Tag Archives: Winter Things

January 17, 2025 – Michael Gets the Final Say, Soap Suds, Not My Reality, Weekend Watching, Plus One, Getting There, Gate in the City, Exit Interview, Good Guy, Awards, The Players, Hebodomad Quotes & Things

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday:

Willow said she was in charge of Michael’s medical care, and Michael went into cardiac arrest. Portia said Willow had the right to make decisions about Michael’s medical care, and Drew told Carly and Sonny, hand over the kids and they’d have access, like the trashbag he is. Carly said, Drew was pushing things to point of no return, so Willow would have no one to turn to but him. Nina finally talked Sonny into giving the kids back, and Willow thanked Drew because she’s an idiot in love with a trashbag.

Cody wanted to invest in crypto, but Tracy said it would be better to set his money on fire. Alrighty then. But later, Cody told Brad to call his Aunt Selina because he had a sure thing bet on football after he’d talked to Kai for 3 minutes. Later, Portia said she wanted to use Brad’s talent for bending the rules to find out what patients had gotten digitalis without it being prescribed. Brad was a busy guy this week.

Lulu told Laura about what happened in Prague and asked when Laura was going to tell her that Anna had shot Charlotte. She said she thought Dante was right in that she’d led the shooter to Valentin. Laura promised to help Lulu find Charlotte again.

Isaiah told Lucas that they could choose to do something, and risk Michael dying, or do nothing, and Michael would definitely die. He chose to do something and gave Michael a medication that counteracted the digitalis. Isaiah told Portia what happened with Michael, and they came to the genius conclusion that, someone in this hospital is killing people with digitalis.

Tracy and Stella talked about Monica, which was like a knife to the heart knowing that Leslie Charleson had passed away.

Tuesday:

Lucky talked to a woman from the Port Charles Redemption Mission and found out Cyrus’s focus was on patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Lucas told Elizabeth about Michael and how Isaiah had given him digoxin immune FAB to counteract the digitalis. Lucky said they had to figure out what connected all the digitalis victims and why Cyrus would want them dead. Jason told Sonny that whoever planted the bomb in the penthouse would try again.

Willow told the kids that Michael was in the hospital. Dante told Sonny what happened in Prague. Josslyn conferred with Lucky about Cyrus.

Drew showed up at Nina’s and after she slammed the door in his face, she let him in.  She said he’d moved Willow away from what she loved and valued with the sick hold he had over her and gave him the business. She said Drew wouldn’t know love if it jumped up and bit him in the ass.

Tracy said she’d help Lulu if she had a solid lead, but Lulu needed to be more strategic and less emotional. Jason suggested the clinic in St. Petersburg where he’d been held hostage for Michael’s treatment, since Ava had her burns treated there. Sasha helped trick Willow into letting the kids go to the main house, and Tracy said, they weren’t leaving. Martin argued with Tracy about letting the kids go with Willow. Felicia said Jason and Carly had to leave the ICU, and Nina told Sonny that he had to go to the Quartermaines and get the kids from Tracy.

Wednesday:

Lucky and Elizabeth went to Beradino’s where Cyrus works. Josslyn went to Anna about Cyrus stabbing Dex. Alexis spoke to Drew about Sam’s wishes for Scout. Drew decided to commute to DC rather than live there. Carly wanted to call a press conference and out Drew, but Felicia told her not to make it worse than it already was.

Sonny talked to Tracy, who told him that Drew was the enemy and to handle him accordingly. Trina and Gio watched the game at The Brown Dog, and Emma showed up. (Since she was nuEmma, I didn’t realize she was also the pickpocket in Rice Plaza.) Cody was also at the bar. Alexis said Scout needed consistency and stability, and Drew said, maybe Willow was what she needed. Alexis wondered if it was less what Scout needed, and more what Drew needed. Tracy reminded Sonny that Michael was AJ’s son.

Felicia needed a drink, and Sasha was her designated driver. Elizabeth chatted Cyrus up while Lucky was in the bathroom, then suggested to Lucky that she volunteer at the mission. Carly asked Jack about the Boronsky clinic, and he said it no longer existed, but the burn expert was now in Germany. Carly badgered him about getting Michael into the German clinic. Jason showed up at the Quartermaines and asked Tracy to please give the children back. Tracy said it was the first time he’d ever said please, but then pulled the Monica card. Alexis suggested Scout move in with her, but Drew wasn’t having it. Anna questioned Cyrus, but Josslyn blew everything and alerted him to the investigation. Tracy said, for once in Jason’s life, don’t choose Sonny, choose his family, and he did.

Thursday:

Chase got checked out and Brook went to see Dr. Navarro. She told the doctor about her teenage pregnancy, and Dr. Navarro told her that it should have no impact on her trying to get pregnant now. Nina suggested Willow compromise, but Willow was all about what Drew said. She thought Nina was asking her to bow down to Carly and Sonny, but Nina said Willow needed empathy. Lay down her weapons and maybe they’d lay down theirs. Tracy said using the kids as bargaining chips wasn’t going to fly. They were where Monica wanted them and that’s where they were staying. (Keep twisting those knives.)

Kai ended up in the hospital and Cody had to pay off his bet. Carly told Tracy about transferring Michael to the burn expert, and asked how far Tracy would go if it was Ned. Tracy said, as far as she had to. Nina told Ava what was going on and that Willow’s life was in shambles because of Drew. Dante talked to Cody about Lulu, and Cody said, Dante could keep doing what he was doing and get shut out, or do things Lulu’s way.

Trina visited Kai in the hospital. Tracy sympathized with what Carly was going through as a mother, but it was about what Carly had put the family through for years. Tracy suggested Carly and Sonny find another way. Nina discussed the Willow/Drew situation with Ava. Selina tried to get Cody back in the game, and Dante wondered what was up, but Cody told Dante that he was okay. Alexis talked to Curtis about Drew. Nina wanted to get Willow thinking for herself again, and Ava said, tell Willow who he really is. When they were falling in love, he was having sex with her mother. Chase told Tracy that she couldn’t keep Wiley and Amelia from Willow and this had to stop. Willow asked to see Carly.

Friday’s Enchilada:

In her office, Brook leaves a voicemail for Chase that she’s done with her appointment and Dr. Navarro was super positive. She should get her test results soon, but maybe they should do something to relax, like spend a weekend in New York City. Have dinner and see a show, just them, and they can have baby making time. They’ll figure it out tonight. She loves him. Lulu comes in and asks if she’s interrupting.

Chase says, Tracy can’t keep the kids from their mom, and Tracy says, not him too. He has no idea how many times she’s had this conversation today. She was hoping for a break. He says, they’ve been through a lot, and he’d like to think they could be honest with each other. She says she’s going to stop him. He makes her granddaughter so happy, and she holds his entire family in the highest regard, so she’s going to put this as nicely as she can – butt out.

At the gallery, Lucas shows Ava a video on this phone, and she says, look how well Avery is dancing. Her costume is perfect. Lucas says, Avery was so proud. She wanted to make sure he recorded the rehearsal for Ava. She thanks him for bringing it, and he says he wanted to return the favor for her talking him down on Christmas Eve. She says, of course (🍷). She can’t stop thinking about the fire at Sonny’s. She’s so grateful Avery wasn’t there. She asks if they know the cause yet, but he says, all he knows is that the police are looking into it.

At Beradino’s, Cody looks at a cashier’s check and says he was so close to making his dreams come true. He sees Drew and walks over to him. He says he’d tell Drew that it’s nice to see him, but he’s far too sober to lie.  

