Source: TGON
“A Book Fair to Remember”; “Get Real” Season Finale
When a show links itself to a narrative of a lying protagonist, there best be a massive payoff in revelation. “Younger” has mastered the ability in keeping Liza a character you root for as opposed to loathe…even though she is living a life of half-truths and outright deceptions. I wondered how long the writers’s room could realistically hold out on allowing more characters know Liza’s deepest secret; turns out two to three seasons was the maximum timeframe before others were looped in.
Hampton Book Fair
“Younger” has truly made a focus of Liza and Kelsey’s careers this season and it’s been a boon for viewers to see. It’s rare to see an in-depth look at the publishing world-let alone how technology merges with old world book methodology-but the show manages it seamlessly. Kelsey’s imprint Millennial is a great vehicle to show how young mixes with old(er) and still makes a splash in the old-guard world of publishing
Mixing business with a little pleasure, Kelsey’s boyfriend Colin is the toast of the Hamptons Book Fair with his new novel. Feeling pushed out, the tension between Kelsey and Colin’s publisher, Pippa, reaches ‘danger’ levels when Colin’s Random House and Millennial’s parties are scheduled simultaneously. The competition for authors and investors is fierce between publishing houses and a popular soirée can make or break an up-and-coming imprint.
Source: TGON
The busyness of a festival schedule doesn’t halt Liza’s secret from cropping up at the most inopportune moment. The ladies’s colleague from EW Online, Emily, sneakily confesses to Liza that she knows she’s 40. Blackmailing Liza for a publishing deal for her self-help book (written from her labradoodle’s point of view), Emily sneaks in through the backdoor as a Millennial author through dishonorable means.
Off work, Charles and Liza have the most awkward yet sweet interactions. He tells her “Good choice” when he sees her danish and makes the Captain Obvious observation that she’s headed to the beach, while she’s in a bathing suit and flip-flops. It leads to a bar get together, where the two listen to the band Berlin, slow dance and kiss to the sounds of “Take My Breath Away.” As a viewer (and a total shipper), this moment is even more romantic and climatic than season two’s finale kiss between Liza and Charles. They were in a moment but not a moment where someone had resigned and moved away. It was present, patient and expected. It also happened again in front of Liza’s hotel room…unknowingly in front of Josh…in front of a ‘Marry Me’ message spelled out in rose petals. It is FUBAR for Liza. Admittedly.
Source: TGON
Are You Real?
Back in the city, Liza desperately tries to reach Josh. With no answer, she soldiers on to the only constants in her life: Kelsey, work and Maggie. With Charles assuring her he “didn’t mean to come between a happy couple,” Liza is left slightly rudderless. Does she know whom or what she wants? Where she wants to be and which gent (if any) she should be with.
Tracking a new potential author, Kelsey and Liza end up at her seminar ‘Get Real.’ A no-nonsense, practical self-help guru named Antonia chooses Liza’s ex-husband out of the audience to find out “What would make you happy?” David shouts he wants his ex-wife back; in the audience cutaway, Liza is mortified while Kelsey is enthralled with the spectacle. In a silly move, Liza runs to the bathroom when Antonia commands David to call her. Instead of rejecting the call, she answers. Perhaps this is the moment of clarity “Younger’s” protagonist needs. Antonia shrinks HER, calls HER out instead of assisting David. In a final burst of “What would make you happy?,” Liza discovers it’s Josh. Running to him, apologizing and begging forgiveness doesn’t work. Josh is out. Josh is done. And Josh lays out some very harsh truths about Liza’s deceptions.
Perhaps that’s why, in the final scenes of this season, an upset and disconsolate Liza finally confides to best friend Kelsey her true age and true self. It’s a moment of pure honesty and the look on Kelsey’s face lets us know the honest feelings will fly next season.
Darren Star and company crafted an outstanding narrative this season. So many questions remain after this cliffhanger and TGON can’t wait to discover them all with you in 2017.
