Paige is trying to balance schoolwork and rising stardom because it’s important to her father that she stay in school, which is why Paige is incredibly nervous to share her big news with her father. Cassie makes a good point in that Paige isn’t becoming a sister wife, she’s ONLY the lead in a super huge movie. No big deal, right? As for Jake, that agent from last week read his script and wants to have a meeting with him. That wonderful news calls for an awkward hug between Paige and Jake. It’s awkward because these two haven’t really sorted out what they are yet.
Nina and Jordan are sharing a romantic morning together, even though Nina thinks there is something a little wrong about them being together. Their rose-colored glasses are ripped off of their faces when Barrett Hopper’s show spills all the tea that Nina gave him last week about the whole Rainer/Jordan fight being entirely Tangey’s fault. Jordan realizes that what Barrett is reporting is utterly false because he and Tangey weren’t even drinking when they hooked up. To make matters worse, Nina doesn’t confess to being the instigator. Jordan decides to take matters into his own hands and to fix this mess. He doesn’t want the entire world hating on Tangey because HE’S A GOOD GUY. Well, I guess it also because it’s not all her fault… Nina stops him on his way out and tells him that she’ll fix everything with Tangey’s manager.
Paige rolls up to the studio for her meeting with Nina but has a little run-in with the security guard. She presents her student ID, which doesn’t fly with the guard. Luckily Rainer pulls up in his seemingly very expensive car to save Paige from being kicked off the lot. All he says is, “Oh, this is Paige Townsen. She’s going to be a big star.” Turns out the security guard is willing to the let the ID debacle slide.
Paige starts her meeting with Nina off by saying she’s nervous. “Do you want to see a doctor? We could get you on a mood stabilizer,” Nina suggests. The look on Paige’s face after Nina said that was absolutely perfect. We learn that Paige is meeting with Giselle, the best stylist in town or a backstabbing bitch if you hear from Nina, later to figure out what she’s wearing to the casting party the next night.
My favorite person ever Alexis Glenn blocks Paige’s car in the lot before she even knew the car belonged to Paige. When she does meet Paige, Paige is nothing but kind and complimentary. Alexis, well, she wasn’t as much. She dished out a platter of insults and finished it off by telling Paige, “Part’s not yours until the camera starts rolling.”
Next, we meet Ida AND Tangey. Ida is Tangey’s manager and mother. As soon as she steps foot into Nina’s office she threatens to take legal action regarding the lies spreading about her daughter in the press. Tangey stays pretty silent during this scene until it’s suggested that she reconcile with Rainer; she’s not up for that. Nina, like always, has figured out a way to fix the problem and benefiting from the mess she’s made. Nina suggests that Tangey sing a song for Locked, and Ida and Tangey jump at the opportunity. Nina tacks on that at the casting party Tangey, Rainer, and Jordan have to pretend to be the BFFs they once were. This should go well…
Alexis makes a pitch to Wyatt (the director of Locked) because she wants to play the “dumbass sister.” She’s even willing to audition privately, however, Wyatt has other, more serious plans in mind. He wants to take Alexis out a dinner date and she accepts. On the way out she runs into a new character that goes by the name Rachel Davis. She is played by the wonderful and talented Katelyn Tarver. Rachel was living in New York doing theater, but things didn’t really work out. Now she’s back and there seems to be a romantic past between her and Alexis. After shutting down the idea that she and Dakota may be together, Alexis invites Rachel out for drinks sometime.
Back at the apartment, Jake is complimenting how clean they were able to get the apartment. Cassie is making a wish list of celebrities she hopes to see at the party. Beyoncé and Kimye are at the top. Paige, on the other hand, is freaking out about what to tell her parents. Her best friends suggest that she just put the conversation off and lie to her parents. This works to her favor because her parents can’t stay as long as they originally planned. It does backfire a bit when her mom says how she wants to take the three of them to dinner tomorrow night – the same night as the casting party. Quick on their fight, the three amigos say that they have a study group that they HAVE to attend, which pulls a compliment from Paige’s father.
