The week kicked off with a surprise when Jerry Jacks sauntered into the Amsterdam café where Patrick and Sam were doing a horrid job of trying to inconspicuously hide in a corner booth, while Tracy waited for Luke to join her. Jerry couldn't contain his smirk as sat down and informed Tracy that he was holding Luke hostage. He produced Fluke's cell phone as proof then proceeded to demand that Tracy turn over shares of ELQ in exchange for Luke's freedom.
Patrick and Sam immediately questioned Jerry's interest in ELQ, but Tracy waved away the super-sleuths' concerns by explaining that ELQ would make an ideal money laundering front. Hmm, I could have sworn ELQ has been investigated for that very same thing in the not too distant past because of Tracy's marriages to both Gino Soleito and Anthony Zacchara.
I'm not sure why warning bells didn't go off in Tracy's head when Jerry asked for shares of ELQ rather than cash or jewels like Jerry usually does. It's not as if Jerry can just stroll through town or even set foot on US soil without being promptly arrested for a slew of crimes. Owning an American company would just result in that company's assets being frozen, especially given the things that Jerry has done.
Rather than remember that Fluke has done everything possible to get his grubby hands on ELQ since the proposal to Tracy, Tracy ignored Jerry's odd request and readily agreed to not only hand over her paltry nine percent of ELQ's shares but to persuade other shareholders to fork over their shares to save Luke -- Luke, a man most people don't even like and who has a reputation for being a swindler and spendthrift.
I realize that Fluke had been making a point of claiming that he wanted Tracy to have ELQ because it was her birthright, but the fact remains that he's been hounding Tracy to get control of ELQ for months and even went so far as to pressure her to blackmail Alice when Alice was in need of a heart transplant.
Patrick and Sam did their very best to dissuade Tracy from falling for Jerry's lies by reminding her that Jerry was the same guy who had once poisoned the town's water supply to extort millions of dollars from Port Charles's wealthiest residents.
I'm convinced that Tracy lied about not indulging in those special pastries from that coffee shop around the corner that sold cannabis in all forms including edible treats. The Tracy that I know is far shrewder than the one who faced off with Jerry in the café.
It's a good thing Patrick and Sam are on the case.
Jerry's appearance at the café and then later in Helena's suite was a pretty powerful clue that whoever Fluke is, he is somehow connected to the Cassadines. Why else would Jerry be working with Helena?
When last we saw Jerry, he had been clinging to life after taking a swan dive -- with Luke's help -- from the Metro Court Restaurant's terrace and struggling with the final stages of polonium poisoning. Julian and Ava had found Jerry in a bloody heap, so Julian had peeled Jerry off the ground, thrown him into the back of a limo, and then whisked Jerry to a waiting ship with a medical crew onboard. In exchange, Jerry had agreed to do Julian a favor at any time, no matter what the request was.
Somehow, I don't think the meeting with Tracy was it. I doubt that Julian was even aware of it.
Now, the question is which Cassadine/partner-in-crime hates Sonny enough to want to destroy Sonny? If we can figure that out, then we will know who Fluke is.
On Friday's episode, Carly teased Bobbie about once being the mistress of Wyndemere because Bobbie had been married to Stefan Cassadine, but Bobbie quickly changed the subject when Carly asked what had become of Stefan.
I don't think Fluke is Stefan. First, Helena and Stefan despised each other. Stefan would never have allowed Helena or Stavros to be revived, even if Stefan had been in league with Victor. He would have killed Victor first. Plus, Stefan was a gentleman. He never would have groped women or treated them as crudely as Fluke has, especially someone like Kiki. Kiki wouldn't have even registered on Stefan's radar.
I would love for Stefan to return, but not like this. Plus, I would want Stephen Nichols in the role, not Tony Geary playing a twisted version of Stefan.
To refresh your memories, Stefan supposedly died after a violent encounter with Luke on the cliffs of Spoon Island. Stefan's body plunged into the ocean but was never recovered. It's entirely possible that he had a cryogenic pod too -- the Cassadines have them lying around like sarcophaguses -- but it's unlikely that Helena would have bothered to save the son she had never had any use for.
I'm eager to find out who Fluke really is but mostly because I want an end to this storyline.
