While Fireworks May Have Exploded in Your Town, Bombs Exploded in Port Charles

While the rest of us were thinking about time off from work, BBQs with family and friends, and other 4th of July festivities, the residents of Port Charles had much more explosive issues on their minds than breaking out their lawn chairs for the local fireworks display. Kristina set out to put her mother of all daddy issues revenge plot into motion, arriving at Johnny's penthouse while the mob prince and Olivia were mid-Merlot.


Johnny asks Olivia to leave so he can talk a few things out with the troubled teen. Meanwhile, Max and a very tiny man are in the building's garage putting the finishing touches on the bomb that will go off as soon as Johnny unlocks his car (BTW, not that I'm a car bomb expert, but I have watched a lot of TV in my day: Wouldn't it make more sense to have the bomb go off when the car is started, thus ensuring that Johnny is in the car and will blow up with it?). Later, Max calls Sonny to assure him that the job is complete, telling him, "Johnny dies tonight." Aren't we keeping this on the down low, Max? You know how the walls have ears in Port Charles. Maybe a simple "the crow flies at midnight" would have been more discreet.
Over at the Metro Court bar, Patrick and Lisa set out to celebrate their surgical victory over Shirley's brain cancer and get drunk on sidecars and Irish car bombs (nice way to carry the car bomb theme throughout the episode, GH) while also trading lame surgeon jokes ("What's the difference between God and surgeons? God doesn't think he's a surgeon.") and shamelessly flirting with one another. Once they're a good three sheets to the wind, a giggly Lisa brings up a past sexual escapade the two had in the back of a cab, referring to it as "the best sex." World's Best Neurosurgeon, having completely forgotten about that wedding ring on his finger since before he even started drinking, then offers to walk Lisa home, to which she drunk-flirts back, "We can always take a cab."

As I said in earlier posts, I'm really sorry to see the writers take this direction with Patrick and Lisa. Even though the tension between them has been building for months, I didn't think it would get to the point where they actually slept together. And maybe they don't (I haven't read any spoilers on this one), but as Friday's episode ended, it sure did look like Steve Webber wasn't going to be the only GH surgeon to hold the distinction of getting naked on Doc Niles' couch. You may be jealous of the ghost of Stone, Patrick, but at least he doesn't currently have his tongue down your wife's throat.
At the Crimson offices, Maxie starts to receive dozens of roses, which she assumes are from Matt. The roses are delivered by a new face on the canvas, Metro Court employee James. Lulu notes to Maxie that James is cute, and they should set him up with Brook Lynn. Smart girl, Lulu. Find something to distract your boyfriend's towel-wearing neighbor, old friend and master chef ASAP!
Matt himself arrives at the Crimson office soon after, and denies sending the roses, leading Lulu and Maxie to believe that they must be from Spinelli. After Lulu leaves, Maxie declares to Matt that her plan must have worked now that Spinelli is showering her with roses and she will no longer be needing his services. Matt isn't so easily swayed, asking Maxie if that's what she truly wants and claiming that the emphasis is on the "non" when it comes to non-husband Spinelli. Whether it's with Maxie or otherwise, I've gotten used to seeing the usually MIA Matt on a more regular basis, and I hope GH makes a point of no longer letting the handsome doc go to waste. He is in the opening credits after all.
Thursday's episode ended with us thinking that Dante had pulled a gun on Franco outside Jason's building, but we should have known that our clever psycho killer wouldn't be so easily pinned down. The man, who is wearing the same, exact jacket that Franco was wearing earlier outside Jason's building, flees when Dante pulls his weapon on him, but when the cop quickly catches up to him, he's revealed to be anything but the tortured artist.
Meanwhile, Spinelli has used his unmatched cyber skills to unearth a potential lead to Franco--his mother, Karen Anderson, who lives close by in Woodstock. Spinelli also reveals Franco's real name: Robert Frank, yet another former Bensonhurst residence who has found his way to The Chuckles. Dante and Jason head off to pay Franco's mom a visit, but once on her doorstep, the woman (played by James Franco's mother) denies having a son.
While Dante and Jason continue to question Karen Anderson and shop for tie-dyes and temporary peace sign tattoos in Woodstock, Maxie is now alone in the Crimson offices when yet another flower delivery arrives--only this time it's not cutie James who comes bearing gifts. Maxie turns around to find Franco himself, out of his homeless guy disguise and holding another dozen red roses. Boy, does he clean up nice. It's hard to remind yourself that his tendency to, you know, kill people is probably a big, red flashing light when it comes to his potential as a mate. One date couldn't hurt, right?
Franco cornering Maxie would be cliffhanger enough for a Friday, but let's not forget that tiny matter of a car bomb about to explode. Back at Johnny's penthouse, he finally convinces Kristina to abandon her revenge scheme against Sonny and to "break up" their pretend relationship, and offers to drive her home. Meanwhile, the SAT prep class jig is up as Sam reports back to Alexis and Sonny that she visited the room where Kristina was supposedly taking the class and it was empty. Molly then fesses up that her sister is actually at Johnny's, which causes Sonny to race out the door to Harbor View Towers. He arrives in the garage just as Johnny and Kristina are making their way toward the rigged car. Johnny hits the unlock button on his car key, and Sonny watches it go up in flames.
So the episode GH has been building toward for weeks finally arrived--what did you think of it? And what do you think will happen this coming week?