Nina is out, trying to enjoy her lunch, when she is interrupted by Alan Mills. He is the one that Nina supposedly stole the rights of Locked from. Apparently, he taught her everything she knows about the business because she was once his assistant. In a moment I absolutely loved, Nina calls Alan out for only hiring women he sees as physically attractive to be his assistants. It was really subtle and I don’t know if I was supposed to take it as the badass diss that I did, but there you have it. She finishes their discussion by saying, “Unless you’re buying my lunch, I think we’re done here.” Yes, Nina!
Tangey visits Rainer and delivers a giant slap to his face after he tells her that apologizing to him should’ve been the first thing on her to-do list when coming back to town. Tangey explains to him that being a boyfriend means actually seeing said boyfriend, and that wasn’t the case for their relationship. She thinks that he should be the one apologizing to her. Now that we’re starting to see both sides of the story, I’m starting to agree with Tangey. Tangey leaves Rainer in shock when saying, “You know, Jordan’s ten times the man you are. And you lost me way before I slept with him. You’re just too focused on yourself to realize it.” I’d say that in the moment when Tangey turns to leave after dropping that truth bomb on Rainer you can see a hint of remorse on Rainer’s face.
Cassie is hanging out on the super soft floor of an extravagant changing room while Paige, with the help of her stylist, is trying on loads of dresses to figure out what she should wear to the casting party. Jake is there too. Cassie and Jake approve of the final dress, and the look on Jake’s face says about a million and one things. Paige then joins Cassie on the floor to have a quick, understandable breakdown. Paige has so much going on; I couldn’t even imagine how overwhelming that would be. Her best friends reassure her that everything will be okay because they will always be by her side.
There is a really small scene where a woman catches Jordan leaving an interview for a magazine. She doesn’t call him Jordan Wilder though, she calls him Jordie Michaels. He shrugs it off as someone mistaking him for someone else. I don’t think that’s what it was at all, especially after what happens in the last five minutes of the episode. Later on Jordan starts to question Nina about if she’s ever told anyone about his past. Of course she says she hasn’t. Nina and Jordan’s conversation is cut short by a call informing Nina that Fred Tate, the biggest ally and head of the studio, is no longer the head of the studio. Without him the movie could get shut down.
Before I tell you about the scene, I need you to know that I almost 1,000% sure that the Alexis and Rainer friendship is going to be a favorite of mine. She’s known him since he was 12! Okay, Rainer goes to get advice from his friend about the whole Tangey situation. Alexis straight up tells him that he’s not relationship material. Honesty is the best policy, right?
Cassie, Jake, and Paige are getting some food at a taco truck when Jake and Paige finally have that conversation. While Cassie is getting the food, Jake tells Paige that he knew they were going to be friends forever ever since freshman theater shop. He says that she needs him as a friend now more than ever, so that’s what he’s going to be. Paige is obviously disappointed and irritated that Jake mentioned that he talked to Cassie about his relationship with Paige.
As Cassie is helping Paige get ready for the casting party, she gets a call from her mom and she’s prepared to tell her that she’s studying, but her mom is in her room. The look on Paige and Cassie’s faces as the realization sets in is priceless! When Paige asks her if she’s mad, her mom responds, “Mad? If you’re doing what I think you’re doing, I might have a heart attack. In a good way.” Turns out her mom saw the script on the table, so Paige’s study group plan was never going to work out. When Paige owns up to it and explains everything to her mom, her mom absolutely freaks out from excitement. She’s basically the best. I mean, her book club has read all of the Locked books! Though her mom is in on all of the famous fun, Paige’s dad still doesn’t know. Paige’s mom thinks that it would be best if they told him together. Have I mentioned that I love Paige’s mom?
Cassie opens the door to reveal Rainer Devon. He remembered her name but not Jake’s. When Jake brings up that they’ve met, Rainer says that he meets a lot of people. Not cool, Rainer. Rainer got a car for all of them to ride in to the casting party because he thinks Paige should arrive in style. Paige makes the guys’ jaws drop when she comes out in her dress from early, becasue she is absolutely slaying in in that dress!
