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S3 EP1 Knots Landing - The Vigil- Season 3 Premiere: The "Coma Drama and Emotional Whirlwind" Episode

• Jett Shae • Episode 256

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Welcome to Season 3 of Knots Landing!!What do you get when you mix intense drama, family ties, and the captivating world of "Knott's Landing"? A season premiere that promises to leave you on the edge of your seat. This episode of our podcast takes you through the intricate web of relationships and scheming that define the beloved show as we revisit the emotional highs and lows of the previous seasons. We reminisce about Gary's scandalous affair and Abby Cunningham's relentless machinations, setting the stage for the thrilling new developments in Season 3. <br><br>Our journey continues with a deep dive into the hospital drama where Sid's harrowing car accident shakes the foundation of the Knott's Landing community. The suspense is palpable as we navigate the aftermath, with Sid's loved ones caught in a maelstrom of fear and uncertainty. Amidst the chaos, the depth of Karen's and Valene's loyalty shines through, while Abby faces her own turmoil with missing children and an ex-husband whose motives are under scrutiny. We explore the poignant moments that illustrate the strength and complexity of family bonds amidst crisis.<br><br>Finally, we unpack the emotional rollercoaster of the Season 3 premiere, reflecting on the profound impact it has on both characters and viewers. I share my own experiences with navigating such intense storytelling and offer tips for maintaining mental wellness amidst the drama. From moisturizing to connecting with nature, these self-care insights serve as a reminder of the importance of balancing entertainment with real-life well-being. Join us as we celebrate the rich storytelling of "Knott's Landing" and find solace in the shared experience of its passionate fan community.

Speaker 1:

He could have said chitty, chitty, bang, bang. Your breath smell like dang dang, and she would have been okay with it. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome, or welcome back to Soap Floor, the official gathering place for movies novices and OG diehard fans of the golden age of primetime. I'm your host, deb, viewing and reviewing one of the most iconic soap operas in history. Don't at me, because you don't want this. This is one of the best shows I've ever watched in my life. We are beginning the tertiary season of Knoth Landing. So, whether you're new to this or true to this, sit back and enjoy. Tell the kids to play outside or, out of sight, tell babe. No questions, suggestions or concerns. For the next 25 to 35 minutes, everyone else in earshot, cool, quiet, kicked out, are your only option. Baby, I'm not playing with you because we are watching the premiere of season three of our stories. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is Soap Lore. Hello Gorgeous and welcome back to another fun-filled edition of so Cooler. I am absolutely besides myself. We have finally made it. After over 100 episodes of primetime television gold Over 100 episodes of Primetime Television Gold we are embarking on the iconic tertiary season of non-slanding.

Speaker 1:

I am absolutely beside myself. I'm not even gonna lie. I've been salivating, I'm biting at the chomps, or whatever the phrase is, all day. I thought, okay, at work I'm gonna slip in an episode of this, but it's not one of those things that I like to keep in the background. I want to watch this in real time. I want, I don't want to miss a thing, because I feel like the writers on Knott's Landing are on par with the writers on Falcon Crest, and you already know how I feel about that. I'm geeked. I've already alerted my family. Please don't come bother me for another hour, hour and a half. I need to do my thing, and I'm glad I did, because I'm going to do this old school style. We're not going to jump into season three as a review because I have not watched it. As you hear my voice, I am watching the screen on my television with the season three premiere of Nostlanding and it says season three.

Speaker 1:

Passions escalate as four couples battle temptation in the seaside, suburb paradise Excuse me, seaside, suburban paradise. Vague, if nothing else. But let's do a little quick review. In season two, val and Gary had settled into this seaside enclave, this little paradise, and Gary discovered that you know, he's not that bad of a businessman. He's also a drunk, but he's also capable of overcoming that. They befriend a couple Earl. And what's her name? June January, something like that. Gary manages to slip. And what's her name? June January, something like that. Gary manages to slip and fall into her panties, having a whole blown affair. But he apologizes to Ellie and it's all good.

Speaker 1:

We are introduced to the incomparable Abby Cunningham. Now, I did not clock Abby. I'm a little bit embarrassed. I didn't clock her as a bad girl. She just seemed like a woman who had been through a lot. She's adding a little zigzag to the show, but ultimately we already know she has had a full-on affair with Richard, who's Laura's husband. Laura is the doormat. Laura also became some sort of property impresario. She's out here doing her thug fizzle. She's getting million dollar deals left and right and is making her husband, richard, feel a whole way.

