Welcome to one more week of Younger! After some transition episodes, THE episode finally arrives. An episode that makes us scream HOLY SHIT!. The actors defined “The debu-taunt” as a game changer and, of course, it is. Everything changed in this episode, and we’re left with the feeling that we are entering an unknown but very interesting territory. Here we go!
Let’s start at the beginning: Charles, in a very romantic gesture asks Liza to move in with him (the truth is that the scene is adorable), and she throws herself into the pool and says yes. It is a quick decision, perhaps too much, as Liza herself acknowledges. She feels that it is correct, and that they are both on the same page about where their relationship is going so, what does it matter if it is fast? It is what both want. And, fuck, she’s absolutely right, the important thing is if they both feel they are at that point, so why not? In this sense, Liza makes the right decision.
However, there are always two sides of the same coin. It is true that both are on the same page about living together, but that is only the consequence of having buried their problems in a very deep hole. It seems that everything is fine and solved but, as has been shown in this episode, that is far from real.
Both have had to give up important parts of their lives to be together, have been torn by it and have had to lie, and that has its consequences, not only externally but also between them. If they had faced the problems that caused and their consequences, they might not be on the same page on that issue or maybe they would, but, of course, the relationship would be much stronger.
Charliza, instead of analyzing their problems, facing them and solving them, have buried them, pretending they didn’t exist and have lived in that calm that precedes the storm, where everything is happiness, light and color … but the problems exist and the storm always arrives. That is just what happened in this episode: the storm has arrived and now they have to deal with its consequences. Will the couple have a solid enough base to bear those consequences?
And now … let’s take care of the elephant in the room, LIZA’S SECRET HAS BEEN REVEALED! HOLY MOLLY! It is no longer a secret, everyone knows it. And all because of Pauline. It was she who uncovered the cake. Her relationship with Liza was already touched upon, knowing she was Charles’s girlfriend. But it definitely sinks when she discovers the truth. Her anger and feeling of betrayal and especially her pride have prevented her from seeing beyond.
Let’s be clear, Pauline could not stand Liza but tried to accept the situation as best she could. In a sense, Pauline underestimated the relationship between Liza and Charles, and thought that Liza was much younger and who can compete with that? When she has learned the truth, she has come face to face with the reality that she lost Charles to her own actions, not because he has found someone younger. And that is something that has made her pride suffer.
In the midst of that resentment towards Liza, when she really feels it towards herself, she wanted to do as much damage as possible, so she has revealed to the world the best kept secret. It’s funny, after so many years hiding it … it only took a second for everything to fall apart.
What really hurt Pauline is not in itself the deception, that is the excuse, what really hurt her is to learn that, in reality, there is no difference between Liza and her in a matter of age but, still, Charles chose Liza and not her. So she’s mad at Liza because she sees her as a rival who got in the middle and with Charles for choosing Liza. But the truth is that all that anger is really an anger towards herself, for having lost Charles and her family.
However, it is much easier to blame others than to accept one’s faults. That is why Pauline decides to even try to take Charles’s custody of the little ones, using her own daughters as a weapon. And this in itself is a problem for Charliza. Liza feels guilty about what has happened, and everything that can happen from now on for Charles … well if everything gets worse, we must not rule out blaming Liza. It is a very serious problem that returns to fly over the couple … and there are many problems already.
In fact, Charles should have told Pauline the truth, but he was only protecting Liza. We humans are not perfect and I think Charles acted with good intentions. Frankly, I would have done the same and I think most of us too.
Now the question is … what price will Charles and Liza pay for the consequences of revealing the secret? All possibilities are open.
The friendship of Diana and Liza has made us suffer at first, but afterwards it has given us LIFE. Diana is not a person who shows her affection with big hugs, not even many words but always shows it, in her own way. It had long been clear that the relationship between Liza and Diana had ceased to be boss – assistant to be much more, so much so that she has even asked her to be the bridesmaid at her wedding (Liza’s emotion in that scene is a reflection of mine). Diana’s extreme defense of Liza is really emotional; She hasn’t even believed Pauline’s words for a moment, she has come out to defend her friend as a beast and I couldn’t help but smile proudly for it. We all need a friend like her. DIANA FOR THE WIN!