Jordan starts a conversation with Martin near the bar, but then sees Drew and Cody and says she’s needed over there. Drew asks if Cody is disappointed that there’s’ nothing left to blackmail him with, and Cody says, you smug… Jordan tells him, don’t even think about it.

Outside Michael’s room, Willow says she’s glad Carly is here. She was hoping to talk with her and Sonny. Sonny joins them, and Willow thanks them for getting here so fast. Sonny says, it sounded important, and Willow says she knows they’re upset, and she understands why. She’s hoping they can find a way forward that works for them both. Carly asks if that means she’s going to let them see their son.

Chase tells Tracy that he’s had a front row seat for everything that happened with Michael and Willow because he’s friends with them both. He’s begging her not to make it more difficult. She says, it’s not difficult; it’s simple. The children are going nowhere. He tells her that everyone says she’s acting out of spite, but he doesn’t believe that. He saw how she helped his dad and Finn. Through all the snarky and sarcastic comments, he knows nothing means more to her than family. He knows she thinks she’s helping protect the kids, but he promises she’s only causing more drama.

Brook asks if Lulu needs help, and Lulu says she was looking for Maxie, but she can hang out in the waiting area. Brook says, she’s better off texting. Maxie is meeting with a vendor, and her afternoon is booked solid with interviews. Lulu says, that’s why she’s here. She was hoping to be one of them. Brook asks if she’s applying for a job at Deception.

Ava tells Lucas that she knows firsthand what Michael is going through. It’s a horrible, painful ordeal. Have they arrested anybody for setting the fire? Lucas says she doesn’t think so. Anna and Chase were at the hospital to question Michael, but he was in no shape to talk. Ava says, he was injured because of Sonny, and Lucas says she knows what she’s thinking, but Avery is completely safe. He sees her all the time. If he had doubts about Avery’s safety, he’d tell her. She says, of course (🍷) she worries about her little girl. She’s glad Lucas gets to see Avery so much and came to show her the video. Will he do one little favor for her? He says, it depends, and she says, give Avery a hug and tell her how much her mama loves her. He says he’ll do it tonight after work. He’s headed there now. She asks him to send her the video and he says he will. He leaves, and Ava makes a call. She says, I need to see you right away.

Cody tells Jordan that he has no beef with the congressman, but it seems the congressman might have one with him. Drew says he does, but Jordan says, neither of them need to get into anything in a public place. Cody should go. Cody says, gladly. He’ll see Drew around. Have a terrible day. He hopes Jordan’s day is a pleasant one. He leaves and Drew says, nice to see Jordan’s got his back, and she says, it looked like he was the one escalating things. What was it about and what did he do?

Willow says, the situation between her and Michael is being made more difficult with everyone getting involved. Michael wouldn’t want her separated from their kids. Carly says she had the kids and sent them to the Quartermaines, and Sonny says, she did what she thought was right at the time. Carly says she had no idea Tracy would hold them hostage, and Willow says, the kids are worried sick about Michael. Carly says, Wiley called her. He’s wondering what happened. Willow says, he called her too and asked when daddy was coming home. Carly says, Sonny made a good faith effort, and Sonny says, but Tracy refuses to let them go. Carly says, Tracy has no right to keep them and can’t legally. They’ll figure out a way to get them back. Willow says she hopes Carly is right. She needs to trust her own judgement about what’s best for her children and Michael and she’s come to a decision.

Ric walks into the gallery and asks, what’s so important? Ava says, Avery’s life is in danger. He needs to petition the court for an emergency custody order for her to have Avery full-time. Ric says he thought Carly had Avery, and Ava says she assumes he heard about the fire. It was no accident. Ric says, of course (🍷). Any time there’s a catastrophe in Sonny or Jason’s vicinity, it’s some attacker seeking retribution. She says, what if Avery had been there? She could have been burned like Michael. It’s terrifying. He says he’s sorry. As a father, he understands, but the court won’t see it as a reason for an emergency change in custody. Avery was nowhere near there at the time of the fire. She was with Carly and Donna where she has a bedroom and where she’s lived most of her life. Ava says, if he won’t file it, maybe she should find herself a lawyer who will. He says, that’s her right, but they’ll tell her the same thing. Wait until the right moment to make her move. She tells him, says the absentee father, and he says, it’s no reason to get personal. She says, sorry, but she could never understand how he could stay away from Molly for so long. It kills her not seeing Avery every day. He says, one of his biggest regrets is not being able to be a presence in Molly’s life, and she says, what if he was in her place and Molly was in danger? What would he do? He says he’d move heaven and earth to keep her safe, and she asks why he’s telling her the opposite. He says he wants her to fight, but be smart. Her current custody battle with Sonny is going to be very long and very expensive. She says she may be overextended at the moment, but it’s not like she’s living in the street, and he says, then why hasn’t she paid him?

Lulu says she’s here to apply for the job, and Brook says, it’s an assistant position. Wasn’t Lulu’s last job as a reporter at The Invader? Lulu says, that was four years ago. Deception needs an assistant, and she needs a job. They don’t all have trust funds. Brook says she doesn’t care what Lulu thinks, but every job she’s had, outside the music industry and in, she’s stood on her own and earned her own paycheck, Lulu says, like when Brook was paid to seduce Dante? (very mature) and Brook says she did that and it was a lapse in judgement. She and Dante have moved past that. Lulu says she didn’t get the memo, and Brook says she lives in her family’s home with her husband. Dante and Rocco live there too, and they all get along great. They let go of something that was a lifetime ago and they’ve moved on. Lulu says, Brook is being condescending, when Maxie comes in. She says she sees they’re getting along as great as ever, and Brook’s phone dings. After reading a text, she says she needs to go home and talk to her husband. She leaves Lulu in Maxie’s capable hands. She trusts Maxie will make the right decision. She leaves and Maxie asks Lulu what they were arguing about this time.

Tracy says she didn’t realize Chase had a psychiatric degree to go with the police badge, but he says he doesn’t need a degree to read her. She says, since he’s an expert in her behavior, what is she going to say next? and he says, she’s going to argue that Willow can’t be trusted because she cheated on Michael with Drew. Drew will never be a real Quartermaine, and even though she doesn’t like Michael, he’s a real Quartermaine. Family’s got to stick together. How did he do? She says she’s delighted they’re on the same page. Now drop the entire thing. He says, there’s one more thing. She left out something important. Wiley and Amelia are Michael’s kids, but they’re also Willow’s kids, and they need their mom.

Willow says, Michael would want both Carly and Sonny to be with him during this and she won’t stand in their way. Carly thanks her and looks through Michael’s room window. Sonny thanks Willow and says he knows how difficult the decision is. She says she’s not sure how it got so messy, and he says, they’re both grateful she’s letting them see Michael. She says, Michael has done so much for her. He gave her the gift of family and supported her dreams even when they changed. All she wants is for him to get better and be with the kids again. Portia joins them and says she needs to discuss the next step in Michael’s recovery with Willow. Willow looks at Carly.

Tracy says, Chase is disposed to favor Willow, seeing her as a well-meaning angel led astray, but Chase says, that’s not true. She says she watched the congressman’s hubris in taking Willow and Wiley to the inauguration. She saw the pictures. Willow, Wiley, and Scout, the perfect readymade family. He had no concern whether Michael or Monica would see the photos. Chase says, Michael and Monica are adults. This is about two kids who need their mom. Tracy says, their mother does not put them first. She does.