Speaker 1:

Now Sid turns out. He's not such a saint, turns out, he likes a little bit of attention. Karen, the wife, has been the most steadfast through season two, which I'm not really surprised about, because I feel like you need a constant if you're going to run these different tests. Let's see Ginger and Kenny. Kenny has continued to be a hoe all season two. But he, he, he wants to turn away from his wicked ways once he realizes that his wife, ginger, is prego with his baby. Unfortunately, for she was having a wonderful relationship with this whole doctor pediatrician guy, turns out she was pregnant the whole time before they got to do anything. Fun, it's a whole thing. So when you think about this in the lens of the other soap operas, yes, there is a lot less drama, but the drama is so much more impactful because we get to actually carry that weight with the characters. They don't throw it off in the traditional sense as you would in a soap opera. They're just sort of handling their business, taking it day by day, one foot in front of the other, and we get to watch that and I think that is sort of the magic of Knott's Landing.

Speaker 1:

So when last we left but when Lassway left, the whole mafioso bit had come, had risen to the surface Gary had to come clean. All of those parts that had magically appeared and disappeared, that were running all over Sid's books were a little less than legal. Now Gary and Abby tried to think of a quick fix, but ultimately they had to come clean to the FBI. Now, abby, let me be very clear. Abby didn't come clean to nothing. Let her tell it. She didn't know nothing about nothing. She just said little sister, she just wanted to make sure his office looked nice. She didn't know anything about that. It pisses me off that she was able to lie so easily and it also pisses me off that I didn't clock her as a problem. That's my whole problem. All I have to give people the benefit of the doubt and ultimately sometimes you got to just clock people when they walk through the gate.

Speaker 1:

But we're gonna jump into season three. Forget all that behind us. We know that that, uh, sid is hanging on for dear life because one of the mafioso types, even though everyone else was arrested, somehow he didn't get the memo. It's 1981. Obviously he didn't get a text or anything, or an email. He's been working on the brakes on this car, or been destroying, rather, the brakes on this car, for several days and finally Sid agrees to take it on a test drive. He gets one of the FBI guys in the car with him. They start roaring and ripping on the California coastline, which we all know is an up and down ebb and flow, terrifying myth of majesty and mayhem. But yet Sid decides it's a perfect opportunity for him to test out the brake and his mechanical aptitude. As far as the rest of the mechanics at the shop that he trained Y'all, the brakes are cut, it is a nip tuck. We don't know what has befell our hero here Now.

Speaker 1:

Normally I'd make some big predictions. However, I hesitate when it comes to Northostlander because I really do feel like it follows a formula of the yellow rose. It is a drama that happens to be soapy. I feel like it's a little bit more intentional. Definitely, adding the character of Abby makes it a little bit more soapy, but if not for her, you would just be like whoa, this is just a really serious drama. So, with that being said, I anticipate several challenges for Karen in her household. I do think Sid's going to survive. I think he's going to maybe be a paraplegic or something to that effect. Where she has to. We need to shake up Karen at this point.

Speaker 1:

This is the third season. This is the season where most other soap operas realize that they are popular. They've made it through sweeps, weeks. They've made it through all the difficulty of maintaining some sort of presence in the world. It's 1982. So there's not a ton of competition. I feel like Sid's going to survive. He may be a paraplegic, because this would be a difficult topic to talk about on national television.

Speaker 1:

I think that, um, I don't know. I don't know if Gary and Valene are the Bobby and Pam of Nonslanding or if they'll just have a new, a new situation to overcome every single season. I don't really know. I do know that Abby needs to get her kids back. I don't see that panning out very long. I don't see how they could drag that storyline out. I think she'll get her kids back. She might be embarrassed in court, but I think she'll get her kids back. As far as Kenny and Jinder go, I don't know. I just I feel like they have faded into the background a little bit. So we're going to need some sort of controversy to come through in order to make them relevant. This is my personal opinion.

Speaker 1:

Who else are we leaving out? Laura and Richard? Ooh, now, normally I would say Richard would be on the out. I would anticipate some sort of heart attack or some sort of medical emergency for him. However, he brings so much tension to the show I don't see them getting rid of him straight away. It's only season three. Maybe by season five or six, when they have other characters to come in, maybe they'll get rid of him. But today I don't think that's going to happen. I think Laura will continue to climb as a California real estate tycoon, because that's the natural progression. Will she ever disappear from his reach? I don't know. Jury is still out on that.

