in, and says, now all he has to do is enter the code engraved on the back of the Ice Princess into the program, and the program will decrypt that code and turn it into a set of coordinates. The laptop beeps, and he says, wait a minute. That can’t be right. She asks, what’s going on? and he says, she betrayed him.

Elizabeth tells Laura not to misunderstand. She’s incredibly grateful the DA gave her immunity. She needs her job. She has three boys to provide for, two of which still need her on a daily basis. It would have been incredibly irresponsible of her to jeopardize their well-being. Laura says, Elizabeth doesn’t have to convince her, but it sounds like she’s trying to convince herself. Does she think she’s feeling guilty because she didn’t pay a high enough price? Elizabeth says, maybe. In hindsight, she doesn’t know how she didn’t see what a colossal mistake she was making. In the beginning, she thought she was doing the right thing. Then it started to spiral and got away from her. People got hurt, and Liesl lost Britt, and she knows she’s going to encounter more people who think she deserves to be behind bars. Laura says, Elizabeth can’t concern herself with that or them, and Elizabeth says she’s already hurt so many people she cares about. Laura and Cameron, even Epiphany. Elizabeth hasn’t heard a peep from her. She knows Epiphany is busy visiting Johns Hopkins,  but she can’t help feeling there’s a deeper reason for Epiphany’s silence. Laura hugs her and says, Elizabeth made a mistake. Everybody makes them. What’s important is how they move forward. Elizabeth didn’t disappoint her. She didn’t disappoint Cameron. And Laura would bet money she didn’t disappoint Epiphany. The people who love her still love her.

Spencer says he’s not sure, but Trina says she is. He deserves to be happy. He says, she makes him very happy, and the only thing he knows for sure is that he wants her in his life. He moves closer, and she says, that’s a relief. She has no plans of going anywhere. They kiss, and Marshall comes in, clearing his throat. He tells them, the party isn’t going to decorate itself, and Spencer says, he’s right. They should get going. He goes to the door, but Trina hangs back, and tells Marshall, whatever he told Spencer, thank you. He says he always has her back, and kisses her forehead. She leaves, and Spencer tells Marshall, adieu. Marshall says, adieu to you too, Cassadine.

Josslyn goes into Kelly’s, and sees Elizabeth. She says she’s sorry. She thought Trina would be here already. Elizabeth says, it’s nice to see her, and Josslyn says, it’s nice to see Elizabeth too. She brought Cam’s favorite pretzels. Elizabeth says, that’s nice of her (everything’s nice!), and Josslyn says, she’s really sorry she hurt Cam. She doesn’t blame Elizabeth if she’s relieved that Cameron is getting far away from her.

Cameron says, Franco was Heather’s son, which makes him Esme’s half-brother. He died. She says, great. So the one family member who would understand how she feels is gone. He says, maybe Franco can still help her. Franco worked very hard to prove his haters wrong. he rebuilt his life here in Port Charles. He knew Franco very well, and would be happy to tell her about him before he goes. She says, he’s going somewhere? and he says he got into Stanford. Ace starts fussing, and she says she was just starting to like him. She gets up to tend to the baby, and he says, there’s plenty of other people to like. She says she hasn’t met them yet, but she’s pretty sure there’s nothing for her in Port Charles. He says, she has her son, and a very generous support system, but she says, Spencer is just trying to take her baby from her, and everyone in this town is Team Spencer. Except for her mother, who’s in an insane asylum. He says, if she skips town now, she really has no one. How is she supposed to prove to everyone she’s a changed person if she leaves town the first chance she gets? She says, he has some valid points, when his phone beeps. He says he has somewhere to go. Is she going to be okay? She says, he’s been honest with her so far. He doesn’t have to act like he cares. They’ll be fine; she promises. He can go.

Eileen says she doesn’t understand, and Victor says, this program should have revealed a set of coordinates, but there’s no way these figures are right, which can only mean the encryption key or the diamond itself have been tampered with. Where exactly did she find this necklace? She says, the secure evidence locker. She bribed a police officer to let her in. He says, she told him that she thought Robert and Laura might be on to her. Is it possible they knew she was about to retrieve the necklace? She says she doesn’t think so. She went in immediately after the officer gave her access. There wasn’t time to inform Laura or Robert, or do anything with the necklace. He tells her not to lie to him, but she says she would never. What about the key? Is he sure his brother didn’t do something with the decryption key? He says he supposes it’s possible Mikkos betrayed him, and if this is the first time he’s thought about that, maybe he’s not the dude for this job. He says, perhaps the code was never meant to reveal anything to anyone but Mikkos. Selfish bastard. Taking his secret to the grave. He throws the flashdrive down, and says, dammit. Eileen eyeballs the flashdrive.

Valentin says he doesn’t like the idea of not seeing Anna every night. So once they settle in with their children, he’d like to know what’s next for them. She asks what he thinks that looks like, and he says, after spending multiple days not getting out of that amazing bed of hers? She says, it’s not very practical, and he says, practicality’s overrated. Is there something she’s not saying? She says, ever since they decided to make a go of it and get together, Victor’s been in their way. She thinks if they’re successful in putting him away, the future will look quite different. He says, yeah. If Victor’s no longer an issue, it will be much better. She tells him, that’s easy to say now, but what if, in a few months’ time, he’ll be itching for excitement or an adventure? He says he’s not a danger freak. Look who’s talking. Any time they’re together, whether they’re cheating death or chasing whoever, or at the market, looking for the perfect papaya… She says she’s not a fan of papaya (me neither), but he says, his point is this. She’s his greatest adventure. She’s the only one he needs.  

Anna decides to call Eileen. Victor paces, and says, after all these years, he’s come too far… No, no, no. He won’t be denied again. Eileen’s phone rings, and she tells Victor, the DA’s office. She says she’s in the middle of a meeting, and already told them she needs more time before getting back to the office. Anna says, time’s up. She’s out now. Keeping one eye on the flashdrive, Eileen says she’s sorry; she can’t. Valentin asks, what’s going on? and Anna says, she’s about to blow up the whole operation.

Elizabeth says she knows Cameron is hurting; Josslyn meant a lot to him. But they can mean a lot to each other as friends, and she’s pulling for that. Josslyn says, her too, and she knows how badly he wants this. She’s happy for him, but it’s hard with him leaving. There’s already this weird distance between them. Elizabeth says she has faith the two of them will see their way through it and remain friends, and Josslyn thanks her.

Dex comes back to the courtyard and says, Maxie’s still here, and she asks if he’s ready to commit to performing at the Nurses Ball. Everybody has a talent, hidden or otherwise, and she thinks she knows where to place his. He says he doesn’t know, and she tells him, think about it. He could be front and center at the most amazing even in Port Charles. As she walks out, she says, he could meet someone. He could get married. Anything could happen at the Nurses Ball. Dex smiles.

Spencer and Trina walk into Charlie’s, and Trina says, everything looks great in here. She tells Elizabeth that she brought some photos, and Elizabeth says she’ll show Trina where to put them. Laura says, Spencer made it, and he asks if Doc minds pitching in with the baby, but she says, Doc got called away. Esme is taking care of Ace. He says, she left his baby brother alone with Esme, and Laura says, Esme is perfectly capable of taking care of her own baby. She’s a guest in their house; she’s not a prisoner. Cameron walks in, followed by Esme carrying Ace.

Tomorrow, Maxie says someone has to trust her to do what’s right; Cameron has a better idea; Victor says, Eileen will leave when he says she leaves; and Anna tells someone that they have to go in there and get her out.

🏖  So when is this thing over already? On tonight’s Too Old For This Summer House, we started with the housemates leaving, but sadly, they’ll be back in no time. Meanwhile, we saw what their week was like. Paige told Craig that she hated his newly redone bathroom, and showed him the sink and wallpaper she wanted. He wanted her more involved, but also wanted her to visit more. He wondered about the next step, but she said, right now she was content where the relationship was. He asked what it looked like down the road, and in Paige’s interview, she said she loved her friends, her career, and living in NYC. Why change that just because it was their one-year anniversary or her 30th  birthday? She wasn’t ready, and didn’t want to grow up. Paige said they were together every day; they weren’t even doing long distance. Craig asked for at least more space for his stuff, and she said she could clean out a closet, but it was for her spring coats. I have nothing to say here, since I have a lot of clothes and turned a bedroom into a closet.

Lindsay met Amanda for drinks, and said, the conversation was a long time coming. She felt there was tension because they hadn’t been able to talk. She’d thought they were getting closer, and then in the spring, Amanda was saying she and Carl were moving in to soon and that Carl had been tainted by her. We flashed back those things being said at the Reunion, and Lindsay said she felt like she had whiplash. Amanda said some hurtful things, and she didn’t know where they came from. Amanda said she’d apologized in a text. After he’d gotten together with Lindsay, Carl’s opinions changed, and she felt frustrated, but knew she should feel like he was right to support Lindsay. Tainted was the wrong word, and she’d tried to apologize afterward at the bar, but Lindsay didn’t acknowledge her. Amanda understood, but she went into a hole where she thought she’d wait until Lindsay was ready. Lindsay said, Amanda didn’t understand how sensitive she was. She was tough, but was still human and had feelings. She thought they had a friendship, then found out she was getting judged and attacked behind her back for things she didn’t even know were happening. Amanda said, Lindsay took things with anger and malice when they weren’t meant that way. She didn’t judge them moving in too soon; it just shocked her, but she processed it. It was like seeing Lindsay and Carl’s relationship change om the begnning. She was sorry for how she’d made Lindsay feel, and wanted to be friends. It should be the two couples’ summer. Lindsay apologized that it took so long, and said they were each waiting for the other to make the first move. In Amanda’s interview, she said she didn’t know if it was real, but she was tired of the tension and awkwardness. She was willing to give Lindsay the benefit of the doubt, and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Robert came back with Danielle, who said she’d love doing this more often, and told him that he was her party trick, since he was a chef. She said Carl was ready to be his sous chef, but warned him that it was different with Carl and Lindsay as a couple. They were still in the honeymoon/fairytale stage when everything was exciting and new. Robert asked if their relationship wasn’t, and she said it was an adventure every day. I couldn’t believe how fast these people got drinks up to their mouths after walking in. Everyone went straight from the front door to the liquor. Robert immediately started to cook, and everyone except Mya, who had a wedding, trickled in. They greeted each other like they hadn’t seen one another in years, and got dressed for dinner. Kyle said he was trying to get blond hair Enrique Iglesias vibes – whatever that is – and Amanda told him not to be the weird old man in the club –  I get what that is. Paige asked how lunch with Lindsay was, and Amanda said, Lindsay had been emotionally hurt by things she’d said and done, so she apologized, and they came to terms. She thought they could be friends, but would never have the relationship Lindsay had with Danielle. Someone needs to tell them that friendships are not this complicated, and don’t need to all be the same.

They toasted to Tulum, and Robert brought out an amazing spread of food. Paige asked those coupled up what was the one thing they didn’t anticipate when moving in together. Robert said, the amount of stuff Danielle had, and Danielle said, Robert had a minimalist vibe. Paige said she’d throw away her birth certificate if she thought it was cluttering up the place, but Craig loved a tchotchke. They’d talked about moving in, but she wasn’t ready. Paige asked what was their partners most annoying habit, and Amanda said, breathing. Kyle said, if Amanda had her way, he wouldn’t chew any food, which made me wonder how the hell he chews. There were more boring questions with equally boring answers, and Gabby asked when the couples thought it was an appropriate time to invest together, but everyone was like, we pay bills with our money. Gabby told Danielle that she wasn’t sure where she stood with Ciara, but Danielle said she was the worst person to talk to about this. She’d wanted to be Ciara’s friend, but they never got there. In Gabby’s interview, she said she was struggling to connect with Ciara, but there was underlying tension, and she couldn’t figure out what the issue was. She was intuitive and could understand something was off, but she wasn’t sure if Ciara didn’t like her or just didn’t understand her. Danielle said Ciara was a tough nut to crack (but what about Karma Brown?), and Gabby said she felt secure with everyone else.

The housemates headed to a club, and Chris waved a light around like it was the 90s, while Carl and Lindsay made out. Since all parties must end, they were home around 12:30. Kyle asked if anybody was cool anymore, and a bunch of the guys, including Robert, danced around in the kitchen. Danielle repeatedly texted, come to bed, and around 3 he finally did. Kyle wandered around and babbled for a while. Robert woke up at 9, jumping straight to searching for his phone, since he was late. In Danielle’s interview, she said she was happy Robert came, but not happy they spent all of 10 minutes together. That was her reality. They didn’t give you a pamphlet on how to date a chef. Amanda said they had a packed day, and in a moment of clarity, Paige said she was too old for this. Kyle was glad there was another dude in the house, since they’d been outnumbered, and he and Carl thought Chris should have a proper initiation. The housemates got dressed, and a party bus picked them up. Danielle told everyone that Robert had left. He was supposed to leave at 7, but didn’t get out until 9:30.  