Lulu says, a miracle recovery doesn’t pay the bills. She needs a job. Maxie says, at Deception? and Lulu says she saw the ad, but she didn’t want to put Maxie on the spot, so she tried other places. The Invader is under new management, and nothing else panned out. Maxie says, she’s overqualified, but Lulu says she just needs to make money. Maxie asks if she’s interested in cosmetics, and Lulu says, not really, but she wasn’t into fashion and she was still good at her job at Crimson. Maxie says, what about the Brook factor? and Lulu says she promises to be on her best behavior working with Brook. Maxie says, she’d be working under Brook, and Lulu asks if she’d be Brook’s assistant. Maxie says, since they hate each other, she doesn’t see it going well, but Lulu tells her that she wouldn’t say hate. It’ll be fine, but it’s weird that Brook and Maxie are BFFs now. When did that happen?

At the hospital, Cody says, just the man he didn’t want to see, and Brad pulls him aside. He says he told Cody that he’d text. Coming to where he works is not cool. Cody hands him the check, and says, it’s most of the money he owes Selina. Brad says, most of it? He placed a bet with his aunt for Cody and not he can’t pay up? Lucas sees them.

Ava says she’s working to secure funds. She’ll get the money. Ric says, she could work harder, and she says she’s good at what she does. She’s in communication with some long-term clients who are experienced collectors. She just wants her daughter with her. He says, she needs to dig in for the long haul. They both know how Sonny is with his kids. He’s territorial and had his share of custody battles and won. At least Avery is close by and safe. Watch and wait. Patience is the key. Sidwell walks in and asks if someone can assist him. Ava says, of course (🍷), and introduces herself as the owner of the gallery. She asks what she can do for him, and he says he’s brand new to Port Charles and stumbled on her lovely gallery. He’s Jenz Sidwell. She says, it’s nice to meet him, and Ric introduces himself, shaking hands with Sidwell. Sidwell says, since Ava owns this fine establishment, perhaps she can guide him to which painting is worthy of his attention.

Jordan asks what Drew was trying to accomplish starting a fight, but Drew says, Cody approached him. She tells him, stop looking innocent, and he says he just doesn’t trust Cody. She asks who he does trust. Look around. Is there anyone currently talking to him who isn’t on his payroll? He says he’s guessing Curtis filled her in on what happened at Aurora, and she says she’s aware of the issue. He says he hopes she’s aware that he was giving Curtis a promotion, a huge raise, and complete control of the wellness division. She says, that’s his problem. It’s not about the money. It’s about how he treats his friends who were always loyal. Curtis values honesty and Drew lied. Drew says he never lied, and she says she stands corrected. He misled Curtis. He let Curtis think he was going to be CEO. It’s less betrayal in his books, but in hers, it’s semantics.

Portia says she’d like to speak with Willow in private, but Willow says, Carly and Sonny can hear too, so they can all discuss options. Portia says, good. They got Michael a bed in the Johns Hopkins burn unit. It’s the best hospital in the country and vacancies are rare. Willow says, he’ll be close enough to visit, but Carly says she might have a better option.

Chase says, Tracy can get herself in trouble if she doesn’t turn over the children, but she says she’s not afraid of litigation. He says he’s talking about criminal charges, and she laughs. She says, the carrot didn’t work, so now he’s bringing out the stick and threatening her. Good luck with that. She’s faced down worse. Brook walks in and asks why Tracy is picking a fight with her husband.

Maxie says she’ll have to fill Lulu in on her relationship with Peter August another time over a bottle of wine. And when she says, bottle of wine, she means several shots of tequila. Lulu asks what that has to do with Brook, and Maxie says, Brook was there for her in a big way. Lulu tells her, if you say so, and Maxie says, Lulu may not want to hear it, but Brook is a good person. She’s flawed and made questionable choices, but who hasn’t? Brook has been a good friend. Lulu says she’s glad Brook was there when Maxie needed someone, but something about Brook always rubs her the wrong way. She plays at being Bensonhurst, but has the Quartermaine name and fortune to fall back on. Maxie says she’s not buying that. Lulu is obviously upset, but she doesn’t think it’s about Brook. What’s really going on? Lulu says, Charlotte.

Ava says she’ll show Sidwell around. Ric was just leaving. Ric says he’d like to stick around and watch her work, and she says, art is subjective. What speaks to someone depends. She asks Sidwell to tell her something about himself so she can steer him in the right direction. He says he’s an importer looking for a North American base, so he moved to Port Charles. Ric asks, where’s his house? and Sidwell says, it’s an old, gothic residence on Spoon Island. Ava says, he bought Windymere? And he asks if she’s familiar with it. She says she used to live there, and Sidwell laughs.

Cody says he thought he had luck, but it was not his lady, and Brad says he’s $5000 short. Cody says he’s good for it, and Brad says he’ll tell his aunt. Maybe they can work out something. Cody says he’s never going to use the term sure thing again. He jinxed himself. Brad says he’s sorry, and Cody says he’s got to go. Brad walks over to Lucas and says, it’s not what it looks like. What he saw isn’t what he thinks.

Jordan tells Drew that she’s the last one to cast stones. TJ’s father was her husband’s best friend. The issue isn’t how he chooses his relationships. It’s how he treats the people in his life. Drew asks if she realizes that Curtis was just as deceptive in stealing Aurora, but she says, he led Curtis to believe he’d be permanent CEO, then went behind Curtis’s back and promised the job to Michael. Drew says he was trying to make peace, but it was a futile effort, and she says, stop. She doesn’t want to hear his explanations. He dug a hole for himself and if he doesn’t start making amends, he’s going to be alone and isolated. She believes he’s a better man than his recent actions indicate, so she’s going to give him some advice. Start mending fences. She leaves, and Martin joins Drew. He says he guesses it’s safe to assume the appropriate amount of rain has gone down on him from his constituents.   

Carly explains there was a groundbreaking procedure to remove scar tissue in a burn unit used by the Boronsky Clinic in St. Petersburg, Russia. It’s now closed, but the doctor is working in Germany. Willow asks if she wants to send Michael to Germany and asks if Portia has heard of the procedure. Portia says, no, never, but Carly says, the results are incredible, and Jack Brennan was able to secure a space in the clinic. Sonny asks if they can talk privately, and they step away. He asks why she didn’t tell him before, and she says she wanted to make sure it was possible. Michael can make a full recovery with no scars. He says he’s not sure, it’s so far away, but she says, you can’t even tell Ava was burned. She wants that result for Michael and Sonny has to trust her that this is the best thing. She’ll be there every minute of every day. She gets that he doesn’t trust Jack, but doesn’t he trust her?  

Carly tells Willow that the clinic has had incredible results, but Willow says she doesn’t think it’s best for Michael. He needs to be nearby so they can visit. Portia says she has no information, so she has to advise against it, and Willow says she’s not comfortable with Michael so far away and the doctors not having vetted the procedure. Carly says, he’ll make a full recovery, but Portia says, his burns are quite severe. Carly says, they’ve already seen the results. No one is able to tell that Ava had third degree burns. Willow says, Michael won’t have his family, and she knows Johns Hopkins is a great hospital. It’s her preference. Sonny says he thinks Michael should make the decision, and Willow says, that means waking him up. Portia says, it will cause immense pain, but Sonny says, it’s Michael’s life and he should make the call. Carly says she knows Michael wouldn’t want them to make the decision for him, and Willow says, she’s right. Michael has to decide for himself. Wake him up and let him choose. Portia says, okay, but only one of them can go in and talk to him, and Sonny says, that would be Carly. Willow says she agrees.