Speaker 1:

As soap operas go, I fully expect there to be new characters added. Obviously it's season three. Think about season three, dynasty, dallas and Falcon Crest. You get rid of people, you kill people. At the end of season two, you throw babies off the top of the roof and then tell the audience that it's a doll. I think there's going to be an issue. It's a little bit odd to me that there's only one pregnancy on this show, which would be Ginger. I think we're probably going to see some sort of pregnancy drama with Valene. It's just hard to tell. I don't want to make too many predictions because I don't think this show in particular follows the soap opera formula, but it's not going to stop us from enjoying it now, is it? So we are going to do this old school style. I'm going to watch about 20 minutes at a time, three different segments.

Speaker 1:

I believe this show, season three, episode one, is called the Vigil. The synopsis is as follows Going forward, I'm not going to read the synopsis after this just because I feel like on Amazon sometimes they give away story plots and I don't want that. I want a real, raw and unfiltered reaction to my um, to this the show. So this episode, season three, episode one, is called the Vigil. The synopsis is as followed Sid lies paralyzed in a coma. Gary feels responsible. Richard promises to help Abby. Hire a private detective to help her find her kidnapped children. A detective to help her find her kidnapped children.

Speaker 1:

50 minutes, 1981. I don't know about the Richard Abbey thing. Let's just shut up and figure it out together. Pour yourself off something bubbly and bright I am already way ahead of you and let's dive into the season opener, the Vigil. Okay, first things first. I'm only 12 minutes and 87 seconds in. I can't wait to 20 minutes.

Speaker 1:

It is already hella intense. Good news, bad news you do not need my recap that I just gave in the previous segment. You don't need that. They have a full-on announcer. Come on and remind you of what happened the last time you watched this television program. Now he reiterates that Gary had found himself caught up with the Mafioso types. They decided that he needed to pay an additional fee. Blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 1:

The feds get involved. Sid and Gary agree to cooperate. Unfortunately for Sid, one of the Malfioso types had infiltrated his business. A guy under the guise of the name Tom has been working on breaks and when I say working on breaks, he's been break, which I'm sure is pretty easy to do. As far as I understand, I think it's like a fluid pipe or something. I don't know. This is really intense. But you know what else is intense? Abby's children are still missing.

Speaker 1:

So at the top of this episode, what we see is Valene kind of working with Abby. Abby is fighting fitful sleep. She's having these nightmares. It's very obvious Valene is by her side, because Valene loves those kids like she loves Lucy. Those are her children. As far as she's concerned, abby is frantic. She has this whole sunbeam thing, kind of like in an atrium where you have those windows that never actually have blinds on them. Only Abby must be paid paid because she, valene, closes the blinds or basically tending to Abby in her state of duress.

Speaker 1:

Meanwhile, everyone's waiting on Sid to come back to the house so that he can help comfort Abby. Only they're none the wiser about his whole fiasco over on the beach. Now what happened was he realized the brakes were gone pretty early on. He tries to come up with a plan on the fly while one of the FBI agents is in a car and they're swirling. They're ducking and dodging pedestrians, surfers, beach bums alike. They're trying to get to a safe place so they can crash the car. Because there are no brakes. He doesn't have any options. Unfortunately, he veers a little too hard to the left, which takes him over the side of the cliff.

Speaker 1:

Unfortunately for Sid, this is a cliff cliff. This is a big ass cliff. Like he falls over the edge. The car is a mangled junk of metal and human sinew. When you look at it I was absolutely like oh God, this is. This is hard to watch. If you've ever been in an accident, it's just not fun, oh my gosh.

Speaker 1:

So, as luck would have it, as Sid crashes at the bottom of the ravine, he's one other ravine. He's at the bottom of the cliff which leads to the beach. Luckily it's broad daylight. There are several surfers and different people beach goers just enjoying the day. They're no older than 23 years old at max, between like 16 and 23. They see him crash. They immediately start flagging down people trying to get help because no one has a cell phone. At this point Two young heroic men stop traffic, get someone to go and call help. They run down the the side of the cliff and they begin to try to help Sid. Because Sid is conscious, even though his eyes aren't open. He's conscious, which sucks, because this had to hurt all to be damned seems like the FBI agent is dead and gone. But Sid is. He's alive. He just says he can't move, devastating.

