Younger – Jersey, Sure

By starrymag | February 4, 2016

By: Taylor Gates

 

This week opens with Liza (Sutton Foster) playing big spoon to Josh’s (Nico Tortorella) little one. Their cuddle session comes to an end when Liza gets a text and tells Josh she has to get going to work. Josh takes a look at his phone as well and sees he has a new Instagram follower. The follower is none other than Liza’s daughter, and Liza demands that Josh ban her immediately. Josh laughs at her use of the word ban instead of block, insisting that Caitlin is just trying to get to know Josh. He thinks it’s sweet, but Liza grows more serious.

 

She tells Josh the divorce has been really hard on Caitlin, and she doesn’t want to throw anything new at her unless she and Josh are serious. Josh says he understands and lightens the mood by giving her a quick kiss. This leads to the two having super speedy morning sex.

 

Liza calls Caitlin (Tessa Albertson), telling her she doesn’t understand why she’s following Josh. Caitlin tells her in the 21st century, everybody follows everybody. Liza says, in that case, she might just follow the guy Caitlin is talking to. Caitlin quickly changes her tune, promising to unfollow Josh, which Liza greatly appreciates. Caitlin tells Liza she can’t believe she’s dating someone so hot, and Liza asks when she’s going to come back and stay with her. Caitlin promises she will soon, but her dad needs a lot of help right now since he can’t afford a full-time assistant.

 

Diana (Miriam Shor), Kelsey (Hilary Duff), and Liza are having a meeting with Jade (Justine Lupe) to discuss how her book is coming along. Kelsey says, after reviewing it, she can honestly say it’s like nothing she’s ever read before. (Her tone makes me think this might not exactly be a compliment.)

 

Kelsey and Liza start throwing out ideas for the cover art, suggesting they use a black-and-white photograph of Jade. Jade opposes, laying out very specific guidelines for them. She insists that she be sitting next to a homeless man on a subway while pleasuring herself. The camera will be placed right between her legs, and the picture will be taken the exact moment she climaxes. Plus, when the book opens, the sound of her orgasms will start to play. “Well, the book signing should be fun,” Diana comments cynically.

 

Kelsey walks Jade out, telling her she needs to start seeing pages and fast. This book is on an accelerated production schedule, and they want to have it in stores in the next six months. Jade starts making excuses, saying how she’s insecure about what she’s written because the pages are terrible, handwritten, and practically illegible. Kelsey points out that’s what Hemingway turned in, and she doesn’t care what state the pages are in—this book is her baby and she’ll love them from the moment they’re in her arms. They agree to meet at a bar the next night to go over what she’s written.

 

While watching Josh and his bluegrass band play at a bar, Liza is spotted by her old New Jersey friends Michelle (Heidi Armbruster) and Tom (Tim Bohn). Liza is caught off guard and not entirely pleased to see them. They reveal that their daughter follows her daughter who follows this band on Instagram. “Two tweets and a snapchat later” they came to find out about Liza’s relationship with Josh. Tom makes a joke about Liza being a cougar before Michelle slaps him on the arm and sends him to go get her a drink.

 

Michelle’s jaw drops when she sees how fine Josh is. She realizes she shouldn’t have been worrying about Liza because she’s been living the dream.

 

Josh finishes his set and walks over to Liza, who awkwardly introduces him and Michelle. Josh says it’s so cool to be meeting them since there’s so much about Liza’s time in Jersey he doesn’t know about. Tom makes the worst dad joke ever, revealing they have fake IDs that say they’re from Oregon so they don’t have to tell people they live in Jersey. Josh compliments Michelle’s outfit—a black shirt that says “truffle butter” in silver script. Michelle says her daughter gave it to her because she’s a foodie and famous for her truffle butter, which I honestly think is one of the funniest moments this show has had so far.

 

Tom and Michelle insist that Liza and Josh come over for dinner sometime to see their new trellis. Liza promises she’ll call them to set something up (obviously having no intention of ever doing such a thing), but Tom pushes, inviting them over for dinner tomorrow night. Liza starts to decline, but Josh accepts for them. Michelle gives Josh an inappropriately long and passionate hug before leaving, and Liza asks him if he has any idea what he just got them into.

 

The next morning, it appears Liza has been complaining to Maggie (Debi Mazar) about the dinner for awhile. Maggie tells her if it’s making her that crazy she should just call and cancel, but Liza says she can’t because Josh really wants to go. Maggie asks if what she or Josh wants is more important, and Liza says she can’t decide. “You need me to tell you to pick you? Woman up!” Maggie demands, casually munching on a bowl of cereal.

 

Liza argues that it’s not the simple, and that she doesn’t even know who she is anymore since she feels like a game of Risk. Liza grabs an easel and a sharpie to better demonstrate her point—drawing people on the left and right. People on the left know her as a 40-year-old mom from New Jersey (a dormant sleeper cell that just got activated by her daughter), while people on the right think she is a 26-year-old publishing assistant (a nuclear power plant that could explode at any moment). Maggie tells her this isn’t actually how you play Risk, but allows her to continue.

 

She draws Josh in the middle, explaining he fell in love with Right Liza, but now knows that she’s really Left Liza, and now knows people on both sides of the board. She also connects Caitlin and Josh because Caitlin is still following him on Instagram, and she just can’t get over that. Maggie is insulted that she doesn’t get to be on the board until Liza puts her at home, the safety zone, which makes her feel better.