Sidwell says, it’s nice he and Ava have Windymere in common. How was her time there? Ava says, it was eventful, and he asks, what made her leave such a magnificent home, if she doesn’t mind him asking. She says she was living there with her husband and they split up, and he says he’s sorry to hear that. She says, he’s being kind, but she’s moved on, and he says he’s glad to hear that. He’s a firm believer in second chances and kismet. How else could you explain him wandering into her gallery? He sees she has the taste and expertise he needs to help him choose the right art to make his new home his own. Ava says she happens to have the perfect painting in mind and steers him to a large modern art canvas. She says, this painting is by talented Greek artist from Crete. He’s a marvelous painter and a talented sculptor. Sidwell says, the light in the study will make this a vibrant addition to his collection, and she says she loves the artist and would love to show him more of their work. They walk to the next room and Ric follows.

Tracy tells Brook that she and Chase disagree. He believes she should give Wiley and Amelia back to Willow and she refuses. Brook says, because of Monica, and Tracy says, the children are Monica’s only saving grace. They put a smile on her face and they’re going to take that away? Brook says, they all love Monica, and Tracy says she’s glad they agree. The last thing Monica needs is more stress. Brook wonders, if Monica asks, is Tracy going to tell her that she needs to be their mother, especially if their father can’t be there for them?

Maxie says she’s happy that Dante brought Lulu home safe, but she’s sorry Valentin ran off with Charlotte. If it was one of her kids, she’d be going crazy. Lulu says she needs to find Charlotte and it’s going to take a lot of money. Maxie says, good thing her stepmom is an heiress who loves her, and Lulu says her mother and stepmother agreed to help her, but they want to wait and see what Valentin’s next step is. She needs Charlotte home now. Maxie says, Lulu never liked waiting, and Lulu says, Maxie knows her well. Maxie says, she can’t galivant across the world when she doesn’t even know the country, and Lulu says she doesn’t know where her daughter is. Charlotte lost four years of life living without her mother. She needs something she can control and the only thing she came up with was getting a job. Maxie says she gets that, and Lulu says, it’s not just the money. She wants to get a place where she and Rocco can live, and Charlotte when she finds her. Maxie says, it makes sense. Lulu was always Miss Independence, eager to get on with life. Lulu says, life has moved on and she’s racing to catch up instead falling farther back.

Drew says he’s not discussing his personal life with Martin, but Martin says, as a survivor of three divorces, does Drew mind if he offers some unsolicited advice? The heart wants what it wants, and you can’t help who you fall in love with. Drew says, exactly. He’s not going to apologize for how he feels about Willow. Martin says, as long as he stays true to his feelings, and does the best he can for himself and for the woman he’s involved with. Drew thanks him and says, that’s actually what he wanted to talk about. They sit down, and Drew says, Willow is in the hospital with Michael, as it should be, but the situation with the children is up in the air. They need to get Wiley and Amelia away from the Quartermaines and back with Willow where they belong. Martin tells him, easier said. Tracy is holding them, and he wonders if there’s a more amiable opponent he could be set up with. Like Stalin or Vlad the Impaler. Genghis Kahn comes to mind. Drew says, Tracy has no legal rights, and Martin says, she’s well-connected with deep pockets and knows how to work the system to her benefit. It’s one hell of a combination to go up against. Drew says, she thinks she’s safe behind the walls of privilege and money, but she’s wrong. He’ll do anything to reunite the children with Willow.

Wearing a sanitary jumpsuit, Carly goes into Michael’s room and says his name. He looks at her, obviously in pain.

Sidwell gives Ava a check and says he’s thrilled with his new painting. He enjoyed their talk on art. Perhaps she can come over and help him with the placement. He’d also love any suggestions on future purchases. She says, it’s her pleasure, and he says, it’s lovely to meet them both. He’ll see them soon he hopes. He kisses Ava’s hand and leaves. Ric says, it was enlightening to watch her work, and she says she barely lifted a finger, but she knows how to close a deal. Ric says, yes, you do, and takes the check from her. She says she just earned it, and he says he appreciates her first payment for his services.

Brad tells Lucas that Cody wanted him to place a bet on the PCU game with his aunt. He didn’t want to, but Cody was persistent, so he called his Aunt Selina. Cody lost and this is his payment to her. Lucas says he sees, and Brad says, once he delivers it to her, he’s not going to see her again, he swears. Lucas says, thanks for telling him, but Brad doesn’t owe him any explanations. Brad says he knows he doesn’t, but Lucas taught him that telling the truth is important, so he wanted Lucas to know. Lucas says he appreciates that.  

Maxie says she knows what Lulu is going through. She’s been there. Lulu says, now Maxie has it all – an amazing career, her children together under one roof, and a wonderful relationship with Spinelli. Maxie says she went through a lot of trial and error. No one trusted her to make her own decisions since she was shown to be flaky. She thinks Lulu is already taking the right steps to ensure the life she wants, and Maxie believes she’ll make it happen. Lulu says she needs to have a job if she really wants to make it happen. Maxie says she needs to know that Lulu can put her history with Brook aside and get along working together. Does she think she can do that?  

Chase says he gets that Tracy has the best intentions, but at the end of the day, it’s not her call. Tracy says, Brook’s husband is brave standing up to her, but she doesn’t understand why he’s defending Willow. Brook says, he’s trying to keep the peace, and Tracy should listen to him. Martin and Drew walk in along with an officer, and Tracy says, back so soon? Holding out a paper, Martin says, it’s an official order signed by a judge. They’re allowed to take Willow Corinthos’s children back to her. Drew tells Martin to ask the nanny to get the kids ready, but Tracy says, it’s a waste of time. She can’t comply. They’re not here. Drew asks where they are, and she says she hasn’t the foggiest. He says, the officer knows what to do, and the officer takes out handcuffs. Chase tells him to put those away, but he says he’s sorry. The congressman wants her arrested. Tracy pulls away and says, don’t touch her, and Drew says, resisting arrest. The officer says, she did touch him, and Tracy says, he’s so going to regret this.

Sonny says he’s glad they were able to come together to do what’s best for Michael, and Willow says, Michael is going through something terrible. He’s lucky that he has Sonny and Carly to fight for him. Not everyone has that kind of unconditional love in their life. Sonny says, they’re the lucky ones to have Michael as their son.

Michael says, mom? and Carly says she’s here. And his dad is out there. They’re here to do everything they can to help him get better, but they need his help. Tell them how to make the choice he needs.

On Tuesday (see below), Willow asks Drew if she ruined her chance of getting Wiley and Amelia back; Anna asks if someone is the one who planted the device in the penthouse; and Ava asks Sonny to do what’s best for their daughter before it’s too late.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daytime-soaps-preempted-on-monday-january-20-2025

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

The most important story.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/gh-alum-vinessa-antoine-asks-for-help-finding-her-brother

She will be greatly missed. After all, Alan gave her the house. It’s so weird how they must have filmed in advance, yet they’re talking up a storm about her on the show.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-star-leslie-charleson-dead-at-79

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daytime-stars-remembers-leslie-charleson

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/wally-kurths-heartfelt-tribute-to-leslie-charleson

You never know. On All My Children, Bobby Martin came back after 40+ years of polishing his skis upstairs.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chad-duell-opens-up-about-his-gh-exit-and-return-plans

Don’t do it. It’s not him.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-warns-do-not-donate-to-a-gofundme-in-his-name

💉 A Dose of Reality…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Once again Gary proves himself to be an idiot. The guests wanted some of the crew to join on a night out, and Captain Glenn, being the decent soul he is, told Daisy, Gary, Keith, and Chase, two drink maximum. And if they came back drunk, they’d forfeit their share of the tip. Gary had 10 drinks. 10. Then got pissed off when the captain called him on it. Classic Gary.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

The episode focused a lot on PK and Kyle’s friendship, and Dorit’s reaction. Of course, Kyle is never wrong and while I often think Dorit is wrong – and her reactions are over the top – I can’t disagree with her on this one. If one of my close friends was texting with my estranged husband, they would no longer be my close friend. Kyle whined that Dorit made it sound like she was being inappropriate. Doubtful anyone thinks she’s got it going on with PK, but it is inappropriate for her to be buddy-buddy with her friend’s almost ex. Let’s just call it what it is now – Memegate. Garcelle, Kyle, and Sutton took Erika to Chuck E. Cheese for her birthday. A good time was had by all. It actually looked a lot more fun than any of their formal parties.