Speaker 1:

Meanwhile Karen and Valene are chilling in Abby's house waiting for him to return. They're thinking he's 10 minutes out. They're not really worried about anything. But Karen is listening to the whole tape that Abby's ex-husband I think his name, jeff that he left where he's explaining that he just feels like she's not responsible enough to take care of the children. He wants to take over that responsibility and it's not for forever, but it's until he feels comfortable with her mending and tending to the children.

Speaker 1:

Now Val and Karen obviously think he's a creep, he's a loser, whatever. But Val can't shake. She can't shake the whole Gary thing. She's like why would he do this to Sid. Sid gave him a chance when no one else would. He came out of the woodworks and Sid was like cool, let me go ahead and help you out. And still, gary screwed him over. So they're chatter, chatter, chattering about how smart Valene is and how things aren't always working out as they should.

Speaker 1:

Meanwhile, gary has got a call at the dealership. The police have already told him hey, we found Sid. He's not deceased, the FBI guy is, but he's going to be in intensive care for a minute. So Gary has no choice but to jump into his two-seater extra long Lincoln and drive down to the cul-de-sac. When he gets to the cul-de-sac, the lady folks are waiting outside and he's like Karen, I need you to come with me. Sid's been in an accident. She immediately freezes and she's like is he dead? Tell me if he's dead. Karen's like he's not dead, don't worry about that, he's not dead, he's in a bad way. We need to get down there with a quickness. Well, abby comes floating out of the house in a t-shirt.

Speaker 1:

No matter how serious the episodes are, they're clearly going to make sure she is a sex symbol. I'm not mad at it because it's relative. And she's like I want Sid, I want Sid, and she's like I want Sid, I want Sid. She wants her big brother. We have never met their parents. We don't know what sort of household they grew up in, but it is no secret that she is very, very close to him. It don't matter, though, at this moment, because Karen has just found out that the love of her life, the husband that she married umpteen years ago, the father to her children, is in a very, very bad way.

Speaker 1:

Karen does the next best thing. She does the most natural thing that a wife would do. If you found out that your husband was in a bad way, she oh my God, oh my God, I'm going to the hospital. She goes to run for the car. Gary insists on driving her. She's like no, no, no, gary, you go check on. You go check on Abby Valene. I need you to stay here. I don't want the kids at the hospital. Please keep an eye on them. I mean like bet, don't even worry about it, girl, I'm a little concerned about her driving under duress, but I guess it really doesn't matter. She needs to get where she's going to get. She's a focused woman and she drives to the hospital. Not only does she burst in. She is yelling that she's Mrs Farragate and she burst right into the trauma ER.

Speaker 1:

Now, for those of you born after the year 2000,. You probably don't remember this. I don't know if this was true in hospitals, but I know in airports you used to be able to go all the way up to the gate and bid your loved one farewell, watch them fly away. There was nothing. There might've been a little security I don't remember because we were little kids but it wasn't a horrible thing. It was very easy. I know now in hospitals there's a lot of security. But besides the threat of terrorism or someone just losing their mind or just bereft loved ones bursting in disrupting the process, you need to keep a surgical room very sterile. Nazlaine, I don't give a damn about that. She's able to open the door to trauma room three and she can hear like this whirling of a saw going into Sid's skull and she doesn't know a lot.

Speaker 1:

All Gary knew was that there may or may not be some neck injury. He didn't really know how bad it was and I mean, listen, this is too much information to take in all at once. He did the right thing. He ran, got her, or she got in the car. She got to Sid.

Speaker 1:

So I was relieved when Karen began talking to the doctor and he had this really wonderful bedside manner. Let me know if I'm going too slow. Let me know if I'm being too technical. I want to walk you through this. He explains that there's been damage to the vertebrae, there's something going on with his neck, his lungs have deflated so they have inflated them with whatever technology they have at the time. But I guess his bedside manner is only about 45 seconds long, because then he just blurts out oh, he's paralyzed. And she's like what the what? He goes oh, I thought you knew, baby boy, does she look like she has a doctoral degree in spinal tapping or whatever it is? He apologized and she's like okay, don't even worry about it. He explains okay, he seems to be paralyzed right now, but we think it might be temporary. We're not going to really expect a lot over the next three days. This is a serious injury. We just need to allow him to heal and do all the things.