The bus took everyone to a winery, where they were to be given the wine maker blending experience, where they would make their own blend at the end. Carl ordered an Arnold Palmer, and there was the usual bunch of sex talk about things I don’t want to know. Sam grossed out Kyle, and in Sam’s interview, she said she had a big personality, and wasn’t for everyone, but if Kyle was shook by her, she was here for it. Chris flirted with Ciara, who Danielle thought she suddenly needed to rescue. Chris moved along, and Ciara said she thought he was trying to suss out her personality. She’s an observer at first, and people can’t read her. Danielle said, sometimes when Gabby was talking, Ciara was rolling her eyes, and Ciara said, it was circus level. She wanted to know why people were the way they were, and Gabby was hard to tap into. It was difficult for Ciara to have an artificial friendship or even fake it. Danielle thought they both had going on than what meets the eye, and told Ciara to give it a shot. In Ciara’s interview, she said she was more guarded than the average person, and was working on it in therapy. Trust was a big thing for her; she liked to figure out how people were first. You couldn’t force things; they had to come naturally. Kyle said something about dresses making him horny all the time, and reminded me that he’s the most awful in the house.

There was a separate boys and girls night, and the girls got dressed up, and went out. At the restaurant, Lindsay said she tried not to drink in front of Carly, and she wanted to f***ing go. Not meaning leave, but like, go crazy drinking. The guys stayed home, and Carl told Chris to have a seat, and brought out a paddle. In Chris’s interview, he said he wasn’t nervous. He was happy Carl and Kyle had kissed and made up. Whatever they wanted to do, as long as they weren’t fighting, he was game. They had Chris assume the position, holding fake flowers in his teeth, but Carl stopped short of paddling him. Paige said it was the first time the girls had Lindsay alone, and Lindsay said she tried to be respectful around Carl, but she wanted to be balls to the wall. If she went out with a girlfriend, it was just to dinner. Paige asked how Carl would feel if Lindsay came home drunk, but we never got the answer to this, since Ciara said she felt like Lindsay wanted to go to Montauk (ugh. there it is again), and we flashed back that, and all of them saying go to Montauk ten thousand times. Ciara asked if Lindsay wanted him to go or did she want to go without him, and Lindsay said she had no reason to want to go without him. Danielle said she took offense to that, and would love to steal Lindsay to go out, but she knows it’s not a possibility. It wasn’t that she minded Carl, but she thought Lindsay was curbing her drinking or the intensity because of him. Lindsay asked if that wasn’t a good thing, and Danielle said she liked Lindsay the way she was. Congratulations. Danielle just entered the awful people category. WTF? Sam said, her last boyfriend had been sober for ten years, and she slowed her roll. Lindsay said she wanted to get f***ed up with the girls, and now they were talking about it. Paige insisted it was just normal conversation, and Lindsay was getting mad. Lindsay said, Danielle was hard on her, and Danielle said, if your best friend’s not hard on you, they shouldn’t be your best friend. While I agree, I don’t think that includes encouraging you to drink to blackout.

Next time, Lindsay asks why Danielle is questioning her; Danielle talks to Robert about their living situation; and Kyle turns 40.  

Tonight’s Watch What Happens Live was Ce-lee-brate Good Times! a beautiful tribute to Captain Lee Rosbach’s ten years on Below Deck. There were tons of questions, clips, guests who had worked with the captain, been guests on the yacht, or friends IRL. Queen of Versailles, Jackie Siegel, who’d been a yacht guest, also did a bartending stint. The captain’s wife Maryann was in the audience, and least awful on Summer House, Carl, joined Captain Lee. He explained the captain had reached out when Carl lost his brother to addiction; Captain Lee having lost his son to the same illness. Carl said that the captain had inspired him to be a better man, and I can see why. The secret word was captain, and they said it 34 times, so if you were playing, you’d be pretty drunk since it’s a half-hour show.

🌈 Tasting the Rainbow…

Take a break here tomorrow for some soap and those horrifying women from New Jersey. Until then, stay safe, stay helping bridge the gap between friends, and stay wanting to be better for yourself. Looking for validation on the outside will only lead you back to your old patterns. Or worse still, down the wrong path altogether.

Mar23

March 22, 2023 – The Ethics Committee Meets About Elizabeth, Raquel Is Done With Chihuahua Followers, Number One Most Awful & Every

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis tells Natalie, this is thinly sourced, unpublishable, and dangerously close to liable, and Natalie asks if she should have Gregory look at it, but Alexis says, he’s not here to help her, and it’s not his job. She asks Natalie to please fix this before it lands them in court, when Diane walks in. Natalie leaves, and Diane says, that wasn’t uncomfortable. Alexis says she doesn’t have time to be nice. What’s up? Diane says, dinner plans. You, me, the Port Charles Grill? Alexis says she’s sorry. She forgot. Diane says, that’s not like her. What’s up?

At the hospital, Gregory asks if Dr. Park is available, and if not, he’d like to make an appointment with him as soon as possible. The nurse says, he already has an appointment next month, but Gregory says he’s experiencing new symptoms, and others are worsening. Finn comes up to the desk, and says, dad?

Spencer texts Trina: If all works out w/Esme, I’ll bring baby bro back to my Grandmother’s tonight. She replies: Good luck!!! She opens the door to Kelly’s as Curtis is coming out, and he asks how she is. She says, okay… She has no idea how to act around him.

At Spring Ridge, Spencer thanks Laura for letting him stay with her and Doc. Uncle Sonny’s place is getting crowded. She says, they like having him and Charlotte at the apartment, and he says, how lucky is it that there’s an extra room for the baby? She tells him not to get too far ahead of himself. Esme may hate this idea. He says, why should she? She should want what’s best for her son. No better place than with family. Esme comes out with Ace, and says she thought she and Laura agreed that Laura could visit, but Spencer can’t.

Jordan sees Nina at the bar in Charlie’s, and says she’s glad she found her. Nina asks if something’s happened to Sonny.

Chase finds Brook at the piano, and asks if she’s working on a new song. She says, so far, she has three verses she regrets; it’s garbage. He says, Brook Lynn Quartermaine does not create garbage, but she says, he’s just being nice. He says he’s being honest. He loves her songs. He loves a lot of things when it comes to her. He loves spending time with her and talking to her. He misses that. He misses them. She says she misses them too, and he suggests they do something about it, but she says, wait. There’s something he doesn’t know.

Elizabeth sees the meeting is still in progress, and grabs Terry as she’s walking by. She asks how long it’s going to take for them to decide if she can still work, and Terry says, Portia’s in there now, speaking on her behalf. Elizabeth wonders what she can say to convince them she’s not a liability to GH or her patients, and Terry says, no one thinks she’s a liability. Portia comes out, and Elizabeth asks, how’d it go?

Brook says, they broke up for a reason, and Chase says, she didn’t tell him Dante asked her to write a letter to the CCRB. She held off writing until after the Board made their decision. She asks why he should forgive that. She was invested in his singing career, and put that ahead of him being reinstated as a cop. She betrayed his trust. He says, but she finally wrote her letter of support, and now the CCRB is reconsidering their decision, and she asks if that means he forgives her. He says, it’s going to take a long time for him to trust her again, but he’s willing to try. Is she? She says, he just spent the afternoon with Willow. That must have been hard. He asks what that has to do with them, and she says, let’s face it. He and Willow have quite the history. He’s emotionally all over the place. He’s wanting to take life with both hands, and she’s around. He takes her hands in his, and says, she’s more than just around. She’s in his head constantly. He can’t stop thinking about her; about what they had, and he wants it back. Doesn’t she?

Jordan says, nothing’s happened to Sonny, not that she’s aware. Is there a reason for Nina’s concern? Nina says, Jordan’s the Police Commissioner, so she automatically thought there was an accident. She overreacted. She can blame it on stress, what’s happening with Willow, and everything going on in her life with Crimson and the MetroCourt. She’s been on edge, and… Did Jordan want to ask her something? Jordan says, forget it. Nina seems like she has a lot on her mind. Nina asks if she’s on duty, and Jordan says, no. Nina says, then order a drink; talk to her. Jordan sits down, and says, it’s about Curtis. She hopes Nina can tell her, is he okay?

Curtis says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he doesn’t know how to act around Trina either. Does that help? She says, a little, and they walk into Kelly’s courtyard. She says she still hasn’t made a decision about getting a DNA test. She’s been busy with school and stuff. He tells her to take all the time she needs with school… and stuff, and she says, it’s really weird running into him. She feels like she used to see her family all the time, and since the wedding, she’s mostly been by herself. He asks how that’s been, and she says, sometimes good; sometimes not so great. He asks if she’s seen her mother since she told Trina the truth, and she says, just once, but it didn’t go so good. Has he seen her? He says, a few times. He has to be honest, he just can’t seem to… Trina says, forgive her? Her too.

Portia says, the Committee seemed very open-minded about her support for Elizabeth, and Elizabeth asks if she could tell which way they were leaning. Portia says, they were very formal. They asked her questions about Elizabeth’s history here, and she spoke on Elizabeth’s professionalism and care with each and every one of her patients, and her knowledge and skill as a nurse. They’d already spoken to Finn and Frieda Navarro, and they got some letters from Patrick Drake, Robin Scorpio-Drake, Griffin Monroe (who, for some reason, I keep thinking is dead)… Elizabeth says, and Epiphany, but Portia tells her, they didn’t say they received anything from her. Elizabeth says, but they reached out to her, and Terry says, maybe Epiphany hasn’t turned in her letter. Elizabeth wonders what the Committee is going to think. Epiphany was her mentor, and in a way, she still is. If they don’t know Epiphany supports her, she doesn’t see how she stands a chance.

Alexis says, it seems some of her reporters have forgotten how to check facts and clear legal, and Diane says, perhaps they are missing the calm influence and guidance of Professor Chase. Perhaps Alexis is too. Alexis says, which is why she wanted him on her Editorial Board, but that ship has sailed. Change the subject please. Diane asks if Alexis confronted him about why he no longer works at PCU, and Alexis says she did, and sure as hell wishes she didn’t.

Gregory says he didn’t see Finn standing there, and Finn says he wanted to see if the Committee had made their decision about Elizabeth. He’s glad Gregory came. Gregory says, of course (🍷), and thanks the nurse for her help. The nurse says, does he still need a… Gregory says, directions? No. His son knows the way. Gregory follows Finn down the hall.

Spencer says, nice to see Esme too, and asks Ace how he’s doing. Spencer’s missed him. He makes noises like I make to a cat, and Esme asks what he’s doing here. Laura says, they have wonderful news for her and the baby. After careful consideration, DA Scorpio has agreed to drop the charges against her. She’s going to be released from Spring Ridge. Ever the bearer of glad tidings, Spencer says, the DA could reinstate the charges at any time, but she can raise her son outside of prison… Hello? Earth to Esme. Did she hear him? She says she did, but it doesn’t matter. She and Ace aren’t leaving.

Trina tells Curtis, before the wedding, she felt like she and her mother could talk about anything. They fought before, but Portia just told her it was part of the mother/daughter contract. She just never thought her mother would keep such a huge secret from her; that she doesn’t know if Trina’s dad is her father or Curtis is. He says, when he and her mother reconnected in Port Charles, she promised him there would be no more secrets, so she blindsided him too. Trina says, what bothers her is that Portia didn’t trust her, and he says, when Marshall was first diagnosed, he didn’t trust that Curtis’s mother could handle his illness. Curtis and his brother were young, and he knew Marshall was protecting them, but those years were lost. She says, but he and Marshall are close now, right? and he says, yeah, but that sure is a long time without a father. She says, at least they’re talking, and he says, they are. She has every right to be upset with her mother, but he can’t help wondering how long she’s going to go without talking to her mom.

Portia says, the Committee isn’t out to get Elizabeth on a technicality, but Elizabeth says, a missing letter from her mentor isn’t a technicality; it’s a red flag. Terry asks if Epiphany isn’t on a campus visit at Johns Hopkins, and Portia says, that’s the school she got accepted to. She’s probably meeting with her professors, shadowing a resident. It makes perfect sense that she wouldn’t have had a chance to write the letter yet. Terry says, she might not have even gotten the request, and Elizabeth says she didn’t even think about that. Portia says she’s going to grab some coffee and get some air, and tells Elizabeth, think positive thoughts, okay? She leaves, and Elizabeth says, as nervous as she is about herself and her future, she’s so happy for Epiphany. She’s not surprised a bit that Epiphany got into Johns Hopkins. Epiphany is the best nurse she knows, and she’ll make such a great doctor. It’s really an inspiration that she had the courage to follow her dream, and now it’s coming true. Terry says, gives a person a reason to hope, right?

Diane asks what Alexis found out. Did something happen at the university? Alexis says she doesn’t think it’s her place to say, and Diane says, something is clearly upsetting her. When last they spoke about Gregory, he was an asset Alexis wanted for The Invader, and wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Is that no longer the case? Alexis says, it’s not about The Invader anymore; it’s about his well-being. She doesn’t know what it is, but she thinks something’s wrong. She thinks he may have a drinking problem. That might be the reason he’s no longer working at PCU.