Real Housewives of New York City

If I was on a trip to Puerto Rico, I wouldn’t have the bandwidth to argue about a dead pigeon. I’d be too busy swimming in the possibly-less-than-blue water and eating local cuisine. The women did synchronized swimming at Jenna’s instruction. Apparently, she’s quite a fan of it, and it was pretty amusing until Raquel got whacked in the forehead by Jenna’s elbow. That Jenna, always full of surprises. Ubah was out of control, and Erin can’t win. If she fights back, she loses. If she walks away, she loses. As usual, Jenna and Raquel were the voices of reason. Next time, the finale.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake CIty

Heather suggested a fun dinner party game where the women pulled out the worst thing they had said about one of the others on their phone and shared it with the group. As you might have guessed, this didn’t go over all that well, and resulted in tears and Lisa running from the table after someone read something about John. Oh, horrors.

Bonus scene.

Southern Charm

Once again, two men acted like middle school girls – that would be Austen and Craig – while Whitney pretended to be the voice of reason. In her interview, Madison said she and Brett thought that Austen and Craig would be the couple least likely to break up, but it looks like they did. Craig dared to meet with JT, and Austen wasn’t having it, but it was just the opening Craig needed to scrape Austen from his shoe. As little as I like JT, I don’t get why some of them keep harping on him calling Patricia a bitch, when the footage shows clearly that he didn’t, and most of them don’t believe it anyway. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and sometimes an a-hole is right too.

Southern Hospitality

I just couldn’t even this week, but here you go.

Random Events

BTW, Bill was not happy.

https://people.com/rhonj-star-jennifer-aydin-uninvited-from-housewives-cruise-after-viral-outburst-jersey-mikes-8771411

Amazing timing.

https://people.com/karen-huger-enters-rehab-skips-real-housewives-of-potomac-season-9-reunion-after-dui-8772200

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Borderlands. It was hard to find something that was at least partially positive. There are plenty of worse films, although I actually enjoyed this. Perhaps because I’m unfamiliar with the games. I’m definitely in agreement with the writer that Night Swim was a total waste of time.

https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/movies/borderlands-isnt-the-worst-movie-of-the-year-despite-what-the-internet-wants-you-to-think

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action. A fascinating look at a man who began as someone I admired, but chose to serve money and ratings rather than the greater good. I’d known about the coaching, but not about the murder connected to the show. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and this was just sad.

https://screenrant.com/jerry-springer-fights-camera-action-tv-review/

https://screenrant.com/jerry-springer-documentary-netflix-shocking-reveals-list/

The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. I’m there for a cult story, but missed this somehow. While this documentary has been around a while, they’ve been showing it recently on TLC, so I caught it. I have some vague memory of her in the news, but had no idea how messy this got. And the hair… What’s with the hair?

https://people.com/human-interest/what-to-know-about-gwen-shamblin-lara-hbo-max-the-way-down/

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/the-way-down-hbo-max-review

🔍 One To Watch…

IMO, Baylen Out Loud is what reality TV should be about. I’m rooting for this girl, and with a supportive family like she has, I think she’ll make it after all.

https://people.com/baylen-dupree-struggles-with-boyfriend-upcoming-air-force-relocation-in-new-tlc-series-8773525

https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/baylen-out-loud-season-1-trailer-tiktok-star-takes-on-adulthood-while-tackling

🤹‍♀️ Upcoming Awaited Seasons…

The latest on The Last of Us.

https://deadline.com/feature/the-last-of-us-season-2-cast-release-date-everything-to-know-1235940502/

While you wait.

https://collider.com/grounded-last-of-us-part-2-documentary-youtube/

An understandable pause for Fallout.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/fallout-season-2-production-pause-la-fires

An Squid Game accident? Really? Highly doubtful.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/squid-game-season-3-release-date-2025-netflix

👠 They’re Not Wrong…

Sex and get away from my front door in the City.

https://ew.com/carrie-sex-and-the-city-apartment-iron-gate-tourists-8774330

☕️ His Final Thoughts…

I never did understand Eraserhead, but he did some fine work.

https://people.com/david-lynch-expressed-hope-over-divided-country-in-one-of-last-interviews-exclusive-8776098

🥇 A Mighty Fine Man…

It’s such a shame about his health issues, but he’s blessed to have such a wonderful family to support him.

https://people.com/bruce-willis-seen-in-public-dementia-diagnosis-la-police-officers-8775698

🏆 Awards Corner…

No surprise, GH is in the running.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/2025-writers-guild-awards-daytime-drama-nominees-announced

The BAFTA noms.

https://ew.com/2025-bafta-awards-nominations-full-list-8774808

🐕 No Gutter Balls Here…

I want them all.

https://ew.com/puppy-bowl-2025-meet-adoptable-dog-players-8773005

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/puppy-bowl-players-2025-super-bowl

☃️ Quotes of the Week

Just because my heart is beating doesn’t mean I’m alive. – Ish Williams (Alexander Ludwig), Earth Abides

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man (and woman) which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. – Blaise Pascal

You don’t break habits, you replace them. – Coach Mike Bayer

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Michael Jordan (Or kick it down.)

Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker. – Hilary ‘Zig’ Ziglar

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. – Spencer Johnson

She took every bit of power I had and left me with household appliances. – Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), Agatha All Along

🌉 Taking a Sentimental Journey…

Until next week, stay safe, stay warm, and stay valuing honesty.

December 27, 2021 – Willow Gives One Reason, Soap Caroling, Hayden Weighs In, What Kathy Wants & Things

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook opens her eyes to a naked Chase who asks, is this hot enough for you? and gets in her bed. She wakes, and says she’s been single way too long.

After hot yoga class, Drew tells Chase, if this is what staying in shape looks like in 2022, he might have to consider confinement again. Chase says, it’s supposed to be a nice total body workout. It’s supposed to get you limber, which is weird because he doesn’t think he can get up. Curtis holds out his hand, and says, forget about being limber. This was torture. Compared to work, there’s nothing worse. Drew says, really? Nothing?

Marshall brings Epiphany a bouquet of flowers, and she asks what they’re for. He says, these, Dr. Johnson… Nurse Johnson, are an expression of gratitude, for sharing her dulcet tones with him, the staff, and the patients of General Hospital. Now when can they do it again? Epiphany laughs.

The class changes, and Maxie sees Chase coming out. She asks how class was, and he says, it’s exhausting. She says that’s why she hates hot yoga; he’s probably dehydrated. She asks how Bailey is, and he says, she’s amazing. She does this thing where she feeds herself. She’s trying to. It makes for a hilarious and very messy mealtime. She says she’d love to see that, and he says she should come by the house… and realizes he’s saying it like he lives at the Quartermaines. He says he’s actually headed there now, as long as Brook doesn’t have a problem with it. Maxie asks why she would, and he says, you never know with her lately. He tells Maxie, see ya around, and leaves. She goes into class, and tells Lucy that they should really air the place out after hot yoga class. Lucy says, what? and Maxie asks if the nose of Deception can’t smell how stank it is in there. Lucy says she hadn’t noticed, and looks zen already.