Speaker 1:

She come around the corner to go back into the waiting room and tell me why all three of her children in Baleen dressed in cream, like it's Wednesdays on Dynasty Baleen's like girl. I'm sorry, but basically they bullied her. She may be the Vidalia Onion Queen, but she has a long way to go before she's one of those chop your heads off type queens. The kids have run of the house. Diana is ever the brat.

Speaker 1:

But you know what? I'm going to grant everyone a pass this episode because your daddy is in a bad way. Michael has cut off that feather duster, or no. What's the oldest son's name? Eric Michael. One of them Oldest son has cut off the feather duster mustache. Baby boy has got his hyperactivity under control. They all just want to know what's going on. Mom, is dad okay? Is dad okay? She's like he's going to be fine. Just let's give him a minute to breathe. She briefly explains the situation but doesn't go into too much detail because of course, she doesn't know what's happening and, the truth be told, she probably hasn't had time to process it herself.

Speaker 1:

Only 22 minutes into the episode and I am wiping away tears. Anyone who knows me in real life. I am quite sensitive, like I have. My heartstrings are just open. I don't know why, but this is a beautiful, wonderful, beautiful, beautiful. So I realize we have some new listeners. First and foremost, thank you so much for joining me on this wonderful vintage soap opera expedition. It is a blast. You're going to love it. I hope that you start at the very beginning.

Speaker 1:

Now that I am deep into season what are we? Season three of watching too many shows. Season three of Nos Landing. We're on season four of the other big three, which are Dallas, dynasty and Falcon Crest. I would highly highly recommend that you start off with Dallas, start off with Dallas, that you start off with Dallas, start off with Dallas. I think season watch up to like season two or three Correct me if I'm wrong, guys and then you'll jump in to Knott's Landing Once you see Val and them leave. Actually no, that's not true, because I think they leave sometime in season two.

Speaker 1:

Dallas has this whole thing. Originally it was only six episodes at the beginning, but they some. On some platforms you'll find that season one is about 20 episodes long. On others it's only six. It's this whole thing. But just understand that when they leave on Dallas, that's not the time to start watching Knott's Landing. Give it a beat, maybe watch, wait till the end of the season and then things sort of line up okay.

Speaker 1:

This is a very happy accident for me. It's all lining up. Okay, knott's Landing is very good about, not, they're good because this is a crossover, so they're not giving a whole lot of details about whatever the storyline is. For instance, if you see Gary in Dallas, he's not really talking a whole lot about what's happening in LA, and if you see Bobby or JR in LA, he's not really talking a whole lot about what's happening in Dallas. So it doesn't really model the story at all. But it's a happy accident to know both families in real time.

Speaker 1:

With that being said, out of all the season three premieres, I'm having the hardest time with this one. So Karen sends the kids home, valaine promises to take them to dinner. She is then able to spend some quality time with Sid and we see him stretched out on the bed. He is chest naked, with all the proper apparatuses attached to his body. They're monitoring his breathing, they're monitoring all the things and I'm thinking he's still comatose. No, he's not comatose, he's awake, he's just not moving. Now two things. I'm trying to deal with this with a little bit of humor. I'm like dang, sid is a tall drink of water. How have I never really noticed this before? Also, sick, laid up, crushed by a car or not. The audience needs to remember that this is a sexy man. Okay, chest naked, he is glistening to the gods. He looks amazing.

Speaker 1:

Karen slowly walks over to the bed and they've got this really good kind of softened spotlight over the two. She's drinking him in because she has to be strong for the kids. She didn't give the kids a ton of details. Oh, he's fine, he's fine. They're asking about the, the agent that was kids. She didn't give the kids a ton of details. Oh, he's fine, he's fine. They're asking about the agent that was helping them. She didn't want to tell him he's dead.

Speaker 1:

Diana gives her a brief moment of just respite by saying she can't talk about it right now, and I think that's the theme of this episode. She can't talk about it, she can't voice these things. She can't voice these things, she can't even process them because this is all happening so quickly. Not only Sid but Abby's kids are missing. It's a whole lot to just breathe in and drink in and take in as a person, but we hear Sid's just slick little voice telling her hey, you can kiss me, I won't break. I broke, I bust out crying, I'm not gonna lie. It's been about 10 minutes and I'm like pull it together, dad, get your life together.