Gregory and Finn approach Elizabeth, and she says she hopes nothing serious brought Gregory in. Gregory says he just wanted to wish her luck with the Ethics Committee; he’s rooting for her. She thanks him, and says, when everyone started finding out she helped Nikolas keep Esme captive, she thought people would turn their backs on her. She can’t believe how uplifting her friends have been. Terry says, Nikolas put her in an impossible situation, and Finn says, and she came forward despite the potential consequences, even after he tried to convince her otherwise. Elizabeth says, part of her thinks she should have listened.

Laura tells Esme, this is very good news, and Spencer says, this is crazy. Spring Ridge is a prison, not a hotel. She can’t simply decide to extend her stay. Laura says she thinks she understands why Esme may be feeling nervous about this, and Esme says, all she’s ever known is life in a hospital and prison. She and Ace have no family, no friends, no money. Where are they supposed to go? Spencer says he’s made arrangements for her to stay above Kelly’s; it’s a local coffee shop in town. Laura says, her former sister-in-law owns it, and there’s a room available for Esme, and Spencer says he’s willing to cover her rent while she finds work. She has a difficult transition ahead, and he and his grandmother want to make sure it’s smooth. Esme asks Laura if that’s the only reason her grandson wants to help her, and Laura says, Spencer wants what’s best for the baby. Esme asks if there’s enough space for her and Ace in this room.

Brook tells Chase not to minimize what she did. She was selfish. She didn’t want him returning to the PCPD. He says he realizes it was more than that. She needed his help to take Linc down, so he didn’t have the power to harass or control any other artist. Blaze only puts up with him because she didn’t want him to ruin her career, as do other singer/songwriters he manages. She says, he had to be stopped, and Chase says, she wanted to protect the other women so Linc didn’t mess with their heads or destroy their self-confidence, and that is brave. She says, he’s so wrong about her.

Diane asks if Alexis has any proof that Gregory has a drinking problem, or that PCU fired him because of it, but Alexis says, no. She ran into him at the MetroCourt, and he was slurring his words, stumbling, and using the wall to hold him up. Diane says, maybe he’d been overserved, but Alexis says, it was 11 in the morning, and the bartender hadn’t served him anything. Diane says, then maybe he wasn’t drunk, and Alexis says, maybe he came in that way. Diane says, clearly, Alexis is worried, but one unsteady morning does not an alcoholic make, and Alexis says, it’s a culmination of things. He’s been hiding something really important from her for months. He lost his job at PCU (I love how she assumes he was fired and didn’t quit), and he’s wobbly at 11 in the morning. Diane says, she’s engaging in wild speculation. There could be a thousand reasons, a thousand explanations, but if Alexis is right and he does have a drinking problem, she’s uniquely qualified to help him. But now the question is, is Gregory going to confide in her? He knows she went behind his back and contacted the dean at PCU to check up on him. Alexis says, there’s a good chance Gregory is never going to confide in her about anything ever again, which is why she’s wondering if she should reach out to someone else who can help him.

Finn says, Elizabeth did the right thing, the honorable thing. He regrets trying to talk her out of it. She says, he’s not the only one; Scotty thought she was crazy. But once she decided to go through with it, she couldn’t have asked for a better advocate, and no matter what happens, it’s better than carrying around a guilty secret. Terry’s phone dings, and she says, the Ethics Committee is ready for her. She’s got Elizabeth. She leaves, and Elizabeth says, there’s a severely anxious patient she wants to check on. She wants to make sure Mrs. Walsh is good to go in the event she doesn’t work here anymore. Finn says, it’s not going to come to that, and she says, here’s hoping. She leaves, and Gregory tells Finn not to worry about her. She’s confident and composed, worrying about her patients even now. Finn says, there’s a part of him that wants to rush into that conference room and defend her, and Gregory says, he doesn’t think Elizabeth would appreciate it? Finn says he thinks she’d think he’s being overprotective, so he’s doing something different this time, and Gregory says, what’s that? Finn says, listening to her; following her lead. Gregory says, obstinance has always been the dominant trait their family. Finn’s proving that change is possible, but Finn says, it’s too early to determine the results.

Laura tells Esme that she doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to do. They’re just making the offer so she has the opportunity to build a life for herself and her child. Esme says, by sticking her and Ace in a room above some coffee shop? And Spencer says, unfortunately, there isn’t enough space for her and the baby, but that’s okay. He can stay with grandmother and himself while she gets settled. Esme says, he’s not separating her from her baby, and he says he just wants what’s best for his little brother. She says, he’s not taking her baby away from her, and he says, losing her memory hasn’t changed her much. I’m wondering why Laura doesn’t step in here, and Esme asks what that means. He says, the old Esme put her own desires and self-interests above everything else, and now here they are, hand in hand, trying to offer her help and support. And having just admitted she has zero resources of her own, she’s shoving it away. She’s putting her own desires and self-interests above everyone else’s, including her own son’s.

Brook says she wants to be with Chase. She didn’t know you could miss someone as much as she’s missed him. She just wants to run into his arms, and have him hold her forever. I laugh because they’re like, two feet apart, and she wouldn’t be running far. He asks why she can’t, and she says she’s not brave, far from it. She would be lying to let him think she was. He asks what she’s talking about, and she asks if he remembers her telling him that she agreed to write a dozen commercial jingles for Linc in exchange for him giving her original songs back. He says he does, and she says, never happened. He says, but she got her songs back, and she says, because she signed a non-disclosure agreement. She can’t talk about what Linc did to her, and if Blaze or some other woman comes forward, she can’t corroborate what they said. She sold out. Hold on right here. Is she forgetting what Maxie told her regarding the NDR? Or is this going to turn out being some noble gesture?

Nina tells Jordan that Curtis is still processing what happened to him. He went from being very, very angry to being very, very angry and sad. Jordan hasn’t been in touch with him? Has TJ? Jordan says she doesn’t know about TJ, but she’s been trying to stay away from Curtis. Before the wedding, she suspected he might be Trina’s father. Nina says, and she didn’t tell him? and Jordan says she knew when he confronted her after the wedding, but before then, she was told it wasn’t her place. Nina asks, by whom? and Jordan says, by Portia. Portia accused her of meddling in their relationship so she could get Curtis back. Nina says, Portia put Jordan in a terrible position, and Jordan says, by not saying anything, she did the one thing that destroyed their marriage; she kept another secret from him. Nina says, but this time, she didn’t have the responsibility of telling him. Their marriage was over for two years. She’s moved on… She has moved on from Curtis, hasn’t she?

Trina says she can’t even think about forgiving her mom, and Curtis tells her, he’s not saying she has to forgive Portia. From his experience, he knows it’s not that simple. He’s still grieving the years he lost from his father, but he’s still grateful for the time they have together. He and Marshall are stronger because they’ve been able to overcome the distance between them. She says she can’t believe he’s the one saying this, and he says he can’t either. He wanted to be with her mother because he loved her, but he also loved and wanted to be a part of her family. Trina says, despite the grief she gave him, she wanted him to be part of her family too, and they hug. He tells her not to let what happened come between her and her mom. They hug again, and Portia walks into the courtyard. She starts to leave, but Trina says, mom, and Portia says she didn’t want to interrupt them. She knows they must have a lot to talk about. Trina says, this wasn’t planned. They just ran into each other and started talking. Portia says she’s glad. She hopes the same can be true of her and Trina, but Trina says, now isn’t a good time. She has to go. Curtis says, she hasn’t ordered, but she says, Spencer just texted her, and she told him that she’d meet him. She leaves, and Portia says she came to grab coffee. It’s going to be a long night at the hospital. She asks how Marshall is doing. How’d his meeting with the geneticist go? He says he’d tell her if he could; she’d have to ask Marshall. That information’s private. She says, Marshall is family. They’re family. At least she hopes they still are.

Jordan tells Nina that she and Curtis are through. She’s moved on. Nina asks if she’s dating, and Jordan says, moving on doesn’t mean moving on to someone else. Nina says, that’s true, but it helps, and Jordan asks if Nina knows what’s been going on in Port Charles lately. She works 24/7. She’ll be lucky if her phone doesn’t start blowing up with more emergencies. She’d love to date her pillow, but she doesn’t have time to sleep. Nina thinks she touched a nerve, and says, so Jordan doesn’t want a relationship, but Jordan says she doesn’t know. At the end of her relationship with Curtis… She never knew she could hurt so much. What she and Curtis had before things went wrong was special. Once in a lifetime. She can’t imagine ever feeling that way again. Nina says she’s sorry, and Jordan says, she may be done, but she still loves Curtis and always will.

Diane asks what Alexis means by tell someone about Gregory. Who is she going to tell? What is she going to tell? She doesn’t know that Gregory is dealing with alcohol. He could argue that she’s spreading an unfounded rumor. Alexis says she’s not going to say he was fired from PCU. She’s going to tell them she’s worried, and tell them why. Diane says she knows that look. She knows when Alexis has made up her mind. Let’s reschedule dinner for another night. Alexis says she’s sorry she forgot about dinner, and she loves Diane and appreciates her advice. Diane says, her advice was to stay out of Gregory’s business, but that’s gone the way of the dinosaur, and Alexis says, he’s her friend. Diane says she knows Gregory is a good man, and Alexis says she wanted him to work here because he’s a damn good writer with a unique point-of-view, but he’s her cheerleader here; he’s her supporter. He’s also her honest appraiser. He makes her better, and her job here. He’s truly a good friend, and she wants to do the same for him. Diane says, friends need to know when to step back, and Alexis says, what if Diane saw her about to get hit by a car. Wouldn’t Diane try to save her? Diane says she absolutely would, even if the situations were remotely similar, which they’re not. And deep down, Alexis knows that.

Gregory says he admires Finn’s ability to embrace change. He might be able to learn a thing or two from Finn. Finn asks if this has anything to do with what happened with Alexis, but Gregory says, that’s a relationship thing. It can’t be salvaged. He may be obstinate, but Alexis takes it to a whole other level. The woman would do anything to get her way. Finn’s phone rings, and he says, in the spirit of full disclosure, speak of the devil. He shows Gregory the screen, and it’s a call from Alexis.

Esme asks if Spencer knows how to take care of a newborn. Has he ever fed a baby? Changed one? Rocked one to sleep? If he had, he would never suggest a mother be separated from her infant child. Finally finding her voice, Laura says, they don’t want to separate Esme from her child. All she’s saying is, she thinks when Esme is released from Spring Ridge, she’s going to quickly find out how hard it is to take care of a baby all by herself. They want to support her. That’s why they came here today to make this offer, but she thinks they should have included Esme in the planning, so let’s do that right now. Tell her, how can they best support her and Ace? Tell them what she needs. Esme says, they’re not going to like it at all.

Gregory wonders why Alexis is calling Finn, and Finn says, they’ve been friends a long time. It might not be about him. Gregory admits he jumped to conclusions, and Finn says he’ll let Alexis know he’s not taking sides, unless that’s what Gregory wants. Gregory says, no. They’re all grown-ups here. There’s no reason to act like children in the schoolyard. He’s going to go. Let him know how it goes with Elizabeth. Finn says he’ll see Gregory, and Gregory leaves.

Curtis says he wishes he had answers for Portia, but what happened between them is still too fresh, and so painful. He hasn’t been able to face Aunt Stella either. She says she’s so sorry to hear that, but whether he likes it or not, they’re married. Doesn’t he think they should try to work this out together? She’s so sorry she hid the truth from him, but she’s not really sure distance is the answer. Maybe they could try counseling. He says, she doesn’t get to set the terms. She lied to him over and over again. Does she think he’s just going to walk into some therapist’s office and ask for communication strategies? She says, then she’ll wait. She’ll do what it takes. Whatever he wants her to do to earn his trust back is what she’ll do, but she doesn’t want to fight. She wants to fight for their marriage, but if what he’s telling her is, it’s hopeless, and there’s no chance for them, she’ll listen. Is there no hope for them? He says he’s afraid it’s more complicated than that, and she says, is it? Just tell her if their love is strong enough to get them through this.

Nina says, Jordan still has feelings for Curtis, and Jordan says, always. But there’s a difference between love and being in love. She and Curtis were family. There’s a part of them that will always love each other no matter what happens. Nina says, that wasn’t a yes or no, when Jordan’s phone dings. She says, what did she tell Nina about work? She has to make a call. Nina says she has to run too. If Jordan is worried about Curtis, talk to him. She’s sure he would appreciate it. Jordan says, good advice, and Nina leaves.