Laura sits with Martin at the MetroCourt, and asks where Lucy is. He says they just ordered breakfast, and she bolted. Something about exercise he thinks. She tells him, you don’t say, and he sits back, saying, go ahead. She says, what? and he says, she’s sitting there flexing her sisterly muscles, dying to warn him off the delightful Miss Coe. She says, nope. She has no sisterly advice for him. In fact, she’s got to go focus on being a grandmother.

At Kelly’s, Esme wonders what she should pack for a cabin getaway, and asks Spencer if Sonny’s cabin has a hot tub or sauna. He says he doesn’t know; he’s never been there. Besides, doesn’t she think it’s a little early for packing? She says she’s just excited; isn’t he? He says it’s hard to get excited about a trip, knowing when it’s over, so is his life. (Dramatic much?)

Willow is sworn in at Nina’s hearing.

Valentin comes up behind Martin, and takes off Martin’s Santa hat. He says, trouble at the mall? Martin says, oh what fun it is to laugh. The holiday spirit lingers this year. Not that it had anything to do with Valentin. Valentin sits, and says, what is it now? and Martin says, his gift must have gotten lost in the mail, but Valentin says, clients don’t give gifts; clients receive gifts. Martin says, forgive him. It’s hard to get all the holiday shopping in when you’re busy avoiding death. Valentin says, congratulations, and Martin says, on being alive? Valentin says, yes. He thought if Cyrus didn’t kill Martin, surely Laura would. Martin says, a hardy humbug to him too, and Valentin laughs.

Brook races into what is apparently called the Nook, grabbing some coffee, and Ned asks, when was the last time she slept in like this? She says she was up all night with Bailey, and when she finally got to bed, all she could do – she thinks about her dream – was toss and turn. She asks, where is the oat milk in this house? He says, bad dreams? and she says, something like that. What is Ned even still doing there? She thought he and Olivia had an appointment with Leo’s doctor. He says, soon, but he always has time for his one and only daughter. And the mess she’s made of her one and only life.

Martin says he’d hoped Valentin’s Turkey Day revenge had dulled the pain of losing Bailey, but he doesn’t think there’s a slice of ELQ big enough to make up for losing the love of a child. Valentin says, no, and Martin says he’s sorry; both for Valentin going through it, and that he wasn’t there when Valentin did. Valentin says Brook hurt him. Worse than that, she hurt his daughter Charlotte, and he wants to make sure she pays for that. Martin says, that’s his boy. Does Valentin want to order breakfast, and mull over ways to even the score? Valentin says he does, but right now he has other matters on his plate. Victor walks in, but Anna intercepts him, and says she doesn’t think so.

Esme says Spencer’s been going through a lot, so much stress. It will be good for him to get away; for both of them. When was the last time they had any privacy? He admits it’s been ages, and she says they could really use some time behind closed doors. Laura comes in and asks what today’s special is.

Carly wonders what Scotty is doing, and Sonny says, he’s probably trying to get them to drop the charges by going after the DA’s credibility. Michael says, he’s turning the attention away from Nina and onto him, but did he have to use Willow? Carly says, Willow will be fine, and Michael says, she will, but Scotty won’t. Not when he’s through with him. Sheridan says, sorry to spring this on Willow, but he wants to address opposing council’s allegations. Has she ever donated to his campaign as Pennsylvania Attorney General? She says, no, and he says, his previous campaigns for Llantano District Attorney? She says, no, and he asks if she’s met him prior to today. She says, in October, at the home she shares with her son and his father, Michael Corinthos. Sheridan asks if she can describe the nature of that meeting, and she says she arrived home to find him and Michael speaking. He asks if she remembers the subject, and she says, their shared values. He says, what else? and she says, there were introductions, and then he had to get back to Llanview. He asks if at any point during that meeting she came to know that Michael had pressed him to bring a case against the defendant. She says, no, and he thanks her for clearing that up. No further questions. Judge Milford asks if opposing council has any questions, and Scotty says, one or two, and gets up.

At the Bistro, Drew says, Corinthos Coffee, and Curtis says, not much to choose from in these parts. Drew says he’s not complaining. It’s nice to come back and have at least one thing unchanged. Curtis asks if the thrill of his homecoming is wearing off a bit, but Drew says, not the Scout part. Seeing Scout is thrilling every single time, and after talking to only guards for the past few years, having a conversation with a normal person is quite a trip. (Was he kidnapped in 1975?) Curtis says, but the rest? and Drew says he can only sit on his butt at Monica’s for so long. He has to do something with his life; he has to be productive. He just has no idea where to start. Curtis says, what about Aurora Media? and Drew says, Curtis means the company he and Sam created for a fresh start? Curtis says, good point. There’s no place for him at ELQ? Drew says he’d have to get a therapist first. Thanks to Curtis, he does have something to do with his time. He’s been thinking about Marshall, and may have come up with an angle.

Epiphany tells Marshall, she thought the flowers were to say thank you, and he says, they are, but he was also hoping to soften her up for his proposition. She asks, what proposition is that? and he says he had a wonderful time last night. She says she did too, and he says he thought so, but she didn’t stick around long enough to say so. She says she thought it was obvious, and he says, maybe she’s just more inclined to express herself through song rathe than word. She laughs, and says, he’ll soon learn she has no problem speaking her mind… If he sticks around. He says he plans to, and leans forward. He tells her that he thinks they make beautiful music together, so he wanted to ask her – she says, yes? – if she wants to join his band.

Brook says she should have put Ned’s empathy on her Christmas list. Why can’t they go one week without him coming down on her? Like she doesn’t know she has issues. Like she needs him to point them out. She’s trying to make her life better, and him, of all people, talking about mess? What’s going on with him and Olivia? Are they even in the same bed? The same room? The same wing? He says she’s right. He’s the standard bearer for messes in this family. She’s an amateur by comparison. She says she’s confused, and he says if she has any issues, it’s in large part because of him. What kind of example has he set when it comes to relationships? What kind of example has he set when it comes to anything actually, and he’s sorry for his choice of words. He thought the word mess was an objective take, and something they have in common. She says, now they’re bonding over their mutual chaos? and he says, maybe they can come up with some solutions. He’s been working on his mess with Olivia, and he’s been doing some thinking about her situation with Chase. She needs to get out in front of this. Make sure Chase doesn’t hold Bailey over her head like Valentin did. From the doorway, Chase clears his throat.

Scotty says, Willow referred to Michael as the father of her son, the man she lives with, not married. She says, no, and he says, that’s kind of a modern arrangement. Sheridan says, it’s irrelevant, and the judge tells Scotty, stick to the point. Scotty asks if she and Michael revisited the subject of the DA’s visit after he left, and she says, the subject came up. He asks if she took it at face value; two guys just shooting the breeze about values. She says she wondered about it. and he asks if that wondering got the best of her. Did she ask Michael? She tells Judge Milford that she thought her conversations with Michael were protected, but the judge says, they’re not. Scotty says, spousal privilege doesn’t apply to co-parenting, but you know what applies to just about everyone? The penalty for perjury.    