That is why she was not expected at all that Liza confirmed Pauline’s words and has hit her where it hurts most: her heart. With the secret uncovered and before such a big lie, a lie of years, Diana’s first reaction is that of any of us: a mixture of bewilderment, denial, betrayal, anger and disappointment. Diana had not only put all her trust in Liza but had given her a piece of her heart, one she didn’t give it to anyone, she is a very closed person and protected herself from the rest of the world, but Liza was so important … that she opened to her. And now, she feels that all that has exploded in her face.
After a moment of reflection and calm, the questions arrive. Why did she do it? Has everything been part of the farce? But, above all, why did she hide it from her? Diana trusted Liza with everything, and she feels that Liza has betrayed that trust by lying to her, but much more by not saying anything when everyone else knew. Diana thought that Liza trusted her in the same way that she trusts Liza, but has realized that it is not so and that disappoints her and it hurts a lot. Her heart hurts just thinking about it.
Diana is … wonderful. She lets Liza explain herself and tell her story, something that not everyone would be willing to do. Once Liza does, Diana cannot understand why Liza accepted the work of an assistant. She is aware of all the extra things she has ordered over the years. Diana always thought that Liza did it with a smile more for her friendship than for work, now … she is not so sure. Diana needs Liza to confirm if she ever considered her a true friend, if ever that friendship and that affection between them was real to her. And she needs it because Diana can come to understand and forgive the lie, but not a false love. Liza confirms that this love and that friendship is real (who has not been moved when she has said that she did it for her?).
Liza has made it clear that cares for Diana, so it was increasingly difficult to keep hiding the truth. Secrets and lies are huge and heavy slabs that we carry on; We have to carry them every day, every minute and it is torture but they are even heavier when it comes to lying to a loved one. No one does it for fun, most of the time it is for fear … and then you are more afraid of what would happen if that lie were discovered, because you know that you would almost certainly lose that important person. Just that has happened to Liza.
It all started as a way to get the job she needed, and then it ended up in that the fear of losing the people she loved was too powerful to face and, in the end, that fear has had consequences not only on her, but also for all the people she loves.
Diana has been able to understand Liza’s situation, both the lie and the subsequent fear and for that reason she has been able to forgive her. Now just ask what all friendship needs: honesty. That final moment of forgiveness is really precious. Liza needed that forgiveness, the forgiveness of one of the most important people in her life. Nothing has changed in this friendship, it has only become stronger and I love it.
I find it curious and very important that, regardless of what happens in the episode, there is always a place in it for Josh and Liza. It is important because I don’t think it is a coincidence that they continue to connect Liza very closely with Josh, so much so that when everything is wrong in her life and she is collapsing, it is Josh with whom she talks to, and with the only one who can help her breathe.
On this occasion, that connection has been seen through a call. Liza was totally and absolutely lost, feeling guilty, keeping so many things inside herself; in other words, shattered. But Josh has called her and the world has stopped spinning for a moment. She has only been able to stop, let off steam and breathe deeply. And Josh is always there “when she needs” (I have melted with his words and his face while saying them). He loves her. It hurts him that she is building a life with another, but he respects it and is there for her whenever, whatever time, because he prefers to have her in his life as a friend than not to have her at all.
Liza, meanwhile, in this episode had a lot on her plate, so she wasn’t able to stop and think about her feelings for Josh, but she doesn’t see him at all as just a friend and the show is establishing that Josh is much more than that for her … They always end up connecting. Josh was totally oblivious to what was happening in the episode, in fact, he has only shared that scene with Liza (a scene that the promos had practically revealed to us), so they could have made him not participate but have decided to do so, that he had a conversation with Liza so, for me there is no doubt: #TeamJosh is rising!
Agree? Disagree? Don’t hesitate to share your opinion with us in the comments below! We’ll be back next week with 6×08.
Younger airs on Wednesday, at 10/9c on TV Land.