 

Liza says that one more connection from the people in her old life to the people in her new one could blow her entire world up. Maggie ponders the board for a moment, and begins drawing some more lines. She insists that it’s not a board game that she’s drawn, but a spiderweb. (Clever, as she’s literally stuck in a web of lies.) Liza tries to convince herself she’ll be okay—after all, she’s the spider in the situation. “I think you’re also the fly,” Maggie admits.

 

Jade is over an hour late to her meeting with Kelsey. Kelsey calls up Jade’s assistant (Michael Urie), complaining about Jade’s irresponsible behavior and the fact she still doesn’t have any of her book. The assistant remains unconcerned, swiping through Tinder as he chats with her, until Kelsey threatens his commission is Jade doesn’t deliver. He says he’ll get Jade there.

 

Lauren texts Kelsey, asking her if she’s seen something. Whatever it is, it’s apparently not good, as the look of it has Kelsey cursing and rubbing her forehead.

 

Josh is super excited to go to dinner in Jersey, as he’s never been before. Liza carries a bottle of wine and Josh pops a lollipop in his mouth. Liza asks why he’s doing that—they’re already aware there’s an age difference—but Josh says it’s edible marijuana so he’ll be relaxed. Liza rips it out of his mouth, saying he’s the one who wanted to do this, so he’s going to have to survive it without the help of hemp-colored glasses.

 

Tom and Michelle greet them, informing them they made steak and truffle butter. The two go into the kitchen, and Josh asks Liza if she thinks they should say something, as Michelle clearly has no idea what truffle butter is. Liza doesn’t know what the slang version means either, and Josh promises he’ll let her know after dinner. Liza can’t wait that long, and decides to Google it, which is a big mistake.

 

Lauren (Molly Bernard) joins Kelsey at the bar. Apparently Jade has tweeted that she has blown her entire advance on $40,000 snake skin boots. She also thinks Kelsey’s name is Chesty. Kelsey worries that Jade could ruin her, as she has her entire budget for the Imprint. Jade tweets another picture, this time of her and homeless people eating $600 burgers make of lobster, caviar, and foie gras. Kelsey and Lauren take an Uber to track Jade down and stop her.

 

Michelle and Liza chat in the kitchen, and Michelle presses her about how great her sex life is. Liza doesn’t feel comfortable going into details, but Michelle asks what the point of having a boy toy is if she can’t share all the sexy stuff with her bored, married friends. Liza says that Josh isn’t just a boy toy, they really have something together. Michelle tells her she’s not a girl that just met a boy, she’s a middle-aged divorcee seeking validation.

 

Liza is understandably offended, but Michelle assures her she’s saying this as a friend. She tells her she’s wasting her last bit of youth on a hunk instead of finding an appropriate guy she could actually settle down with. Michelle just doesn’t want Liza getting hurt all over again by mistaking this relationship for something it’s not.

 

The tense moment is broken by Tom asking if they want to go out and see the hyped up trellis. Michelle leads the way, and Liza pulls the marijuana lollipop out of her pocket, biting the entire thing off the stick.

 

Kelsey and Lauren are still on a mad hunt to find Jade. They missed her at the burger place, but Lauren sees another tweet from her posing with a gold coke straw she bought on Etsy. Lauren recognizes the lotion in the background of the picture to be a brand they use at a hotel.

 

Josh and Liza lay in chairs under the trellis, which lights up with thousands of twinkly lights when Tom flips a switch. Admittedly, it’s a pretty legit trellis. Liza is especially impressed, considering she’s as high as a kite. Josh spies the bare stick in her hand. Amused, he asks her if she ate the whole lollipop, which sends her into a fit of giggles. Michelle says that lollipops make her crazy too, as she’s hypoglycemic. I love Liza’s out-of-touch friends so much.

 

Josh thanks them for the lovely evening as he guides Liza to the car. Michelle gives Liza a tip, telling her to eat more steak next time so the sugar won’t affect her as much. “With truffle butter,” Liza adds, cracking up.

 

Lauren and Kelsey show up to Jade’s room where she’s throwing a rager. Lauren low-key wants to stay and party, but Kelsey shuts her down. Jade answers the door and asks Kelsey why she’s harassing her. Kelsey says she doesn’t know how she expects her to publish her book without the pages. “Bitch, there is no book,” Jade spits, slamming the door in her face. Kelsey is epically screwed.

 

Liza, lying in bed with a towel over her face, admits she feels stupid about what she did. She apologizes for eating Josh’s lollipot, but Josh is finding the situation comical. He informs her she’s supposed to lick it, not eat it all at once, before asking why she did it in the first place. She replies that Michelle was getting under her skin, but is reluctant to tell him the reason why.

 

Josh pushes her, saying if they’re going to be in a relationship, they have to talk. Liza gets emotional, admitting that she worries this relationship has an expiration date for a lot of reasons; for example, maybe he’ll want to have kids someday. Josh says maybe they should get married and start having kids right now, but Liza tells him to shut up and be reasonable.

 

Josh is honestly not sure what their future may hold, but he doesn’t want this to end. Liza smiles in agreement. It looks like, despite Michelle’s warnings, their relationship is safe for now.