Speaker 1:

They have a conversation. It is soft, it is gentle. She's like man, you look like you went over the side of a cliff. They're using humor to deal with it, but he's like we got to talk about this. Babe, if I'm just injured, the swelling will go down. I'll be able to wiggle, wiggle, move in a couple days. If not, well then, this is me. From here on out, she don't really care. You've been through too much, baby. Y'all are, y'all are. This is. This thing is real. Both of you have allegedly turned down other people. Now I'm still convinced something went down with him and the first ever woman mechanic, but I can't prove it. It's just. It's so intense.

Speaker 1:

They have this really special moment and for those of you who are new to the show, I want you to know I'm not going to always give a blow by blow. This is a special occasion because I want you to enjoy this the way I've been able to enjoy this. I've been doing this podcast for three years and no one has really given me a big spoiler. I don't want to do that to you, although if you were choosing to tune in, you got to know what this is. But going forward, I will always leave out, even if it's just a little inconsequential scene, just something so that you can make it your own. You can form your own ideas about it. All is well. I can make it your own, you can form your own ideas about it. All is well. They're there, I love you, you love me.

Speaker 1:

She kisses him again, and this time she's a little bit less timid, but then we hear some carrying on in the hallway. Abby is out there acting a teetotal fool as I would too if I was my brother in the hospital. She finally gets in and we notice one of the tropes for season three. I feel like it is written in the laws of soap opery, especially vintage primetime soap opery, that someone has to change their hair in a significant way on season three. Now, val looks exactly the same. I have not seen Ginger. I haven't seen Laura. Also, let me wind it back just a little bit. Shout out to my internet friend, kip We'll call you Kip who's like hey, you need to pay attention to the opening scenes on Knot's Landing.

Speaker 1:

They're going to change it every season and it seems like they're going with the yearbooks textile this time. I don't hate it. I don't hate it, but I was looking forward to seeing who was living in the houses, like season one. I didn't really clock that there were at least eight people in a cul-de-sac. That seems seems unheard of, I think, just my general knowledge of how streets work in the year of our Lord, 2025, I thought maybe four houses at max at the bulb of the cul-de-sac, but no, they have like eight. That's LA real estate, I suppose. But this time they have done it sort of in a yearbook style. They're giving you different scenes, they're giving you the actor, they're giving you their name. But I'm not mad at it. It's gonna take me a little bit to adjust, but I am excited to know that it changes every season. So thank you so much for that little tidbit.

Speaker 1:

Okay, abby's big piss with her brand new hair. She has decided to chill out with the perm. It's grown out a little bit. Plus, they have two blondes on the show, so you got to make them look a little bit different. It looks like they are flat, ironing that lean. The Vidalia Onion Queen she is still rocking the 1970 bust down without the like, the flair, and Abby has toned down the 80s hair, which I find to be a little bit odd.

Speaker 1:

But she shows up and for whatever reason, probably because her brother's been in an accident it's not that she doesn't care about her kids, but there's very little she can do about that. Right now he's asking her hey, any word on the kids? She's like no, not really, I'm just listening to the tape over and over. But I'm glad you're here, big bro. I'm going to fight my instincts and give this another 20 minutes before I jump on. Okay, god, I hope you're watching this in real time. This is so good. Ladies and gentlemen, this has been very difficult. Am a sap. Let's go ahead and announce that now I am a full-on tap.

Speaker 1:

This episode sucks in the best possible way. My girl, karen, is going through it. She's convinced herself that if she leaves the hospital, something's going to change with sid. Unfortunately, sometime after the the conversation with Abby, he slipped into a full-on coma. He's been conscious this most of the time, which is weird to me because I feel like they would put him in a medical induced coma so that he could heal, but they didn't. He slips into one, so now she's afraid to leave, and one of the things I love about this show is the nuance and the real drama because, remember, she and Richard have been going through it all season two. They're not the best of friends, they're just sort of tolerating each other.