Finn sees Elizabeth, and he asks how it went. She says she thinks she prevented a meltdown, and Mrs. Walsh gave her this as a thank you. She shows him a red rose, and he says he’s impressed by her. He thinks the Committee will be too. He asks what she said to them, and she says, at first, she was really nervous, but then she looked around the room and realized it’s about the health and safety of their patients; it’s not about her. So as clearly as she could, she explained why she helped Nikolas and why she treated Esme at Windymere. She’s told the story many times, and it never gets easier, but the more she tells it, the less it haunts her. He says, because she’s taking responsibility, on her terms, not Nik’s or anyone else’s.  And no matter what happens, she should be proud.

Chase says, Brook sold out? This wasn’t about stopping Linc or protecting the other women; this was about her getting her songs back. He’s such an idiot. She says, no… yes. It was about getting her songs back, but it was also a way to get rid of Linc, and for Chase to go back to being a cop. He tells her, stop. He’s done with her excuses. She says she was trying to help him; get him what he wanted. He says, if that were true, she would have told him sooner.

Curtis tells Portia, not that long ago, she was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Now that trust is broken, and nothing can fix this. She says, it can if he just gives it a chance. If he just remembers what they were to each other. Always the great communicator, Curtis walks away, and Portia cries.

Trina goes to Laura’s, and tells Spencer that she was in the neighborhood. She wanted to see if the baby’s settled in okay. He invites her in, and says, things didn’t go the way he thought they would. Esme comes out with Ace, Laura following. A lot of soap looks all around, including the baby.

Chase says, if Brook signed the non-disclosure agreement so he could stop singing and be a cop… If she was so convinced she was doing the right thing for him, why didn’t she just tell him? Why make up some story about writing advertising jingles for Linc? Because she knew he would be angry, and she knew what she did was wrong. But she was right about one thing. She’s not the person he thought she was.

Alexis tells Natalie, much better. They addressed the legal issues, and legal signed off. Would she mind taking it down to rewrite; that story should have been run. Natalie leaves, nearly colliding with Gregory on his way in. He closes the door, and Alexis says she has his keys. He says, she called Finn, and she says she knows he’s upset. He says, after he specifically asked her not to discuss what’s happened in his life with Finn or Chase.

Elizabeth thanks Finn for his faith in her, but says she’s still scared. What if she gets fired, and this is the end of her time here at General Hospital? Terry comes out, and she tells Elizabeth that her part is finished. The Committee is making their decision.

Curtis goes into Charlie’s and asks for scotch, neat. He sits at the bar, and Jordan comes back. They lock eyes.

Tomorrow, Curtis asks if he and Jordan would still be together; Portia tells Marshall, that says it all, doesn’t it; Spencer tells Trina, that’s the last thing he wants; and Sasha says she knows Cody upset Gladys, and she knows why.

Vanderpump Rules

The competition for the most awful human being continues. Second place anyway. Jax will always be number one.

Charli and Raquel show up at guys night, and James says, guys night means nothing. In James’s interview, he says he wanted it to be G-U-Y-S, guys night. He tells Sandoval that his ex just walked in; it’s not guys night. In his interview, he says, Ally is going to ask why he’s hanging out with his ex. It creates insecurities and untrust, something he doesn’t want this in his relationship. Schwartz asks Raquel if the trip was good, but she says, the purpose was to have fun, and it was the opposite. Sandoval asks, WTF happened? and Raquel says she was being young, fun, single, and living her life. They set her up, making it seem like she was only chasing guys they were interested in. Lala said she was concerned about Raquel, and would never trust Raquel around her man. Raquel told her, it was a good thing she didn’t have one. Schwartz says, she stood up for herself. Charli says, Raquel told Lala that she’s the one who couldn’t be trusted, since she f***ed Raquel’s boyfriend and was another guy’s mistress. They stormed off, leaving her and Raquel at the restaurant, and then she and Raquel had a great time. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, what he’s hearing is, Raquel stood up to Lala. He’s impressed. She’s kind of thriving, and it’s kinda hot. Ugh. In his interview, James says he feels like Raquel is trying to get a rise out of him, but she’s not doing it directly; she never does. This is a bull clushterf*** of negative energy, and he wants nothing to do with it. He leaves.

Lala, Katie, and Kristina come back to the rental house, and Lala says, it was a fun night. It felt normal, like the trip they planned. We flash back to Lala vibing with the guys in the cowboy bar, and she gets a text from one of them. She says she’s nervous, and Katie says she’s happy for Lala. In Katie’s interview, she says she’s Lala’s sex coach. She knows how fun single sex can be, and doesn’t want Lala to miss out. She wants to inspire the d*ck in Lala. Katie says, Lala should do it tonight, but Kristina says she doesn’t need to. Katie says, he’s not coming over to talk, and Lala says she’s nervous. She hasn’t had sex since she conceived her child, and feels like she’s 18. In her interview, Lala says she knows it will come as a shock, but the sex wasn’t good with her ex. The doorbell rings, and Lala lets in Don (the text says, good friend). In her interview, she says she hasn’t had an orgasm she hasn’t faked since 2016. Don flirts heavily with Lala, and Katie and Kristina make themselves scarce. In Lala’s interview, she says, the old school Lala was lit. The old Lala lived in the moment for her vagina, and it’s been slumbering inside of her.

In the morning, Katie says, tell her, and Lala says, it was the best sex ever. Don is hung like a motherf***in’ horse. They giggle, and Kristina joins them. Katie says she posted pictures of the Schwartz piñata, and he said, at first, he was offended. Kristina says, they got in his head, and Lala wonders if Raquel chimed in, since she thought it was hysterical. In Katie’s interview, she says, it’s good she invited Raquel. Now she knows Raquel sucks, and isn’t someone she wants to be friends with. The girls pack to leave Havasu.

James and Ally have a tarot card reading with oracle card healer Leo. How L.A.. James says, Ally is deep into it, and in his interview, he says, Ally talks about astrology all the time. She’s done his chart, and it’s so accurate, it blows his mind. In Ally’s interview, she says she wants to do readings for a living. Leo asks the spirits to move him in the right direction, and says a bunch of stuff about what the cards symbolize. What it boils down to is them connecting with their higher selves, giving birth to a new aura, and walking away from something that was no longer serving them in order to put effort into their relationship. James says, that speaks to him, and almost brings him to tears. In her interview, Ally says she’s no guys night expert, but she knows the main rule is no girls allowed. Leo tells James, it says he was willing to walk away, even though he put the effort in, and in James’s interview, he says, Scheana encouraged Raquel to make out with Schwartz, and Raquel and Lala in Vegas were toxic, but there are no consequences for Raquel’s actions. Everyone is always pointing the finger at him. Point it at her this time. Leo tells James and Ally that they’re good.

At SUR, the Toms meet with Lisa, who says, it was crazy in Vegas with the girls. She wants to know what they’ve decided, and we flash back to Lisa telling them that they can have their investment in TomTom back. Sandoval says, they love working with her and Ken, but don’t want to take the money. Lisa says she understands it needs to be theirs. Otherwise, she’d buy Greg out. Schwartz says he’ll be selling his house soon, so there’s that, and Lisa wonders how much more they need to open. Sandoval thinks $50K, and Schwartz says, their chef is talented, but never ran a kitchen. Lisa asks if they’re on track to open on the 26th, but Sandoval says, no. They’re involved with Scheana’s wedding, and would only have two days. Schwartz says, they’re trying to find the sweet spot between opening before they run out of money, but still having an incredible opening. Don’t let being perfect get in the way of getting it done. He heard it in a YouTube comedy. Lisa wonders why it has to be perfect, and Sandoval says, Greg wants it perfect. Schwartz says, and it might cost them everything. Sandoval says he doesn’t care what’s happening; they’re open on the 31st. Lisa says, every day costs them money, and in Lisa’s interview, she says, just open. Do what it takes. Unless they open, they’ll lose everything. Lisa tells them to put it out there, and Schwartz posts something on social media.

Scheana says, the wedding is two weeks away, and she’s so excited. With her first wedding, she was in denial. She tried to convince everyone that things were perfect because she wanted to convince herself it would eventually be fine. We flash back to that, and she says, until she found out he was buying drugs again. Then she wasn’t fine. Now going into this wedding is just pure joy, excitement, and feelings of love. This is her forever. She gets a call, and says, no way it’s fully sold out. She’ll figure it out. She tells Brock that the resort is fully booked, and Jamie is her bridesmaid. She needs Jamie to be with her. Even though Katie isn’t coming, she already paid, so she’ll be going to Mexico anyway. There’s got to be something she can do. In Scheana’s interview, she says, maybe she’ll pull the angry bride card. Or get Katie on the do-not-fly list. There’s got to be options. Brock suggests offering Katie her money back. I guess screaming at Jamie for not having booked her room sooner isn’t one of the options.

Katie visits Ariana, who says she’s going to have a pool party. They need to have fun again. We flash back to her learning Charlotte wasn’t going to make it, and she tells Katie that she’s inviting her, Schwartz, Scheana, and Raquel. Katie rolls her eyes, but says, they both have bigger things to worry about; location, investors, and raising money. In Ariana’s interview, she says, they have no location yet; just a mood board, and they’ve worked on a business plan with Lisa. The thing is, they need money. She knows if they go to Lisa, she’ll say, darling, why do you need investors? Just open it already. She’s not wrong. Professional whatever (I missed it) Sabeena comes by to help them perfect their pitch. Sabeena says she always starts with background; people connect to human beings. Why this? Why now? Katie says, the industry is male dominated, and Ariana says, people will come for something completely different. Sabeena asks what about their backgrounds will help make this a success? and Katie says, they have experience in the industry. Ariana says, she has a successful cocktail book out, and has been a mixologist for 15 years, and Katie says, her family owned a restaurant. She thinks she was born to do this. In Katie’s interview, she says, she and Schwartz came up with the idea, but he opened a bar with Sandoval instead. She tells Sabeena, a sandwich shop run by two cute women that also serves drinks. They can’t go wrong. Katie and Ariana tell Sabeena about the space Lisa showed them, and Sabeena says, they’re selling her on the space. Let’s go girl.

At SUR, Charli wonders if anyone would really know if she polished the glasses, which seems like something she’d wonder, and probably test out. Rachel hunts down James, asking if he’s okay, since he left guys night. He says he didn’t want his girlfriend to be uncomfortable, and Raquel says, they’re going to be around each other when Ally isn’t around – since, unlike Ally, she doesn’t understand the concept of guys night. She tells him that he’s invited to Sandoval’s pool party, and in his interview, James says, it’s weird. He’s being kicked out, and Raquel is being brought in (not for long). He’s been the f***ing life of the f***ing party for the past 18 f***ing years. Katie and Ariana go to TomTom, and Ariana invites server Logan to the party, saying, they need pool culture, whatever that means. Lisa comes by, and Katie tells her that they’ve drafted a letter of intent to rent the new place – the other candidates are losers, and she and Ariana are more appealing. Lisa gets excited about them being neighbors, and in Lisa’s interview, she says, she loves their energy and ambition. She remembers them literally being kids. We flash back to 2013, and Lisa says she wishes the Toms had come to her sooner. She could have shown them clarity, but now it’s too late. Lisa asks about Scheana’s wedding, and Katie says she’s not going, but she already spent money on the room, so she’s bringing Kristina to celebrate her birthday. Ariana says, the resort is sold out, but Katie says she already called to make sure Kristina could stay in her room, and they said it was cool. Ariana says, bridesmaid Jamie has to stay at a different resort, and in Katie’s interview, she says, it sucks that Jamie didn’t book her room when the rest of them did, but it’s not her problem. When she called the hotel, they said no problemo about adding Kristina. Ariana invites Lisa to the pool party, and Lisa says she’ll be there in her thong.

The pool party begins, and Brock’s friend Joey arrives. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, everyone thought he and Raquel made out at Coachella, but Joey is the guy Raquel made out with. Katie admires the curlicue straws in the drinks, and Scheana tells Lala about the resort being sold out. She says she doesn’t want Katie’s negative energy around her. She doesn’t want Katie and Kristina standing on the balcony cursing her. Lala says she doubts that’s going to happen, and in Scheana’s interview, she says, at her first wedding, she had Stassi and Kristina being mean girls, and making fun of her dress. We flash back to that, and Scheana says she doesn’t know if Kristina is still the same mean girl follower or if she’s grown and matured, but she’s not taking any chances. Lala says she thinks Raquel is weak, but Scheana says, Raquel has gotten confidence. Lala wonders if Raquel felt confident calling her a homewrecker, and Scheana says, she’s been called that and has Lala’s back. In her interview, Scheana says, it’s like wearing a f***ing scarlet letter, and we flash back to Brandi insulting her in 2022. Scheana says, she’s still a homewrecking whore. Lala says, if you want to be a troll, she’ll treat you like a troll, and don’t be shocked when she does it.