Maxie tells Lucy, the timing of this IPO could be better. Does she think they should give Sasha time to grieve? She can’t imagine Sasha can work right now; she doesn’t know how Sasha is functioning at all. Lucy flashes back to her tryst with Martin while she says, ohm. Then she says, ohmmmmMartin. Maxie says, what was that now?

Martin asks Valentin, just out of curiosity, who should he be more concerned for? Anna or Victor? Valentin says, Victor, definitely.  

Anna says, eyes on her, and Victor says, it’s a wonder anyone’s eyes are ever off of her; his son’s in particular. What exactly is the nature of their relationship? She says she thinks that falls under the category of none of his bustiness, kind of like his stretching this morning during his pastoral workout. He says he didn’t see her there, and she says, she’s everywhere. She saw him picking up The Invader, and he picked up mints; that was very considerate. She was also at Kelly’s when he visited Spencer. He says, she’s following him, and she says she is. Port Charles is her home, so from here on out, she’ll be his shadow. And if he gets out of line, she’ll be there to deal with him. He says, the way she dealt with Peter? and she smiles.

Spencer pours coffee for Laura, and says he brewed it himself. She says, he’s learned his way around a coffeemaker, and Esme says, he’s doing a great job, grandmother… Sorry, she meant mayor. Laura tells her, Laura will be fine for now, and says Doc been telling her about this wonderful shift he’s seen in Spencer, but she doesn’t know if it’s because of this job, or just a byproduct of getting caught. Spencer says, here it comes. He knew it was too good to last. Christmas is gone, so is the peace. Let him have it. How disappointed is she? Or has her disapproval moved on to hate, just like his father?

Scotty asks if Willow needs a refresher course in the consequences of lying in court, but she says, that won’t be necessary. Michael told her, like many businesses, his family’s company seeks relationships with political figures, and Scotty says, the evidence shows, the DA received a huge chunk of money from her and Michael. The DA objects, saying, no such evidence has been offered. Miss Tate has never made a donation to his campaign that he’s aware of. Judge Milford says, sustained, and Scotty says, ELQ made a huge donation to Sheridan’s campaign before his client’s arrest. So what was expected from that donation in return? Willow says she wasn’t privy to the conversation, and Scotty says, but she must have thought Michael was going to get something for his gift. She says, Michael’s only interest was in justice, and Scotty says, for whom? She says, for his father. Nina kept Sonny from his family for nine months. Scotty asks if she didn’t expect Michael was going to get the DA to pursue charges against his client for his donation, and Sheridan objects, saying Scotty is close to badgering. The judge says, sustained. Scotty asks if it isn’t Willow’s understanding that the DA was going to bring charges against Nina in exchange for a hefty donation to him. She tells him, whatever was said was between Michael and DA Sheridan. As far as she’s aware, the contribution was entirely above board and legal. He says, funny she should bring legal up, because that’s what they’re trying to get to. Do the charges against Nina even merit a trial, or should they just be tossed out; that it was possibly an act of heroism. Does she have any reason to believe that the alleged victim, Sonny Corinthos, sees himself as a victim at all?

Victor tells Anna to forgive him if he finds her threats lacking in substance. As he understands it, she’s had multiple opportunities to end Peter’s reign of terror, yet every single time, she’s backed off, which confounds him. He’s read her file. Her no-nonsense reputation is well-earned. She thanks him, but says, yet here he is still testing her. He says, by living his life? and she says, by imposing himself on Valentin. He laughs, and says, they’ve come full circle. She does care for Valentin, doesn’t she? While he’s truly gratified at her attachment to his son, he suspects Valentin is even more so.

Epiphany says, Marshall is putting together a band? and he says he’d be honored to land her as the lead vocal. He thinks their chemistry is off the charts. She says, it was just one performance, and he says, exactly. It can take people weeks, sometimes months, to gel like that. They were total strangers, nowhere near a studio, or anything resembling a stage, singing holiday tunes, yet it was still a natural fit. He got to talking with the other musicians afterwards, and they all thought, why not give it a shot? Get together for at least one day, and feel out something that doesn’t sound like it’s wrapped in tinsel. What does she say?

Drew says, Curtis hasn’t been able to find out much about Marshall Ashford, and Curtis says, he’s got zero digital footprint, and if his mother owned any property with him, she parted ways with it a long time ago. Drew says, civic documents? and Curtis says, birth certificates, educational records, but all of that dried up after Marshall married his mom. Drew says, he’s no P.I., but it seems strange, and Curtis says, very. It suggests Marshall had another life before he came here, or someone went to great lengths to erase all traces of him. Drew says, then maybe it’s time they stop looking for Marshall Ashford… Curtis says, and start looking for the man he’s pretending to be.

Carly wonders what’s going on, but Michael doesn’t know. Scotty says, Willow is close to the crime; that’s why the prosecution called her. She possesses a different perspective that the judge might want to consider before this goes to trial. Judge Milford allows it, but tells Scotty, keep it moving. Scotty asks if Willow would like him to repeat the question, but she says, no. To her knowledge, Sonny is no one’s victim. Scotty says, he’ll rephrase it then. Sonny testified that he didn’t bring charges against Nina because he wanted to move on with his life; he’d lost enough time with his wife and family. Does she think Sonny left anything out? Sheridan objects, and asks if Scotty can be more vague. The judge tells Scotty to get where he’s going; make it fast and make it direct. Scotty asks if she thinks Sonny had some sort of unstated motivation to not sic the state on Nina.

Laura says, she could never hate Spencer. Is she disappointed? Absolutely. He put his father, Ava, and Ava’s daughter through a living nightmare. He says, Avery was never in any danger, but she says, Avery was kept away from her mother, and don’t make excuses. It just makes everything worse. What he did was horrible. Esme says, he didn’t do it alone. He had help from her. Spencer says, she was just trying to be supportive, and she says, but she went overboard, and should have used better judgement. Laura says, that’s an understatement, and Spencer says, he’s learned his lesson, but Laura says, has he? Really? Spencer says she doesn’t believe him? and she says she wants to believe him, but the fact he’s thrown in with Victor makes her wonder.

Valentin tells Martin, Victor’s sudden revelation that he’s a Cassadine has him wondering if there’s any wiggle room in the will. Martin says, what will? Mikkos’s? The one who got Ava thrown off the parapet? That will? Valentin says, if he could avail himself of some of the fortune that Nikolas stole after all, it would make for a happy ending, wouldn’t it? Martin says he’ll look into it. If he were Valentin, he’d just focus on Victor. Shake the tree, and see what comes loose. Valentin says he can handle Victor, and it looks like Anna can as well. Martin asks how are things with Anna, and Valentin wonders if he’s asking for a friend, but Martin says he’s not throwing his hat in the ring. They both say, he’d lose, and Martin says, there’s no need for a duel. With all due respect to Anna, he’s decided to move on.  

Maxie says, Martin Gray? and Lucy says, namaste; keep her voice down. Maxie says, sorry. She had no idea Lucy was interested in him. Lucy says, neither did she, and Maxie says, tell her what happened. Lucy says, he fell into her lap. No, she fell into his lap, and the rest is sort of history. Maxie says, good history? and Lucy says, it was so fun.

Ned says he hopes Chase isn’t offended, and Brook says, he just compared Chase to a Cassadine, but Ned says, Chase comes out far ahead in comparison. Brook says, lightyears ahead, and Ned says, but Valentin has already started his retaliation for the lie about Bailey, and there’s sure to be more to come. Brook says, and his point? and Ned says, children bring out the best and worst in people. He’d hate to see his granddaughter used as a weapon again between warring parents. Chase says he’d hate to see that happen too, and Ned says, good. His suggestion is for the two of them to sit with lawyers, and iron out their respective roles in Bailey’s life. The clearer they are now, the less room for conflict moving forward. Chase says, makes sense, and Ned says, it’s all about the boundaries.