Speaker 1:

But guess who shows up for her at the hospital? He shows up with a silver card and he's like yo when Laura was giving birth to her son. It was the worst experience of my life and I'll be damned if you go through that. That's basically what he says and he brings her something and it's like she needs it. She needs this light, she needs someone a little more lighthearted. She needs someone, and I'm very surprised that it's Richard. But I'm so glad it's Richard because it hits so much deeper that he's like yo, don't worry, you've got the best doctor, we got a good chance of this. But he sits up crying oh my gosh, I'm so embarrassed, but I'm also not. But he has like a little picnic with her. She's been told by the nurses to go home. She's been told by the whole staff to go home. She refuses to leave because she thinks he's going to die if she leaves. But Richard shows up and he has croissants and orange juice and he just makes her feel better. It's so wonderful.

Speaker 1:

Now the real tea is that everyone else in the cul-de-sac is kind of going through it. We don't see Kenny and Ginger. I think I got about six minutes left but I had to come home because I'm like I got to gather myself. I'm in shambles. This is just me. This is too much for me. This is very dramatic. It's very sad. Gary is really going through it and I'm like Gary, this isn't your fault, but I will say this.

Speaker 1:

I want to say, going forward in season three, we have I've hit my wall with patience for him. His clothes are still tight as hell, because we need to remember that he fine, fine, okay, he works out, probably does jujitsu or something. But Valene is taking the anchor. She's being strong, of course. She's strong for Karen's kids. Diana shows up at some point because she just can't stay away and she's a full. I'm crying, oh my gosh. She shows up to sing you are my sunshine. She just wants a little moment with him. Baby boy Michael comes into. He wakes up at like two in the morning. He goes into his parents' bedroom. He realizes the bed is still made. Nothing has changed since the accident and it's just god.

Speaker 1:

This is a heavy episode, but my Vidalia onion queen is stepping up and stepping out where she needs to. She is taking care of the kids, she's picking up the clothes. Gary wants to step in. He feels like he needs to do something and I'm know what, gary, you got to be able to. This is the privilege of being over 35.

Speaker 1:

I felt like you get to understand that you have life experiences, even if it's through television. I think television is a great medium. It's a great mirror pointing back at you. There's a way you believe you'll behave, and then there's a way you'll behave in real time and I don't think you should judge yourself for. And then there's a way you'll behave in real time and I don't think you should judge yourself for it either way, because if you don't do all the things you need to do quote unquote it's because you probably needed some sort of protection at that time, and vice versa. So when I watch this, I see different levels of suffering, I see different levels of things. And it's like, gary, even if you hadn't gotten in bed with the mafiosos, mind you, he made a profit. I'm not, I'm not trying to bring that up, I'm not. I listen, gary, you means the last person I'll defend on the show, but this accident has nothing. I guess it kind of does have something to do with him because he got in bed with the mafioso types.

Speaker 1:

It's not clear at this, at this juncture, that anyone really knows about that. They just know the brakes failed. This could be a run of the mill accident or this could be foul play. No one's really saying one way or another. Gary is struggling with that. He wants to just bring the clothes to the hospital.

Speaker 1:

Gabby, or Abby, is struggling with the fact that her kids are missing, but she wants to make sure that her brother is receiving the best care. It's easy to say that she's carrying on this episode, but why wouldn't you? This is someone you love. This is the flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood. Why wouldn't you carry on and make sure they have the very best that they can? I'm sorry she didn't sing. This is my Sunshine. Diana sings the Itsy Bitsy Spider, but I'm just like this is really hard. Like he's laid up his family. He's very, very worried.

Speaker 1:

I don't know why he slipped into a coma, but but God, I wasn't expecting this for the season opener. I don't know what my mind thought. It's a lot. I hate being such a wuss. But the long and short of this episode is that everybody's trying to adjust. They're trying to deal with him being in a coma. I am so embarrassed. This, this aired before I was even born. Shout out to my zillinials, because I mean we in this bitch at 1981. But this sucks, sucks. I don't like this. I don't know. I have a bad feeling about this. I have a really, really bad feeling. I don't know if he's going to be paraplegic on this show. I don't know what's going to happen. I mean, he's in the season opener, which leads me to believe he'll be on season three, so we can at least deal with that. But the kids are worried, everybody's worried. We still haven't heard from Laura or Ginger or Kenny. But let me finish this and then we'll come back with a final commentary.