In James’s interview, he says, the friend group is backing him of a cliff. He’s being edged out, and Raquel is taking up the space (not for long). He was invited to the pool party at the last minute, and Ally’s not invited to the wedding. It’s embarrassing. Raquel is taking over and dictating who’s hot and who’s not in the friend circle. Lala says, Don wants to meet up, but her mom and baby are at her house, and in her interview, she says, she’s not mentally in a place to focus on a relationship, but wants to be around someone where it’s effortless. The Don gives her that, with an orgasm on top. James asks if Lala made up with Raquel, and Lala is like, hell no. James says, Raquel was boasting that she’d put Lala in her place, and Lala says, Raquel is an idiot. Watching her try to create thought is mesmerizing. Raquel whines about them making fun of her Galaxy Lights, and Scheana says, Lala called Raquel weak, but she defended Raquel. Raquel says she thinks Lala is pathetic, and Scheana agrees. Lala says she doesn’t give a f*** what people like Raquel think about her, and Katie says, Raquel shouldn’t take herself so seriously. In Ariana’s interview, she says she can’t wrap her head around the idea of Raquel fighting people and being crazy. She would have thought Katie and Lala gave her the mean girl treatment. Sandoval busts into the conversation, and says, if someone doesn’t have Katie’s perspective, according to her, they’re wrong. Ariana says she’s walking. She’s not doing Tom against the girls. Katie says, she’d thought everything was clear, and they were on the same page. Raquel asks what the issue is, and Kristina says, you tell us. Raquel whines that Lala and James slept together, and Lala says, they’d moved on. Sandoval says, Lala moved on, and in James’s interview, he says he’s sorry it happened, but if she’s still going on about it, he doesn’t care. Put him in a time machine, and he’ll do it again. We can literally see Raquel searching for words to put together, and she finally comes up with, if they’re being chihuahua followers, she’s done. I don’t know what that means, but I’d totally follow a chihuahua. James asks how Raquel expects them to be cool, when every time he sees her, he hears her talking negatively about him. Raquel says, it affected her emotions when she found out he and Lala kept a secret from her for years. Ariana says, this needs to be squashed today, and Raquel says, she and Lala can never be friends. Lala says she’s bored. Raquel has said that six times already. Raquel says, if she’s going to get mistress bimbo vibes, she can’t do this, and walks away. This girl is just not smart enough for these people, and that’s actually kind of a low bar.

In Raquel’s interview, she says she feels leveled up from the girls trip. At one time, her motivation was to be liked, but after facing Lala, she’s loving this new version of her. I laugh in my head, thinking, just wait. Lala tells James that Raquel’s parting words were mistress bimbo, and he says she hasn’t heard that since Jessica Simpson in The Dukes of Hazzard. Scheana says she’s not disinviting Katie to the resort, like she owns it, but suggests she stay at a different one. Katie says she’s going; it’s Kristina’s birthday. Scheana wails that it’s sold out, and she doesn’t want Katie’s energy there. Katie says, it’s a big resort, and she’s entitled to be there. She can’t get her money back. Scheana says she’ll give Katie a grand right now, but Katie is like, uh….no. Scheana says, they’ll see about that, and tells Schwartz that his ex-wife is pathetic. She doesn’t want Katie’s energy there, and Katie isn’t thinking about what she wants. Ariana wonders what if Scheana asks Katie to name her price, and Scheana says, what if Katie says no? Ariana says she doesn’t think Katie and Kristina are going to be on the balcony with binoculars, and in Schwartz’s interview, he says, Katie’s stubbornness is one of his least favorite qualities of hers. She’s in the wrong, and when she makes up her mind, there’s no reasoning with her. Lala says, the resort doesn’t exist for Scheana’s wedding. If Scheana is focused on Katie instead of getting married, that’s her problem. Schwartz tries to appeal to Katie, but she says she needs to focus on herself. He tells her, do it for her business partner and friend, but Ariana says, leave her out of it. Schwartz tells Katie not to be so emotionally entitled, and Ariana says she doesn’t even know what those words mean together. In Katie’s interview, she says, Schwartz taking everyone’s side over her is a big reason why she asked for a divorce. She thought if the pressure to defend his wife was gone, he’d treat her like everyone else. She guesses it’s not a wife thing; it’s a Katie thing. She leaves, and Schwartz follows her, calling, Katie… don’t leave… Bubba! She tells him to go away. She wants an apology. He says, for what? and she says, for meddling. It’s not fair. He tells her that she looks cute, and she says, he’s just making it worse.

This season, the wedding; the sandwich shop gets a location; Schwartz (the beard) and Raquel kiss; Katie wants to light them both on fire; James wonders if he should ask Ally to marry him; and the Scandoval begins.

🍿 To top off the episode of awful VanderPeople, Jax was on Watch What Happens Live with wife Brittany, who I can’t believe he’s still married to. I’m sure he’s enjoying the crap out of all this. He presented Andy with the original sweater that he whipped off before the parking lot fight with Sandoval in one of the first seasons. In a frame.

🍸 Vanderpumping Out Of Here…

Come on by tomorrow for soap and a spot of tea. Until then, stay safe, stay not speculating until you get all the facts, and stay not letting being perfect get in the way of getting it done.

Mar15

March 15, 2023 – Dante Tells Cody To Come Clean With Mac, Lots Of Therapy Going Around New Jersey, The Worst People In the World Need Therapy, Funny & Perfect

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dex asks if Sonny thinks the sniper worked for Pikeman, but Sonny says he doesn’t think they’d want to jeopardize the deal; too much at stake. But he’s going to find out who this guy is working for. He tells the guy to wake up, and the sniper stirs a little. Sonny says, if the guy wants his help, he has to help Sonny too, and the sniper asks what he wants. Sonny says he wants the guy to tell him who he’s working for.

Mac and Felicia sit in a table at the MetroCourt, and he says, champagne? What’s the occasion? She says, him and Doc making up. They’ve been friends way too long to stop now. Mac agrees, and they clink glasses. She says, Cody actually encouraged him to talk to Doc? and he says, Cody told him not to let the baggage fester. She says, so it was a good visit then? and he says, it was… until it wasn’t.

Dante asks if Mac is really Cody’s father, and Cody says, seems so. Dante says, so the tests were taken weeks after the other test? What’s the deal? The first test that said Mac wasn’t his father was wrong? Cody says, not exactly.

Finn introduces himself to Victor, who says he’s aware of who Finn is, and also aware of his relationship with Elizabeth Baldwin. Like this would mean what to Finn? Finn says he’s been called in to find out what the pathogen is in Victor’s system. Although extremely rare, he was able to identify it. Victor says, excellent. Now Finn can also get rid of it as quickly as possible.

Drew asks Laura to at least take some time to consider his offer. She’d be enhancing Charlotte’s trust fund and wouldn’t have to concern herself with ELQ matters. If he calls her little lady, I’m turning this off. She says she’s sorry, but she can’t just give up Valentin’s stake in the company, and Drew says, but he’s gone. It doesn’t benefit anybody to hang on to a past mistake… unless there’s something else going on.

Valentin tells Anna, Victor went to great lengths to get his hands on that necklace. So what’s the significance of those codes engraved in the diamond? She says, according to Laura, Eileen jumped at the suggestion she could get an unredacted report on the necklace. So what she’s thinking is, what if they planted false codes in that report to see where it led Victor? He says he likes the way her mind works, and she asks if it’s sexy or scary. He says he thinks it’s both, and kisses her. Lucy comes out with her bag, and says she has to leave immediately. Anna tells her, stop, but Lucy asks if she thinks anyone bothered to order the step-and-repeat for the red carpet. No. Does she think they know how to find a llama that doesn’t spit? No. Without her, the Nurses Ball is going to go down in flames. It will be the end of the show… forever.

Brook lets Maxie and Bobbie into the mansion, and thanks them for coming. Olivia sends her regrets; she caught the bug that’s going around. Maxie says, James’s teacher has it too. Tell Olivia she sympathizes and sends get well wishes. Bobbie asks if they should come back another time, but Brook says, not necessary. Olivia totally deputized her, and is ready, willing, and able to let them use the MetroCourt for the Nurses Ball, but there’s a slight hitch. Bobbie says, already? What is it? Maxie says, or who is it?

Outside the door on the phone, Carly gives Pilar instructions for Donna, and says she’ll be home as soon as possible. She hears Bobbie say, this is outrageous, and Maxie says, it’s unacceptable. Carly says, on second thought… She goes inside, and Bobbie says she’s not talking to that woman. It’s not part of her duty as co-chair, and Carly asks, what’s going on here? Bobbie says, the Nurses Ball needs a new home, and Maxie says, and if they don’t find one soon, the Nurses Ball is not happening.

Finn tells Victor that treating his condition is no simple matter. A pathogen is an organism that causes disease to the host. The severity of those symptoms depends on its virulence. Victor says, the symptom he’s experiencing is virulent in the extreme, and Finn says, what is uncommon is for a pathogen to cause such a specific immune response. Victor asks if it could affect his other organs, but Finn says, it’s not invasive. It doesn’t seem to spread to other organs or tissues. The affects are localized, and very specific. Victor asks what all that means, and Finn says, the pathogen has a mission; one it has achieved. I wonder if he’s laughing at Victor in his head.

Dante says, Cody told him that he didn’t deserve Mac in his life after what he did. What did he do? Cody says he screwed up, and doesn’t know how to make it right, and Dante says, he lied about the first DNA results. He said Mac wasn’t his father, when in actuality, he is. Why did he do that?

Mac tells Felicia, his visit with Cody was great at first. Hell, he likes Bludger. She says, his favorite obscure Australian beer no one knows about. So what went wrong? He says he doesn’t know. They got to talking, then Cody clammed up. She says, it sounds like Cody’s not exactly in touch with his feelings, and Mac says, you can’t really blame him. He lived on an estate that wasn’t his, on the outside looking in. He bets that’s why Cody’s always looking for the next payday.

Laura says, it’s too soon to make any major decisions about Charlotte’s inheritance, and Drew says, because Valentin only recently died. She nods, and he says he hopes his proposal didn’t seem insensitive, but she says, no. He says he’s just trying to heal a family rift, and she says, there’s no need to apologize. She can see why a proposal makes sense from his perspective, but whatever happens with Valentin’s shares isn’t up to her.

Valentin asks if Lucy said a llama that doesn’t spit, and Lucy says, duh. There was a llama in 2017; great llama. There was Lloyd the next year; great llama. Everyone knows you don’t hire Loraine because she’s a great expectorator. There’s all the rehearsals to plan for the musical numbers, the costuming, not to mention the orchestral needs. Anna says she really feels how disappointed Lucy is not to be part of the Nurses Ball this year. She gets it. Lucy says, no she doesn’t. She has no idea. She’s been the Mistress of Ceremonies since the 90s; the only one. It’s the 60th anniversary of GH, and she has to be there to chair all the committees, planning everything with her friends and with Marty. Instead, she’s stuck here with the two of them. No offense. It’s just totally unfathomable. She storms to the bedroom, and Anna says, she’s not wrong. The beauty of the Nurses Ball is that it really does bring people together. Their time, their talent, for such a worthy cause; Robin’s cause. She’s not the only one who’s really sad not to be part of the Nurses Ball this year.

Carly asks why the MetroCourt needs a new venue… Um… I think she means Nurses Ball. Maxie says, it doesn’t, and no one said anything about having to grovel. Brook tells her, Olivia did say it was a joint decision, and Carly asks, what’s the problem? The Nurses Ball is always held at the MetroCourt. Bobbie says, while Carly was the co-owner, but Maxie says she’s sure they can still have the Ball there. Brook says, but it’s not only up to Olivia, and Carly says, ooh. She needs the agreement of her new partner – Nina. This is stupid even for them. Like Nina would say no.

Sonny asks who the sniper works for, but he says he doesn’t know. Sonny says, he doesn’t know who he works for? and the sniper says, contractor. The deal was anonymous. Tony checks the sniper’s pulse, and says, he’s not going to last much longer. Brick walks in with another man, and Sonny asks if he’s the doctor. Brick says, he’s very discreet, and Sonny says he needs to doctor to make sure the sniper stays alive, at least until he gets some answers. The doctor checks the sniper, and Sonny says, they don’t have all day, but the doctor says, he’s gone. Sonny says, son of a bitch! and Brick says, sorry about that, but Sonny says, it was a long shot anyway. He asks if the doctor can help Dex, but Dex says he’s good. Sonny insists, and the doctor checks out Dex. Brick wonders why Dex is always in the line of fire.

Felicia says, Cody’s job at the Quartermaine stables is a really good gig, and Mac says, Cody told him that he was selling his plasma for extra money. Plus, he’s seen Cody with Selina Wu on more than one occasion. It seems that money is the driving force with Cody. Felicia says, or he’s on a never-ending quest for stability. Can’t they help him with that?