I'm far more interested in seeing what's going to happen with Jason now that he's back, sporting a new face and apparently lacking all memory of his past except for brief snippets of Elizabeth and Jake. As a Liason fan, I love that they are reconnecting. However, it was a bit comical that among Helena's many nefarious skills, she's an expert computer hacker who was able to eliminate an entire file on a well-known criminal with ties to the top of an infamous crime organization from CODIS.
I guess that was a necessary evil, though, because it would have been far stranger if no one had thought to check "Jake's" fingerprints.
I don't know what's going to happen with Jason. Will he fall in love with Elizabeth then suddenly remember his life and love for Sam, his wife? It seems a little too predictable, which means that if it does go in that direction, Ron will be sure to throw in an unexpected twist.
There's definitely something simmering between Sam and Patrick because that fantasy/dream that Sam had of Patrick making love to her was off-the-charts sizzling hot. It seems a shame to ignore that chemistry just to reunite a couple that might not quite fit together as they once did.
I guess ultimately, it's going to depend on what Jason turns out to be like. The commercials -- and white t-shirts -- indicate that he's a changed man, and not just his appearance. I really hope so because one of my main complaints about Jason during the year prior to Steve Burton's exit was how stale the character had become. He was nothing more than Sonny's sidekick/cleanup man. I want more for Jason than that because Jason is a legacy character.
Ideally, Jason and Michael will learn the truth about Sonny's role in A.J.'s murder and that A.J. was innocent, which will lead Jason and Michael to team up against Sonny and Morgan. That storyline has a lot of potential because it tests loyalty, bonds, and friendships.
Some of the most satisfying scenes this week were the ones between Silas and Nina when Silas finally figured out that Nina had been lying to him for months and had cost him his relationship with Sam. I think Sam summed it up best when she told Patrick that she had proven her love for Silas by letting go of Jason, but Silas had always put Nina first. Silas doesn't deserve to get Sam back simply because his eyes are finally open to the truth.
Frankly, I was a little surprised that it took Silas this long to have a chat with Nina's physical therapist, Travis, given how many sessions Nina had missed. It should have happened weeks ago when Silas first discovered that Nina had been skipping sessions.
The funniest moment was when Nina sent Travis that threatening text message with a dozen angry emoticons to get her point across, not realizing that Silas was reading each and every text message. I loved every single second of Silas learning the truth about Nina then confronting her in the conference room. It was so incredibly fun to watch Nina squirm when she kept getting busted in lie after lie.
I enjoy seeing bad people get their just deserts because it balances things out. I don't expect soap characters to always go to jail when they do terrible things, but I do like to see them occasionally ostracized by the people around them when their bad deeds come to light. If Nina thought she had few friends before, just wait until everyone learns about what she's done and plans to do.
Luckily, Nina will likely have some company in the time-out box when Franco leaves Carly at the altar with a huge bang -- or in this case, a nasty revelation about Sonny that will be sure to destroy Michael and Sonny's relationship. Enter Jason to help pick up the pieces.
I was thrilled that Donna Mills returned to reprise her role as Madeline West, not just because I adore the actress but because this week, Madeline confirmed my suspicion from a previous column about Nina not being much different prior to the coma than she is now.
As I watched sisters Liesl and Magda this week, I realized that they are a perfect example of what would have happened if the wicked witch in the woods had raised Hansel and Gretel instead of trying to cook them.
I find myself constantly grinning as I watch Kathleen Gati and Donna Mills interact on my screen because they are perfectly divine as battling sisters.
The confrontation between Silas and Nina in the conference room was great, but the one in the apartment was far better because I really saw the seething hatred that Nina has for Silas. It was an excellent glimpse into how unbalanced her mind really is. Nina genuinely expected Silas to sit at her bedside for twenty years, holding her hand and waiting for her to wake up.
Folks, I'm married and have been for over twenty years. We have two children, two dogs, a few unofficial foster kids, and a big extended family. Truth be told, there are times that I forget which of my relatives are in-laws and which are biological.
I would never expect my husband to wait for me for twenty years if I were to slip into a coma for whatever reason. I'd kick his butt if he tried because I wouldn't want that for him. I'm not a selfish person, so I would want my loved ones to move on and be happy.
I do believe Madeline's claims about Nina before the coma because since the very first moment that Nina graced our television screens, she has been demonstrating the exact behavior that Madeline described to Nathan.