Scotty tells Willow to wrack her brain, and Nina tells him, no. He asks if Willow knows any reason Sonny wouldn’t file charges against the woman who allegedly kept him away from his family. Willow says, she’s not in Sonny’s head. She can’t tell him all Sonny’s reasons, and Scotty says, one reason. Give him one singular reason. Nina says, no, but he tells her, quiet. He asks why Sonny wouldn’t want restitution, and Sonny tells Carly, let’s go. She says, now? and he takes her hand, heading for the door, but she stops. Scotty says, the penalty for perjury is seven years behind bars in another state away from her son. How old does she think her son will be when she gets out? Willow says, yes, and he says, yes what? She says, there is another reason why Sonny didn’t go after Nina.

Epiphany says she has no time to devote to a band, but Marshall says, they’ll work around her schedule. She says her shifts are all over the place, and he asks if it’s her polite of saying no. She says, it’s not a no or a yes. She got turned around when he said proposition, that’s all. He says, oh. Oh. She thought he was asking her out. She says, her mistake, but he says, for the record, if he were to ask out a virtual stranger, he sincerely doubts he could aim higher than her. The truth is, he doesn’t date. He hasn’t for a long time. The fact is, he wasn’t very good at it, but if he could ever interest her in a jam session… She says, it’s possible. It depends on her schedule. He says, then just follow the music, she laughs, and he leaves.

Curtis tells Drew that Marshall has had several aliases, and probably lived under several dozen rocks over the decades, but he has no leads, and the guy’s not forthcoming with information. Drew says, so Curtis asked? and Curtis says, more like demanded, but the more Marshall said nothing or talked around the answers he wanted, he just got so pissed… Drew says, he shut right down, and Curtis says, so if he goes in all curious and nice, Marshall will be suspicious. Drew says, then let him try. Let him do the digging. Curtis should just play it straight. Curtis asks, how? and Drew says, they can’t get a lead on Marshall’s missing years, so they need Marshall to cough one up. They lay a job in his path, something that’s just too good to resist. He’ll have to put down his social security number or a reference or something. Real or fake, it doesn’t really matter; it will give them a place to start. Curtis says, a job; that’s good. He says, Drew does know this means he’ll have to deal with Aurora or ELQ, and Drew says, let him deal with that. Curtis wonders what kind of gig Drew can put out there. As far as he knows, all the guy does is music. Drew says, believe it or not, music is something his family knows.

Brook asks if Ned is done with his extremely practical and very mercenary advice, and he says he is. She tells him that he should go; he doesn’t want to be late for his appointment. He says he’ll provide her council, and tells Chase to let them know when he’s found a lawyer. He leaves, and Brook says she’s so sorry about Ned butting in, but to be fair, it’s a family tradition. Chase says, he would get a lawyer, if he were actually working and could actually pay for one, and if Bailey was actually his, but he does agree with boundaries. He’ll do everything he can to keep up appearances for Maxie and the baby, but when it comes to them, she needs to let him know how much space she needs, and he’ll give it to her.

Lucy says, ohm, and the instructor says, the eternal. Earth, air, heaven… Maxie asks Lucy if there’s going to be a second round, and Lucy says they kind of talked about it. Maxie says, she’d like there to be, right? and the instructor suggests they focus on their breathing. Maxie asks if Lucy wants to get out of there and grab a latte, so they can chat about it. They dash out, Lucy saying, namaste, as they go out the door.

Martin tells Valentin, Lucy Coe, and asks if Valentin is wishing he could trade places. Valentin says, no. He’s wishing he had a lawyer with more common sense. Lucy is his business partner. They’re about to take Deception public. It’s going to make him, Lucy, and Martin a lot of money. Martin says he’s still not seeing the problem, and Valentin says, Martin can’t effectively represent him and his best interests if he’s sleeping with Lucy Coe, who, by the way, is notorious for getting the better of her lovers. If Lucy gets the better of Martin, she gets the better of him. So Martin can have him or Lucy, but he can’t have both.

Anna says she’ll be keeping an eye on Victor, and he asks if that isn’t superfluous, given his deal with the WSB, but she says she’s not beholden to a deal. So she strongly advises him to behave himself. He says, or? and she says, he read her file. You tell me. She walks away.

Spencer says, Uncle Victor is the only reason he’s going to Spring Ridge and not Pentenville, and Laura says she’s grateful for that, but wishes she didn’t have Victor to thank for it. Spencer knows he messed up, right? and he says, yes. She says, good. His job now is to make amends. He says, okay, and she says she wants to see that; not just give lip service. He says he has to get back to work, and leaves. Esme tells Laura, don’t worry. Once Spence gets out of Spring Ridge, he’ll have plenty of people to keep him the straight and narrow. Her, Laura, Doc; one big happy family. She hugs Laura, who looks pretty surprised.   

Sonny tells Carly, let’s get out of here, but she won’t budge. Sheridan says Scotty has gone far enough with his fishing expedition. He’s threatening Willow with perjury when she hasn’t been deposed, and there’s no indication that she knows anything germane to these proceedings. Judge Milford says, overruled. He wants to see where this is going. Scotty says, whenever she’s ready, and Willow looks at everyone. Nina looks like she wants the earth to swallow her up, and Willow says, a few weeks ago, she overheard Nina and Sonny having a conversation at General Hospital. Scotty asks if it was out in the open, but she says, in the chapel. He says, so it was just the two of them? and she says, yes. He asks what they said in this conversation, and she says she wasn’t there for all of it. He says, the part she was there for, did Sonny touch on the nature of his relationship with Nina? She says, he did, and Sheridan says, hearsay, but Judge Milford says, overruled, and asks Willow to be more specific. She says she overheard Sonny say, whatever happened between him and Nina in Nixon Falls has to come from him, and it will. Scotty asks, what was that? What was between the accused and the alleged victim? and Willow says, love, and Nina closes her eyes. Michael is like, what? and Carly looks at Sonny, all pissed off. I laugh.

Tomorrow, Curtis asks Stella what he doesn’t know about Marshall, Olivia wonders what if Leo needs something she can’t provide, Michael asks why Willow didn’t tell him about overhearing Nina and Sonny, and Scotty asks if Sonny considers himself the victim of a crime.

❄️ Still Ho-Ho-Ho’ing…

Enjoy the soap version of Let It Snow.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Is She Or Isn’t She…?

Will Hayden stay gone? Your guess is as good as hers.

💎 Aspirations…

Everyone’s favorite friend talks RHOBH.

https://extratv.com/2021/12/22/kathy-hilton-reveals-what-she-wants-her-role-to-be-on-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-season-12/

🐖 Pig Flying By…

Hope Santa was good to you, or, if you’re not a Believer, you were good to yourself. Since there was no Deck – although there was a great episode of Galley Talk, reviewing the Shame Cocoon episode – can I possibly go to bed early? Nah, but I can log in another hour of Korean TV on Netflix. I’m currently obsessed with the series Black. This week looks much like last week. There are new Rules, but no new Housewives, and GH is a rerun on Friday. Of February 24, 2021. I shake my fist at the sky once again, saying, why? Why can’t they rerun a decent holiday episode on a holiday? Alas, God gives me no answer. So until tomorrow, stay safe, stay not feeling pressured to have a date on New Year’s Eve, and stay following the music.