Cody tells Dante that he knew Cesar Faison and Leopold Taub were members of some cartel in the 90s, and he thought maybe Faison had access to Taub’s money. So when he met Britt and found out she was Faison’s daughter… Dante says, Cody thought he could use Britt to get her father’s money. Did Cody ever really like Britt? Cody says he did eventually. His feelings for Britt made him take his eyes off the prize. Then it just fell into their laps, thanks to Peter August’s final effects and the safe deposit key. Dante says, then Cody met Mac, and it threw a wrench in his plans? and Cody says, that necklace belonged to Taub, in the late 80s, early 90s. Then it just mysteriously showed up in the safe deposit box of Faison’s son? He really believed that necklace was his birthright. Dante says, except the DNA test proved it wasn’t Cody’s birthright, and he lied. Cody says, his mother was an heiress, who gave away every dime to her daughter, some woman he’s never even met, who ended up giving away what was supposed to be his half of the inheritance to save the whales. Don’t get him wrong; he likes whales. He likes dolphins too, but right now, they’re doing better financially than him. That necklace was supposed to be his shot. Dante says, he lied to Mac; he used Britt. Maybe Sam was right about him.

Finn says, the good news is, this pathogen has low toxigenicity, and Victor says, and the bad news? Finn says, the microorganism is not one that naturally occurs in Northern America, and Victor says he does have several international business associates. Could he have contracted it from one of them? Finn says, what he’s contracted is known as an obligate pathogen, which means it doesn’t survive for long outside of the human body. Victor says, so he couldn’t have gotten this from being in contact with anyone, and Finn says, highly unlikely. Victor asks, then how did he get it? and Finn asks if he has any enemies. Well, that’s a stupid question.

Laura tells Drew, Valentin’s stocks aren’t hers to sell, give, or trade; they belong to Charlotte. When she comes of age, she’ll decide whether to keep them. He says he respects that, and she says, unfortunately, it does put a pin in his family’s plans for ELQ. He says, the stock could be in far worse hands, thanks her for her time, and leaves.

Anna tells Valentin, for all her delusions of grandeur, Lucy’s right. She’s done so much to make the Nurses Ball a success, and she’s helped countless people along the way, Robin included. He says, forgive him; he didn’t even think of that. He shouldn’t have made light of her feelings. Anna says, in all fairness, she’s a real pain in… the thing. She just wishes Lucy could trust Maxie and Bobbie. They’re more than capable of making this happen. The show will go on. The Nurses Ball is bigger than all of them.

Maxie says, it’s an honor for the MetroCourt to host the Nurses Ball. She’s sure Nina won’t object. Bobbie says, if that woman makes them beg… and Carly says, they’ll cross that bridge when they come to it. Meanwhile, she thanks Maxie for asking her to help; she’s honored. Maxie says, Carly is also essential, and Carly says, whatever she needs, don’t hesitate to ask. She can help organize, and would love to be on the entertainment committee. Maxie says, music to her ears. They have so much to get done in such a little amount of time. Carly says she only wishes she could save them from having to involve Nina, when Nina walks in and asks what Carly’s trying to keep from her this time.

The doctor wraps Dex’s wound, and says, Dex is lucky. A few millimeters over, it would have shattered his arm. Six inches, it would have blown a hole through his chest. Sonny asks Tony to let the doctor out, and make sure he gets paid. Brick asks Sonny, what happened here? and Sonny says, the shooter was right there. If Dex hadn’t spotted him, he would have been taken out. Brick says, nice little ambush spot; the guy was a pro. Sonny says he needs Brick to find out who hired him, and Brick looks through the sniper’s pockets, finding a cellphone. Sonny tells him, check the contacts, and Brick says, there’s only one contact. One message; an address and a time. He’ll see if he can dig out more data. Their guy is wearing no jewelry; no obvious tats. All he’s got on him is a key fob and a matchbook. Dex says, may I? holding out his hand, and Sonny says, go ahead. Brick gives him the matchbook, and he says, it’s The Highsider logo; the biker bar. Brick says, Dex might just be useful after all, and Sonny says, Brick has no idea. The kid saved his life. Brick rolls his eyes.

Maxie says, perfect timing, and Nina tells her, she would say so. Brook says, Nina brought Olivia soup. Isn’t that thoughtful? Nobody says anything, and Brook says she’ll bring the soup up to Olivia. Nina asks what she walked in on, and Maxie says, she and Bobbie are co-chairing the planning committee for the Nurses Ball. Nina asks when the Ball is happening, and Maxie says, three weeks. Nina says, that soon, and Maxie says, GH’s 60th anniversary is coming up, and they didn’t want to break tradition, so they’re kind of hoping Nina and Olivia will let them use the ballroom at the MetroCourt. Nina is surprised Carly didn’t just pretend to agree, and Bobbie says, that’s something Nina would do. Carly says, the Nurses Ball can’t get off the ground without Nina’s consent. So does she want to keep making jabs or rise above her hatred for Carly for a good cause?

Brook comes downstairs as Drew walks in. He asks how Olivia is, and Brook says she thinks Olivia is secretly enjoying the opportunity to stay in bed and read. Seeing the doors closed, he asks if there’s a secret meeting, but she says, more like a gladiator match. It’s anyone’s guess who’s going to emerge from the arena alive.

Mac tells Felicia, as much as he’s grown to like Cody, he’s not their responsibility. He’s not family. She says she can’t explain it, but sometimes he feels like it.

Cody says he thinks he and Sam reached a truce, and Dante says, Cody stepped up for Sasha; she was impressed. But lying about who his father is… Cody says he knows. He screwed up. Even before the necklace burned up in that cabin, he regretted everything he did to get his hands on it, which is why he’s telling the truth now. Dante asks why he doesn’t tell Mac, and Cody says, that’s the reason he got the second test. He figured he could tell Mac the first test was the result of a lab error or something. Dante asks if Cody is going to tell Mac the truth, and wrap it up in another lie, and Cody says, there’s no winning with Dante. Dante says, there is. Just tell the absolute truth – all of it. If he wants to move forward with a relationship with Mac, start with transparency. Fess up. He can handle it, right?

Victor asks if Finn is suggesting he was deliberately infected, and Finn says, it’s not an accidental pathogen, so common means of transmission don’t apply here. Victor asks how he got it, and Finn says, either by injection, which would be invasive, and probably noticeable. More likely through ingestion. Victor says, so something he ate or drank, and Finn says, based on the timing of his symptoms, he’d say Victor contracted the pathogen late November, early December. Victor says, that doesn’t make it any easier to pinpoint, and Finn says he’ll ask for further tests to confirm. Victor says, Finn hasn’t mentioned treatment, and Finn says, research in this area of treatment is limited. Victor says, how so? He’s saying there’s no cure? Finn says, the damage done to Victor is not known to be reversable.

Brick says, so is that right? Dex saved Sonny’s life? Sonny says, he clocked the hit man before he could get a shot off. Dex pushed him out of the way. Dex says, Sonny returned the favor, and Brick wonders if they’re indebted to each other now. He’ll get the data on the phone and the rifle, and get back to Sonny. Sonny thanks him, and Brick says, of course (🍷). Sonny asks how Dex’s arm is, and Dex says, just a crease. Sonny tells Tony to have Dex help him get rid of the body. He’s tired of looking at it. They start to pick the sniper up, but Dex nearly falls over. Sonny has him sit down, and tells him, hydrate, giving him some water, but Dex says he wants to help Tony. Sonny says, Dex has lost a lot of blood, and he’s running on adrenaline. Take a drink. He’s no good to Sonny if he’s down for the count. Dex drinks some water, and asks who Sonny thinks sent the shooter. Sonny says, if anyone can find out, it’s Brick. How did Dex know to push him out of the way? Dex says he saw something out of the corner of his eye. In Afghanistan, sometimes that’s all the warning you got. Sonny says he was going to keep Dex out of the Pikeman deal; now Dex is in the middle of it. Drink up, and he’s going to take Dex home. Dex says, Tony can give him a ride, but Sonny says he’s not taking Dex to Dex’s place; he’s taking Dex to his place.

Dante says, Cody has to come clean all the way. Don’t give Mac a partial truth. Don’t rob him of the ability to make a choice. Cody says, Dante’s right. He can’t tell Mac that he’s his son unless he tells Mac that he lied about the first test, and why. Dante says, if it helps, he’ll be wherever Cody is going to talk to Mac, and Cody thanks him, but says, it’s not necessary. He won’t be telling Mac anything. Dante asks what Cody’s talking about. He’s going to let Mac live his life not knowing he has a son? Cody crumples up the paternity test, throws it into a garbage can, and says, it’s not like Mac raised him, so it’s no big loss. You can’t take away what someone never had. Dante says, you can actually. Why would Cody deprive him of that? Deprive him of getting to know his son. Why would he cheat himself out of all that? Cody says, maybe he doesn’t deserve it, and Dante asks if Mac deserves it. Cody says, what’s Mac losing? A son who’s beat up from stunt riding, and broke down from grifting. Dante says, so Mac pays the price because Cody doesn’t want to admit he screwed up? Cody says, it’s not a huge price; it’s him. Mac will be better off.

Mac says, Felicia treats everyone like family, when Laura approaches, and says she can confirm that. She wonders where Doc is, and Mac says, he wanted them to tell her that he had to see a patient. Felicia says, before that, he and Mac had a very nice chat, and Laura says she’s glad to hear that. She sits, and says, Doc doesn’t blame Mac for doing his job. Mac says he knows that; they’re good. Felicia says, as for the opposite of good… They all watch Victor walk in.

At the bar, Victor asks for two fingers of their best scotch, neat. Bartender Jamie (?) pours him a drink, and Victor thanks him. He’s about to take a sip, and flashes back to Finn telling him, it’s more likely he contracted the pathogen by ingestion; something he ate or drank. He asks for a new bottle, unopened, and Mac comes to the bar. He says his officers have been trying to contact Victor about the disappearance of his nephew Nikolas. Why has he been avoiding them?

Valentin says, Anna could be part of the Nurses Ball if it weren’t for his father, but she says, that’s all right. Mac and Felicia will be there, and they were there for Robin during the toughest part of her life. He says, what they’re doing now will put Victor away for good, and it will allow her to always be part of Robin’s future. Lucy comes out, looking at her tablet, and going, nope… nope… nope. She says she just looked at the MetroCourt ballroom calendar. For the next five months, there’s absolutely nothing. Anna is sure Maxie will find her way around that, and Lucy says she hopes so. Valentin says he’s sure her leadership will be sorely missed. Lucy sits down, and says she really wants… she needs the Nurses Ball to be special. Anna says, it will be. Despite all the glitz and glamour, it’s the mission that’s so important for people to celebrate. Lucy says, Anna is so right, and Anna says she thinks that mission will be realized… without all the pizazz Lucy could bring to it of course (🍷). Lucy says she likes pizazz. She could still do it. She starts to get up, but Anna says, no. She knows it’s going to hurt them all, but life is going on without them.

Nina says she’ll have to check the schedule, but they’ll make it work. Of course (🍷) the MetroCourt will host the Nurses Ball, as long as Olivia agrees. Maxie says, Olivia already gave them her blessing, and Nina says she hopes they’ll let her know if there’s anything else she can do to help… unless they don’t want her involved. Maxie says, of course (🍷) they want her help. Don’t we Bobbie? Bobbie says, sure; the more the merrier. Maxie says, they’re the most capable women she knows. As long as they can work together – peacefully – they can achieve anything. Carly says she’s in, and Nina says she’s in too. She asks Maxie and Bobbie to give her and Carly a couple of minutes alone. Maxie can’t leave fast enough, and Carly nods to Bobbie, who follows.

Bobbie and Maxie go into the foyer, and Brook says, perfect timing. Please tell Drew that he has to perform at the Nurses Ball. Maxie asks if he can carry a tune, and Brook says, he can; he sings in the shower. He says, she hears him? and she says, the acoustics are weird in this house. Bobbie is sure he has some moves, and Drew says, all right. What would he have to do? Maxie says she’s sure he’s heard of Magic Milo and His Magic Wands, and Drew is like, uh… Bobbie says, it’s for charity. The least he can do is give them that shirt off his back.

Carly asks why Nina asked to speak to her privately. It’s not like their issues are secret. Nina says, it’s not about their privacy; it’s about Willow’s.

Dex says he’ll be fine, but Sonny says, no argument; it’s an order. Brick comes back, and Sonny says, any luck with the phone? but Brick says he’s still trying to dig out data. There were some prints from it though. The guy’s not from any registry he can access. He was a ghost. Sonny says, what about the weapon? and Brick says, it’s been modified, probably by the shooter. He can tell Sonny the original manufacturer, but there’s no serial numbers; it’s untraceable. Sonny asks what Brick’s thinking, and Brick says, a guy who doesn’t exist with an untraceable rifle. He’d say Sonny has a very, very powerful enemy. Hmm… I was wondering if Dex hadn’t set it up.

Brook says she has the perfect song, and runs to get her phone. Maxie goes with her, and Bobbie tells Drew, Carly and Nina are in there, and she doesn’t hear any furniture breaking, but… Drew says, it might not be long.