I'm not sure what kind of cockamamie plan Nina has in store for her mother to get Madeline's hands on Ava's baby, but I think that the true villain in the whole scenario is Rosalie. Rosalie didn't even bat an eyelash when she readily offered to tell Nina where Ava was to ensure Nina kept quiet about Rosalie's "dirty little secret." Rosalie was downright despicable because she not only knows that Nina is mentally unbalanced but that Nina has an unhealthy obsession with Ava's baby. Rosalie seems perfectly willing to endanger a child to protect herself from whatever secret Nina is holding over Rosalie's head.
I can't think of anything that would justify Rosalie endangering Ava's baby.
A bright spot this week was when Anna finally found her brain by realizing that Liesl had had another reason for shooting Victor and wasn't simply trying to protect Nathan from an evil father's machinations. Keep digging, Anna! I want to know who Nathan's father is.
I officially hate Judge Walters, and I really hope Monica kicks him to the curb when she finds out what an asshat the man really is.
I honestly can't understand why the judge dislikes Maxie as much as he does and why he is working so hard to keep her away from Georgie. Did Maxie kick his puppy or something?
Judge Walters' decision hurts Georgie far more than it does Maxie because good, bad, or indifferent, every child wants to know where they came from. It's true that Nathan lied for Maxie, but it's not as if Nathan lied to cover up illegal or dangerous activity. Maxie had been manipulated by an expert con man -- the same con man who easily manipulated the judge too. Nathan simply tried to even the playing field by giving Maxie a fair opportunity to have a relationship with her daughter.
Finally, Sonny decided that he has the perfect way to commit a murder and get away with it. He intends to frame Heather for Franco's demise. I don't for a minute buy Sonny's excuse that Franco needs to die because Sonny wants to save Carly from marrying the wrong person. That's just a side benefit. Sonny's main motivation is to silence Franco so Michael doesn't find out that Sonny shot A.J.
Too bad for Sonny that his little secret is currently spreading like wildfire through town, so short of everyone simultaneously dying or slipping into a coma, the truth will soon reach Michael's ears. Will Sonny have the guts to undo another injustice by revealing that A.J. didn't kill Connie? I have my doubts because I can see Sonny deciding that confessing that he shot an innocent man will hit Michael far harder than believing that Sonny snapped during a grief-stricken state.
The truth about Connie's murder would clear A.J.'s name, which would give Michael peace of mind, but it is a double-edged sword, since it would forever destroy Sonny and Michael's relationship.
Britt has a similar plight because she knows that Nikolas needs assurance that he can trust her, but at the same time, if she comes clean to Nikolas about why Spencer went missing, then she will forever lose Nikolas.
Ron really had me going with those scenes when Britt woke up as Nikolas entered the bedroom with a breakfast tray. As the scene continued to play out, I really thought Nikolas had busted Britt. It wasn't until he decided to call the police that I realized that perhaps we weren't really seeing what we thought we were. While I'm fairly certain that Britt broke some laws by helping Spencer run away, I know that Nikolas would need more evidence than overhearing a one-sided conversation between two kids.
Therefore, I wasn't really surprised when Britt suddenly woke up with a gasp from the horrific nightmare. Nikolas' assurance that he wouldn't leave her when she told him that she'd had a nightmare about losing him only confirmed to me that if Nikolas were to learn the truth, things would play out exactly how Britt had imagined.
I was a little surprised to realize that Britt actually has a better friend in Brad than Sabrina has in Felix. Brad at least tells Britt how it is without sugarcoating things, while Felix is all about making excuses and justifying Sabrina's behavior.
When my friends do something stupid, I tell them they are doing something stupid because they extend me the same courtesy. True, I'd help my friends bury a body in the woods if they asked, but I'd lecture them the whole time about it to make sure that they didn't do it again.
Felix justified Sabrina deliberately trying to prematurely induce Ava's labor by saying that Sabrina had acted out of grief then adding that there hadn't been any harm done. Even if Ava hadn't gone into labor -- which she did --- how does Felix know those pills wouldn't have had some kind of effect on the development of the baby? He's a nurse, not a scientist, researcher, or a doctor.
I haven't really liked Sabrina since her return from Puerto Rico until this week when she confessed to Jordan -- sort of. Yeah, it was still a bit shady of Sabrina to blame it on a clerical error, but I give Sabrina props for at least saying that she was responsible for it.