The party is definitely not small. There is a ton of press and food and swans in the pool. Are they real? I don’t know, but Jake is just as curious as we are. Paige spots some reporters from Extra, which isn’t good at all because her parents watch that every night. Her dad isn’t supposed to find out about his daughter’s growing fame through a screen. Cassie sends a text to Paige’s mom alerting her to stay far away from the TV that night. Paige begins to panic, but Rainer puts all of that to rest by saying, “Paige, relax. I’m here for you.” The way he looks at her in that moment says it all. They quickly come up with a secret code (It’s crossing their fingers.) so Rainer can help her when she gets stuck in a situation.
Alexis reintroduces herself to Paige as the girl playing her sister instead of the girl who insulted her at the studio. Alexis then finds Rachel even though Rachel has done everything she can to avoid any further conversation with Alexis. Alexis explains to Rachel that she is a different person now and that she tried therapy TWICE. Alexis then goes in for a kiss and expresses her want for her and Rachel to start over. Rachel reveals that the opportunity for that is in reach because she got a part in Locked. I don’t know if that was the new Alexis was wanting to hear.
Tangey finds Jordan hiding out. Jordan apologizes for the wrath Tangey is getting. She tells him that being with him was worth it and Jordan smiles very cutely. Rainer finds them and things escalate very quickly. Nina swoops in to set everyone straight. The new story is: Rainer and Tangey broke up a month ago and nothing happened between Jordan and Tangey. “You were all friends before and you’re still friends now,” Nina demands. Paige was in the background of all of this with Alexis and Rachel, and this is definitely a new, not-so-glamorous side of fame that Paige had yet to see. Nina tells her son she knows he sleeps around and to stop acting like Tangey meant something to him. Harsh.
It’s time for a very awkward red carpet! Jordan and Rainer were the first ones out. They smiled for photos and passed insults through clenched teeth. Yay, friendship! Everyone else walks out, leaving Paige for last. She walks out and I got a little emotional. Well, until I heard some of the questions reporters were throwing out. “What’s it like to work with the hottest men in Hollywood?” “Are you dating anyone?” COME ON! Paige answers some questions in the most charming and relatable way but then it all gets to be too much. In a desperate need for some assistance, Paige rubs her arm with two fingers crossed. Just like the Bat-Signal, Rainer sees her request and swoops in.
Cassie is stuffing her bag with meatballs when Brody approaches her. She has seen him earlier in the night but did a great job of avoiding him. Alexis approaches Jake and seems to be flirting with him a bit. And while that is happening, Ida informs Nina that she wants her daughter to be cast in the movie or she won’t do the song. Back with Brody and Cassie, Brody is just about to ask Jake, who has now joined Cassie, if he’s a client of “Lacey” when Cassie exclaims that she has just spotted Selena Gomez at the party to get Jake away from Brody.
Rainer drops Paige back off at her apartment. The two almost share a kiss, but they are sadly interrupted by Paige’s mother AND father. The secret is out! When her father demands she quit the movie and stick to school, Paige sticks up for herself and her dreams. Cassie and Jake are there to pick up the pieces with dessert from Cassie’s purse. Jake gets a phone call while he’s away making tea. Paige answers it after seeing that Alexis is the one calling him. Paige speaks in Spanish, adopting the persona of a wife who is talking to the woman her husband has been cheating on her with.
Nina gets a surprise visit from Alan in her office. He reveals that he is now the head of Gold Brothers Studios. Now the fate of Locked is really hanging in the air.
Pretty early on in the episode we learn that whatever Cassie/Lacey is doing for Brody, she’s getting paid for it. By the end of the episode, she is getting paid $50 more for doing more for him, one of the things being vacuuming his living room topless.
Jordan gets a text from an unknown number. The text includes a picture from his past. The woman in the picture with him is the woman from earlier that called him Jordie. The text says something along the lines of not wanting the press to find out about his past. What is Jordan hiding?
Finally, Paige’s dad comes around to the idea of his daughter being a star who can balance school and fame. All it took was a girl asking Paige for an autograph after telling her that August is her favorite character, so much so that she wrote a paper about her. When the girl tells Paige’s father that she got an A+ on it, Paige’s dad softened a bit. Looks like things are looking up for Paige at the moment. Everyone else, not so much.