Carly says, now Nina is concerned about Willow’s privacy. She wasn’t concerned at all when she accused Willow of having an affair with TJ. What ticks me off is how Carly acts like it’s unfathomable you might perceive someone differently if you suddenly find out they’re family, especially your child. Nina says, this is about her health, and Carly says, if Willow wants Nina to know about her health, Willow will tell her. Nina says, that’s just the thing, she has, when there’s a knock at the door, and Drew asks if he’s interrupting. Nina asks him to join them; the three of them are privy to Willow’s health updates. Carly says, since when? and Nina says, since she had a conversation with her daughter, and Willow promised to keep her in the loop going forward.

Dante says he hates seeing Cody doing this to himself. He cares about Mac, and he cares about Cody. Why is he sabotaging himself? Why does he think he doesn’t deserve good things? And he’s not talking about fancy jewelry. Cody says, some secrets are meant to be kept, but Dante says, not this one. He knows what Cody sacrificed. Stop punishing yourself. Mac is a great guy. He’s surrounded by this beautiful family. Cody has an opportunity here to come out with the truth, and have these good people embrace him and give him a life he’s never known. Come on. Come clean.

Victor asks Jamie to leave the bottle, and tells Mac that he’s a very busy man. He pours himself another drink, and Mac says, a busy man with a big thirst. Victor says, it’s not illegal, is it? and Mac says, as long as he doesn’t intend to drive. Or harbor a fugitive. Victor asks where exactly he would do that. In his suite at the MetroCourt? Mac says, it wouldn’t be the first time he gave Nikolas a safe haven. Did he smuggle Nikolas to some island somewhere? Victor pours a third drink, and Mac asks, where’s Nikolas? Victor says, Mac’s guess is as good as his, and Mac says, Elizabeth Baldwin told the PCPD that Victor cleaned up evidence of Nikolas holding Esme Prince hostage. Victor tells him, that’s just hearsay, isn’t it? and Mac says he could haul Victor in for obstruction of justice. Victor says, can’t a man drink in peace around here? He doesn’t have a clue where his nephew is, and if Mac has any more questions, contact his attorney. As he leaves, he sees Laura and Felicia, and flashes back to Laura saying she’s going to put her family back together again, and when she does, she’s taking him apart. He walks over to Laura, and says, it was you. Laura asks, what was me? and he says, it had to be her.

Dante tells Cody, do the right thing, but Cody says, maybe saying nothing is the right thing. Dante walks out, and Cody takes the paternity test out of the garbage can, uncrumples it, and looks at it.

Mac goes over to the table too, and Victor says he knows what Laura’s done. She says, really. What has she done? He says she’s a vindictive… She’s determined to strip him of his power, and humiliate him in the process. She says, he doesn’t need her for that. When his life falls apart, and it will, he’ll have more than her to blame. He says, but she’s the one who will pay the most dearly. Mutually assured destruction. She struck the first blow, and now they both have everything to lose.

Anna tells Lucy that she hates missing the Nurses Ball too, but they all have to make sacrifices. Lucy says, but they don’t need Anna; they need her. Valentin says, but they can’t have her, can they? and Lucy says, that’s not his decision to make. She gets up, and Anna says, she can’t risk being seen, but Lucy says, oh yeah? Anna did. Anna left here for several hours the other day, doing God knows what. Valentin says, she’s a professional, and Lucy asks if they’re forgetting she was an asset too. And she was very effective if they remember. Anna says, what she remembers is, they’re in this mess because Lucy wouldn’t follow her orders, so Lucy is going to follow her orders now. You sit tight and you zip it. Lucy stomps back to the bedroom, and Anna says she thinks that went very well.

Brook says, both Carly and Nina are going to be on the planning committee? and Maxie says she thinks they make a formidable team. Bobbie says, if they survive.

Carly asks why Nina is asking her about Willow if Willow is giving Nina updates on her health, and Nina says, because Willow is sick, and she didn’t want to bug her about updates. She assumed Willow said it was okay to fill her in. Carly says, no, she didn’t, and asks if Drew knew, but he says he hasn’t spoken to Willow at all. If it helps, he can ask Willow and Michael, what’s the best way to share information. Carly says, anything else? and Nina says, once again, Carly’s disapproval speaks volumes. Carly says, they all know how dangerous Nina is with the tiniest bit of information. Nina says, she’s dangerous? If it were up to Carly, she’d still be in the dark about her daughter. Carly says, so much for being cordial, and Nina says, she’s right. She’s not going to argue for Willow’s sake, but she will say, Carly is no longer the gatekeeper of information. And it would serve Carly well to have this in the back of her mind. Nina knows a lot more than Carly thinks she does. She leaves, and Drew stops Carly from following.

Brick says, the shooter was contracted by a professional outfit, possibly an agency. Dex says, like the WSB? and Sonny says, whatever it is, they’re going to be very sorry.

Tomorrow, Esme says she has to trust her instincts; Spencer asks, what’s the real reason Cameron is leaving; Alexis tells Sam, there’s more going on than Gregory is saying; and Sonny says, it’s the least he can do since Dex saved his life.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

I tell my dogs, now it’s time to watch despicable people with too much money. Teresa visits therapist Tegan, and in Teresa’s interview, she says she’s been going to therapy for six months. She’d always been against it, but didn’t like the way she’d reacted to Marge – even though she felt it was valid. Louie was into therapy, and told her that she didn’t have to react. She tells Tegan that her way of fixing a problem is lashing out, and in her interview, she says, her delivery is not always the way it should be, which is putting it mildly. We flash back to some choice moments, like her table flip, and she says, her therapist is teaching her how to approach things differently and communicate more. She tells Tegan that boys night did not go good [sic] and her brother told Louie to go f*** himself a million times. Louie said Joe #2 must be in pain, and had her call Joe, asking if he wanted to make peace. He said he did, but he didn’t come to her housewarming, and it was hurtful. She wished her parents were there, and her brother not being there was weird. She only has her brother, and nieces and nephew. Growing up, her father and a cousin didn’t talk for six years over $200. In her interview, Teresa says, her father was strong and stubborn. He never told her that he loved her until she finally started saying it. That’s how her parents were raised. She tells Tegan that she doesn’t want her kids grow up without cousins. Melania and Antonia were close, but haven’t come to each other’s parties. She says, Joe’s temper was out of control, and Tegan says, Teresa was petrified of her dad, so it’s triggering. Teresa says, the toxicity hurts, and Tegan says, she can make it stop by her choices of reaction. If it doesn’t, her only choice is to move on. Wow. Remind me to never use this therapist. As Dr. Phil says, there’s two sides to every pancake, and she’s just believing everything Teresa says. Obviously, she’s never seen the show. And if Teresa is so concerned about losing her only remaining family member (according to her), why doesn’t she act like a normal human?

Jen comes over to visit Marge post-surgery, bearing cookies and flowers. Marge says, they had to rebreak her arm. She’s going to sit on the sidelines and cheer at the baseball game. Jen says she’s doing the same, since nobody wants to see her ruining to first base. Marge says, Jennifer fell flat on her faced last year, and we flash back to that. Jennifer told Bill that she didn’t want him to be nice to Marge at the game. Marge told Melissa that she should leave Joe #2 for a baseball player. This came from Marge’s friend Laura, and when she repeated it to Marge, Marge got so worked up, she called Jennifer a disheveled drug addict. She’s a shampoo commercial, and Marge is an albino with a wig. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, she smokes weed when the kids are asleep, and it’s legal. Marge will find anything remotely negative, and throw it in her face with no regard for how it will affect Jennifer’s life. Marge either isn’t thinking kids or she’s just plain stupid. Marge asks if Jen thinks Jennifer is mad, since she booted Jen out of her house. Jen says, Jennifer texted her, saying she was sorry, but Jen’s friend wouldn’t stop poking at her. Another thing Dr. Phil says is, the word but means forget everything I just said and now I’ll tell you what I really think. Marge says, Jennifer is a f***ing loser, but Jen says, that display was not Marge, screaming like a 16 year old. Jennifer bringing up Marge’s kids was inexcusable, but Marge was her main concern. Jennifer tells Bill that Jen seemed rational, but Dolores was like a mute, and everybody sat there letting Marge rip her apart. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, everybody is afraid of Marge, and thinks they should be on their best behavior to keep Marge quiet. She’s like an evil master puppeteer. Jennifer is off her rocker. I’ve never once gotten that fear vibe from any of them. Marge tells Jen that she’s not going to say a word to Jennifer at the game, or even acknowledge her.  

Dolores’s dad Lawrence comes over, and in her interview, she says she was nervous the first time he met Paulie, since her dad can be intimidating. We flash back to her telling her dad that he intimidated every boy she brought home. She says, Paulie knew how to play her dad like a fiddle. Lawrence says, if his little girl is happy, he’s happy, and in Dolores’s interview, she says, her dad is worried about her being alone, but she’s not dating to date. She’s gearing toward the future. She tells Lawrence that Paulie is going in for a heart procedure, and Paulie says, his heart skips in its rhythm. The procedure has a 90% success rate in it not happening again. Lawrence says, the family is with him, and in her interview, Dolores says, it’s scary. It’s been a long time since she was in a relationship that makes her happy, and she doesn’t want to lose it. She and Lawrence walk Dog, and Lawrence says, she seems happy. She says, Paulie is the type of man she needs in her life. He’s like Lawrence; he’s there for her and takes care of things. We flash back to Dolores telling her parents about the bad times with Frank, and in her interview, she says, Frank and the family were 100% her priority, whether Frank deserved it or not. Now Frank doesn’t need to be here. She tells her dad that she speaks less to Frank, and Lawrence says, there have to boundaries. Dolores wants Paulie to know he’s her number one man, and Lawrence thinks Paulie is good for her; they’re a good couple.

Rachel and husband John meet Melissa and Joe at the batting cages, for practice. In Rachel’s interview, she says she’s an ex-bodybuilding competitor. You have to be strong, but it doesn’t take coordination. She doesn’t often play softball, but she’s been to first base a couple times. They order food and wine, and Frank joins them. He whines about his and Dolores’s relationship not being the same, and Melissa says she doesn’t think Paulie will be as warm as David toward Frank. Frank says, Paulie is affecting the family dynamic, and in Frank’s interview, he says, it’s a shame. He was a good father, but not a good husband, and it’s one of his biggest regrets. He loves Dolores, and they worked hard to be where they are, and it’s not easy. It’s the furthest they’ve been from one another in years, and he’s sad. Melissa suggests he take a step back. Frank’s girlfriend Brittany joins them, and none of them do very well in the cages. Melissa tells them about Jennifer taking what Marge said out of context, and in her interview, she says, Jennifer is planning revenge against Marge for outing Bill’s affair, but she’s not jumping on the bandwagon.

Rachel tells Melissa about Teresa saying, it’s better to be Marge’s friend than her enemy, and Melissa says Teresa is fake, and hates Marge. In Melissa’s interview, she says she sees Louie. He’s charming and manipulating, and told Teresa to be nice to Marge. In Marge’s interview, she says she needs to stop telling the truth about them.  – Rachel says, that’s why she’s not rolling with fake parade, but she didn’t know what say. In Rachel’s interview, she says she didn’t ask anyone’s opinions, and she’s not afraid of anybody, so there’s that. Melissa says, Jennifer is trying to ice Marge out, and in her interview, Rachel says she doesn’t give a flying. She’s a good judge of character and won’t be influenced.

Dolores is informed they have at least 3500 people, and in Dolores’s interview, she says, the baseball game was a major success last year. They made $180K, but for her, this year has to be better. She has a little something-something that’s going help bring in cash. They’re going to sell the Sexy Husband Calendar at the ballpark; it’s the hottest thing ever. We see the photo of Frank in rabbit ears, and he looks like a grumpy Easter bunny. It’s so funny, I might buy it just for that. Evan and Jackie arrive, and again, I’m flummoxed as to why she’s not a wife this season. Brittany and Frank come in, followed by Marge, who says, she’s on drugs, so she’s okay. Danielle asks how it’s going after the fight with Jennifer at Jen’s house, and Marge says, if she has a fight and they make up, she thinks they made up. Jennifer is crazy, and told everyone that she’s trying to break up Melissa’s marriage. All she was doing was trying to make Melissa feel better, and said she was so gorgeous, she could be with any ballplayer. In Danielle’s interview, she says, don’t tell her that to build her up. Say her boobs look perky today, not that she should be married to someone else. Another wow. These people read a lot into nothing. Danielle says she likes Jennifer, and while Jennifer discouraged her being friends with Marge, she said she’d keep an open mind, but an eye out. She says, Teresa told her that Marge was better to be kept as a friend than an enemy, and in Marge’s interview, she says, look who’s talking. We flash back to Teresa throwing an entire table full of stuff at Marge in a restaurant, and Marge says, clearly, she’s the worst enemy known to man. In Danielle’s interview, she says she can’t wrap her head around a friend digging up dirt on another friend, and tells Marge, that’s why Jennifer is vicious. She’s struggling with who Marge is. Marge says, Jennifer is suffering, and Jennifer arrives with bland Bill.  

Oh my God. This has only been on a half hour and it feels like a year.