Speaker 1:

These are such sensitive topics and I don't know what the right thing to do in this situation is. But Gary is under duress, he's falling away and he notices that the oldest boy, the one who had the feather duster mustache, has dipped out. He's at the arcade. So Gary meets him there and he's like yo, I'm gonna tell you everything. Just don't say anything to your sister or your little brother. The kid agrees because he's mature. Maybe it's not middle childness, but I'm like I really freaking like him a lot. And Gary explains that you know your dad's in a coma right now. Your mom's not telling you stuff because you don't think you can't handle it.

Speaker 1:

It's just like why would you bereave someone who's not bereft? Why would you stress out someone who's not stressed? I understand that they understand their dad had an accident and it sucks to not know what's going on. But ultimately I can understand why someone would be like I'm not going to make you as stressed as I am. Let me bear this burden. It's one of the un. It's one of those questions you just can't really. There's no real answer to it. I don't know what the real answer is, but everyone in this little circle is doing their best to support this family and that's really all that matters.

Speaker 1:

Karen goes back to Sid's room and she's just kind of watching over him. She's keeping vigil. By the grace of God she's got some fresh clothes so she don't smell like three-day-old ring and rings and whatnot. But Doc is like yo, you need to go home. You're not doing yourself any good. But I understand why she wouldn't want to go y'all.

Speaker 1:

I was not expecting this sort of intensity. I was expecting some. This ain't nothing about this soapy. I feel a whole way. Oh, I am fighting for my life here. The last three minutes are no better.

Speaker 1:

So karen is in the room. She is basically she's like sick. She just wants to keep vigil because she thinks he's gonna die if she leaves. And the doctor comes in, he's like listen, miss, miss, lady, you're not doing anybody any favors by staying here. Go home, rest. He's going to be the same. But Karen uses to swallow that. She said no, he's not going to be the same. What are you going to do? Doctors like yo, I'm going to take these tests, but I'm going to be real with you. We don't have the apparatus here in this hospital. It's very expensive and it won't come from next few hours, so you're just going to have to deal with it. She don't want to deal with it.

Speaker 1:

This is the love of her life, the father of her children, the man that she has built a life with. He is comatose on a table and nobody knows what's gonna happen. He could die, he could recover like nothing happened or he could be a paraplegic for the rest of his life quadruple is the worst. He's not waking up and she's like I will take him to another hospital. I don't give a damn, I will take him to another hospital and the doctor's like you could, he will die in the ambulance. You need to relax, lady, go home and take a nap. But I'm like with her. I'm like there's no perfect world, there's no perfect scenario, but there's no way that someone's going to be like oh, okay, cool, I'll go home when you are passionately and madly in love with the person who is lying before you. Luckily for us, he starts to stir Sid that in Mommy have I had my tonsils down. It don't matter what he said. He could have said chitty, chitty, bang, bang your breast mouth like dang, dang, and she would have been okay with it. He wakes up. She's like praise the Lord, god almighty. The doctor was like whoo, that's really. Sid is speaking, he is alive, he is semi sort of cognizant, but he makes a comment that he feels like he hasn't had any rest, which just stresses me out again. Oh, my God, nods Landing.

Speaker 1:

What is your problem? Why couldn't we have a normal season opener when maybe there was a hostage situation? We got a whole man in a coma. We got a man with a family. I'm stressed out. If he dies, what the hell's gonna happen to gary? What the hell's gonna happen to sid? Uh, not that he has said um to karen. Karen has given up her education for him. What is she gonna do? She's not gonna sell houses like laura.

Speaker 1:

I feel the whole way. I'm very stressed out right now. I'm gonna give myself a beat and drink this in. So, fiends, are you serious? Right now? I'm low-key, mad, but low-key. Really grateful for those of you who hadn't spoiled anything. And with there being 9 to 11 seasons, how could you? I'm stressed out.

Speaker 1:

This is the the, the most impactful season 3 premiere ever. All right party people, that's it. That's all for this episode. That's literally all I can take. It's been intense. It is a tearjerker. I promise to put all the warnings ahead of us. This was wild, oh my god. We're gonna put our power through because I know the show is worth it, even though I hated this episode. So in the meantime, in between time, make sure that you check on your emotional barometer. Just because things are happening around you doesn't mean you're equipped to deal with it. Reach out. We are so blessed to live in a time of 2020, plus, plus, plus, plus you can reach out for help. Do what you need to do to make sure that your mental is okay, but in the meantime, in the meantime, moisturize, hydrate, step outside barefoot, touch grass, do all the things and make sure you keep all of your drama on TV. I love you.