I also applauded Sabrina for telling Felix that what she did was criminally wrong and something that she deserved to lose her career over. I also liked that Sabrina was willing to tell Nathan the truth. Too bad Nathan was too focused on hunting down his crazy sister-cousin, Nina.
Random observations
Why was Jordan allowed to just stroll into ICU to visit Jason? ICU is restricted to family members only, and no way would the driver who put a patient in the ICU be allowed to visit said patient.
Alexis slept with Julian, told him that she loved him, and slept with him again, but the minute she found out that he had lied to her, she made a beeline for Ned. Isn't that a little unfair to Ned? Doesn't he deserve to find someone who has real feelings for him? Someone like Olivia?
Why does the Halloween costume that Josslyn has been wearing for the last three years still fit her even through she's grown like two feet since the first time she wore it?
Things that tickled my fancy
Liesl panics when she finds her sister, Madeline, at Nathan's apartment
Madeline: "He's not here."
Liesl: "What have you done with him?"
Madeline: "'Done with him?' Really, Liesl, your flair for the melodramatic is creeping through."
Liesl: "As if harming family is unfathomable to you. You're a walking Greek tragedy."
Tracy is shocked to discover that Jerry is alive
Tracy: "Luke dropped you off the side of the Metro Court hotel when you were rotting through with polonium poisoning."
Jerry: "Well, your treacherous paramour insisted on keeping a dose of the cure --"
Tracy: "You should be dead two times over. How are you alive?"
Jerry: "Well, 'alive' is a fluid concept."
Tracy: "Oh, please. Are you a vampire now?"
Jerry: "Oh, well, it does have a certain appeal, but I simply...recovered."
Liesl tries to get Madeline to spill her secrets about Nina
Liesl: "We are sisters, genetically programmed to understand each other. If you can't tell me, who can you tell?"
Madeline: "My God! Are you just gonna keep on me like a buzzard on road kill?!"
Rosalie tries to cut a deal with Nina to keep Rosalie's secret
Rosalie: "You remember Ava, don't you -- the blonde bombshell on your revenge fantasy hit list, the one who slept with your husband and started this whole thing?"
Nina: "Okay, I know her. What about her?"
Rosalie: "After Dr. Clay fired me, I discovered -- her location."
Nina: "Well, if it was that easy to find her, obviously, it's not that hard, and I could just do it myself.'
Rosalie: "Yeah, but you're running out of time. Ava's due date is fast approaching, and I know you want into that woman's uterus like an otter wants into a clam."
Josslyn shows off her Halloween costume rather than model the bridesmaid dress that Maxie picked out
Carly: "Okay, I-I know that Franco wants to get married on Halloween, but I specifically said no costumes. I don't want my wedding looking like Let's Make A Deal."
Maxie: "Yes, I understood that. That is not what I picked out for her to wear."
Lucas: "Nope, it's not. She went rogue."
Josslyn admits to Carly that she'd rather Carly remarry Jax
Josslyn: "I don't see why, when this person's gonna be my stepfather. If you have to get married, just remarry daddy."
Bobbie: "I was always fond of Jax."
Lucas: "Yeah, hands-down, best brother-in-law ever."
Maxie: "I bet he'd fly you and Joss to Fiji for a family meeting."
A minute with Nina's special brand of crazy
Rosalie: "You're gonna tell him that it was my fault?"
Nina: "Yep."
Rosalie: "And in what world does that make any sense?"
Nina: "It's simple, really. Have a seat. Have a seat. Okay. So, when I woke up from my coma, you were taking care of me. I told you my whole sad story. You felt bad. You convinced me that the only way I could hold on to Silas was to convince him that he had a reason to stay, hence the wheelchair. I was vulnerable. You were my only friend, so I had to go along with your whole devious plan. I had no choice."
Rosalie: "Right. Okay. Well, thank you so much, but, no, we will not be doing that, okay? I've already experienced Dr. Clay's wrath. Firstly, he's never gonna believe you, and I'm not gonna do his whole wrath thing again when I'm not on his payroll, okay?"
Nina: "I'm sorry. Did I give you the impression that you had a choice? Did you get my messages? Did you? I know -- your dirty little secret, Rosalie. So, if you don't cooperate, there's no stopping me from singing like a canary."
Until next time, dear readers, take care.
Liz Masters
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