Jennifer says she’s not acknowledging Marge, and Marge says, charity behavior all day. It looks like the diamond is near Coney Island, where I spent a few times playing hooky from work, and spent many a weekend on Brighton Beach nearby. Teresa and Louie get there last, and in Joe #2’s interview, he says he’s keeping his distance. Teresa can switch from zero to a hundred in an instant, and he has to defend himself before it becomes ugly. They bond over the calendar, and in Teresa’s interview, she says, this is the Joey she likes. It’s the way it always should be, especially around the children. The crowd cheers Dolores, who thanks them for coming to the Battle for Brooklyn to support Maimonides Health. In Melissa’s interview, she wonders if a new ballplayer would hit better than Joe. In Joe’s interview, he says, they suck. The doctors are going to kick the sh*t out of them. In Jennifer’s interview, she says, last year, they had a professional athlete on their team. We flash back to Tiki Barber, and she says she doesn’t know if Joe #2 is tall enough to catch the ball. Rachel tells Jennifer that Olivia broke her heart, saying she wants to be a love therapist; it’s kind of ironic. Jennifer tells Rachel that Olivia never said that before. She’d wanted to be a Broadway star. In her interview, Jennifer says she never spoke about the infidelity for this reason, and doesn’t know what to do. Every time they argue, Olivia tells them to remember they love each other. She’d wanted to protect them.

Dolores explains that Paulie isn’t there because he’s going to have heart surgery tomorrow, and Melissa says she thought it was because he didn’t want to be around Frank. Frank says he misses his and Dolores’s relationship. She doesn’t take his calls, and when he texts, she replies that she’ll call him later. He was crying the other day, which is unusual. Melissa says he’s going to make her cry. Joe #2 hugs Frank, and in Dolores’s interview, she says, Frank doesn’t like change. After the divorce, nothing changed, but he can’t make her feel guilty for being in a relationship she deserves. Knock it off. The score is 8 to 2 in favor of the doctors, and in Marge’s interviews, she says, thank God the kids are stepping in; the old-timers are not doing great. In Gia’s interview, she says her cousins are growing up fast, and it reminds her that she’s not able to be there for them as much as she wants to. It feels like Joe #2 and Melissa are trying to put a wedge between them, and it doesn’t sit well with her. The final score is 9 to 8 with the RHONJ team winning. In her interview, Dolores says, it feels good to be able to do this, and she’s proud of everybody – and the $200K they raised. She can’t wait for next year. Everyone watches the fireworks after the game.

Boring Bill and Jennifer go to therapist Judy, and in Jennifer’s interview, she says, Bill has always been against therapy, but when she told him that Olivia wanted to be a love therapist, he had nothing to say, but say there in shame. He never wants to talk about anything, but it’s the key to a healthy relationship. Learning how this affected Olivia made him want to go. Judy asks what brings them here, and Jennifer says, when she was pregnant with their 4th child, Bill cheated on her. She didn’t tell anybody, and pretending like it never happened was her process. Someone found out, and brought it up, so now everybody has to process it, including the kids. Bill told their oldest son, and she told Gabriella, but Olivia saw it on TikTok. In her interview, Jennifer says, Olivia asked her if all men cheat. (The short answer: yes.) Judy says, Jennifer seems most concerned about how it affects the kids, and Jennifer says it bothers her that Olivia wants to be a therapist. When she sees them bicker, she tells them to kiss. Judy says, Olivia wants security. For ten years, Jennifer forgot and forgave, so how did Bill feel as a father when it became public. Bill says, in the kids’ eyes, their mom is perfect, and their dad is hard on them. Now with the infidelity, he can’t push the kids, and some kids need micromanagement. Jennifer says, they’re outnumbered five to two, with only one participating parent. Bill put everything on her shoulders, and she feels like an employee being told her boss doesn’t like the job she did. Bill says his job is 24/7 stress, and Jennifer says, he goes straight to the pool house when he comes home from work, and only comes in after they’ve finished dinner. What about a hello? Judy says, Bill is very silent, and Jennifer says, everything is always brushed under the rug. At this point, she’s fed up. She’s not a subordinate, but an equal partner, and needs to be met halfway. Judy tells Bill, it’s not that Jennifer doesn’t appreciate his efforts, but she feel lonely, and in her interview, Jennifer says, she’s had up to here. Show her that he cares, or she’s going to check out. Judy says, Jennifer needs Bill to be there, and suggests they address the issue at another appointment. Bill says, great, but without much enthusiasm.

Next time, a pseudo Shore weekend; Jennifer says, Melissa and Joe #2 are always Team Marge, and she probably has something on them; a Hawaiian themed party where Bill ends up crawling; Marge confronts Teresa; and Danielle hears her name coming from a conversation she’s not involved in.

🏖 On the nightmare that is Summer House, we started off by returning to Kyle’s drunken rant about Lindsay and how she’s in Carl’s ear, and I immediately wanted to shove something in Kyle’s ear. Like a railroad spike. Kyle went outside, hollering the whole way, and finishing with yelling, f*** everyone for giving Lindsay so much power. Interesting, since he seems to be the only one who’s given her power, although he’d probably just be ranting about something else if she wasn’t there. Carl just sat there, and Danielle told him to do something, like that was going to happen. He said he wasn’t going to argue with Kyle right now, and would speak to him at the right time. Danielle hunted down big baby Amanda, who was busy crying and saying she didn’t want to be here. Me neither. Kyle continued his tirade in the, saying that Lindsay was ruining everything. I’m not even sure how we got here, since this started with Amanda being upset with Danielle. He stomped back in and went to his room, while Danielle complained to Mya that Carl was saying nothing. In Carl’s interview, he said he was angry and frustrated. Kyle yelling at his girlfriend was ugly and disrespectful. The old Carl would have beat the f*** out of him, but he doesn’t want to live like that. Bravo to Carl. Ciara told Kyle to chill, since he was clearly not fine, and he said it stemmed back to Lindsay. Lindsay said she was the one who felt hurt, since she’d done nothing, yet it was all her fault. She told Sam that it was clear Amanda didn’t want to be friends. Amanda talked sh*t about her, even though Lindsay had never talked sh*t about Amanda, and Amanda and Kyle were now a package deal. Danielle said Carl just sat there while Lindsay was annihilated by Kyle, and in Lindsay’s interview, she said she wished Carl would say something, but she understood. He was trying to figure out how to communicate his feelings and emotions being a sober person. Kyle said, everybody could s*ck his fat d*ck, and Lindsay, in a moment of clarity, said she was too old for this. Kyle said he was tired of sugarcoating, while Lindsay got away with murder, clearly not remembering what he does every time he’s drunk. Hint: It’s not sugarcoating. Gabby said she was exhausted after week with Kyle, and Lindsay said she’d put in 7 years. In the morning, Amanda texted a half-assed apology to Lindsay, while Kyle said Lindsay was a horrible, sick person who his best friend thought he was going to marry. Carl apologized to Lindsay, but said he wasn’t going to fight someone who’d been drinking all day and was now saying crazy sh*t. Go Yoda Carl. Lindsay said she wasn’t upset, and Kyle said he wished he hadn’t said what he said, but didn’t regret it. Get that boy a dictionary. Carl said he could literally bury Kyle. I’ll bring the shovel.

Kyle told Amanda that the challenging part was not saying mean things, because it’s hard when you’re 12. Carly told Lindsay that he didn’t want to talk to anybody; he had nothing to say. Amanda suggested Kyle make a better effort not to let her and Lindsay’s relationship get in the way of his and Carl’s. Carl decided Kyle wasn’t his friend, and he wanted to leave. The other girls toddled to the kitchen for pizza rolls and morning beer, which Danielle dubbed the breakfast of champions. friend. Mya called Oliver and said the Craig/Lindsay situation from last year was nothing in comparison. In his interview, Chris said that summer in the Hamptons was supposed to be fun; getting away from the city to have a good time. How cute of him. The girls decided they’d be pooling today, while Carl and Lindsay got the hell out of there. Lindsay told Danielle that at the end of the day, she was 37, and didn’t need to yell and scream to get her point across. Danielle blamed it on the sad, stupid f***ing slumber party, and told Amanda that she didn’t mean what she’d said about not trusting her. In Amanda’s interview, she said she forgave Danielle because she felt Danielle’s apology was sincere. Danielle was a protective person, and fought Lindsay’s battles like no other. Kyle said he was trying to mentally get in a place where he could talk to Carl with the right words, but now Carl was gone. He felt bad and didn’t know what do, and wished he knew how bite his tongue. Um… don’t drink until ranting point? In his interview, Kyle said he hated putting Carl in an awkward situation, and he’d have to apologize, since Carl and Lindsay were a package deal. He couldn’t keep his lips shut to keep the peace. Amanda told him that he had to say he was sorry, unless he wasn’t. Kyle looked lost in thought, but he was probably thinking about his next beer.

Pool antics happened, and the housemates trickled out, departing for the week, Kyle saying it was another disastrous weekend. That’s another thing. Why the hell do these people keep doing this when it always turns out badly? Oh yeah. The definition of crazy. Back in the city, Gabby and sister Danielle played tennis with Sam and Danielle #1. After two seconds, they called a water break. Gabby said she was in between job offers, and in her interview, she said she’d been working in the fashion industry since graduating college. She worked for a magazine, ignoring the signs the job was not the best for her, and ended up fired. Now she was second guessing her new job offers. Danielle #2 said she needed to focus on what she wanted. I think all of these people should focus on getting some therapy. Carl went to Asbury Park to meet mom Sharon, and in his interview, he said she was the anchor of his life. The house was triggering, and his mom reminded him that he was capable. Of what, he didn’t say. Being sober? Sane? Too old for this? She asked if living with a girl was a pain in the ass, but Carl said he and Lindsay were a good team. Because of her support, he hadn’t had a drink in 19 months, but he was struggling to find out who he is. Sharon suggested that we all do that until we die. Carl wasn’t sure how to handle Kyle’s anger, and Sharon said she just wanted Carl content and happy. Kyle said his brother Curtis had a lasting impact on him and how he lived his life. Curtis had saved his life. He saw how it could end for him if didn’t take things seriously. This was one of those rare moments where the show is actually good.

In Gabby’s interview, she said she loved the disco era, and was planning a Studio Fifty Forest party. She said she fined people if they ruined her party. Paige arrived, and asked Danielle how the previous weekend had been. Danielle said they’d had a slumber party and played games. It started off fun, but ended dramatically. She’d unintentionally hurt Amanda’s feelings, and Lindsay piggybacked on Amanda’s stuff. Kyle yelled about Lindsay, and Lindsay and Carl left early. Paige said, oh great. I can’t wait for the weekend. She got lucky though, since Kyle and Amanda were at a family reunion. Danielle said she thought family time did a soul good, and Paige said, as she got older, she found herself wanting to hang out with her parents. Little by little, everyone arrived, and Sam said she’d had a date with an Australian guy named Tim, who was potentially coming by for this weekend’s party. In Sam’s interview, she said they’d met in Montauk, and it was the best date she’d had in a year, and she has high standards. The girls talked about dating, and Gabby griped about a Taurus she’d gone out with. Sam wondered why she kept the door partially closed just for an astrology sign. Carl and Lindsay showed up, and Sam asked if it was going to be weird now with Kyle and Amanda, but they weren’t sure.

The housemates went dancing, and had green tea shots, which actually sounded good. In Danielle’s interview, she said she wasn’t used to seeing Carl and Lindsay isolating themselves. Remember her? Ah, third wheel syndrome. Gabby said it was interesting being with people who didn’t know her, and it made her reexamine how people see her. She had undealt with trauma, and didn’t trust herself. She felt immobilized, worrying if she’d make the wrong decision. These people must have other friends, right? Right? Danielle and Ciara had to explain to Gabby that they needed alcohol and food for the party, since she was used to hiring people to deal with that. They decorated, and Gabby said the theme of the party said she was extra. Mya told Ciara that she hadn’t cracked the Gabby code yet, and Ciara said, Gabby was missing out on authenticity.

Carl told Chris and Sam that he was doing his best to navigate coming back, but didn’t want to be around people who treated people like that. The girls, minus Lindsay who was glued to Carl, talked about Lindsay drinking again. Ciara said her dad was an alcoholic, and her parents had no alcohol at their wedding, and there was never any in the house to support him. They agreed Carl was moving too fast, and Danielle said he was talking about getting engaged, which was crazy, since you lived a fairytale for the first year.

Next time, a dachshund who catches ping pong balls; awkwardness; Carl asks if Kyle even likes him; Danielle says, Lindsay is so defensive it’s annoying; and Mya thinks it’s all going to lead to resentment.

🤡 Amusing moment. On Watch What Happens Live, guest Chloe Fineman mixed up Keith Urban with Keith Richards.

✈️ Gotta Jet…

Join me tomorrow for soap and VanderHappenings. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your head above water even if it means treading, and stay not giving a partial truth, and robbing someone of the ability to make a choice.