There’s plenty of backstabbing as the board is set for a Kelsey vs. Charles showdown.
It’s been back to back episodes of mounting anticipation as Younger prepares for its forthcoming gender war. While the majority of ‘The Unusual Suspect’ appears to focus on the escalating battle of wills between Kelsey (Hilary Duff) and Millennial benefactor Quinn (Laura Benanti), the few scenes that feature Zane (Charles Michael Davis) and Charles (Peter Hermann) are loaded with mystery that tease a not-so-shocking revelation that drops at the end of the episode.
Despite my concerns last week that Quinn was being shown the door, she’s still hanging around this week. The action has leapt forward in time; the episode opens with the reveal that Quinn’s book has been on the New York Times bestseller* list for three weeks and the Senate hopeful is riding high (read: she’s gloating to Kelsey and Sutton Foster‘s Liza).
There’s an asterisk, though. As Kelsey and Liza brainstorm a solution to shift the narrative away from Claw‘s surprising success, they discover the real reason behind Quinn’s sales. The unsavory truth is that the book is being propped up by “bulk” sales, a notorious (and real) trend that publishers use to swindle their titles onto bestseller lists.
The players are now in position and the real battle is about to begin.
In real life, books need to sell somewhere between 5k – 10k to make it onto the bestseller list, which has the advantage of not only boosting sales, but also potentially nabbing authors lucrative movie deals and larger advances for their follow-up efforts. Bulk buying is a way to game the system, but as Younger clarifies, it comes at a price: Quin has been using company funds to make the purchases, the social media chatter is traceable back to Chinese bots and, most significantly, Millennium‘s reputation has taken a nosedive thanks to a damning dagger icon (denoting bulk sales) on the Times list, which is basically a blinking indicator of fraud in the publishing world.
Kelsey’s strategy – disclosing Quinn’s political ambitions as justification for the bulk sales – is ingenious because it accomplishes two things at once: 1) it maintains the facade of a publisher that supports its author without throwing Quinn “under the bus” and 2) it forces Quinn’s hand, because she will, in all likelihood, need to leave immediately to focus on her campaign.
Alas, by this time Kelsey and Liza’s efforts to secure a sophomore follow-up in the form of a true crime tell-all by potential murderess Audrey Colbert (Scream‘s Willa Fitzgerald), has already fallen through due to the bad press. Naturally the publisher that scooped up the juicy property (for the astronomically high sum of $800K!) is none other than…new upstart Mercury, which is being fronted by Zane. And judging from Liza’s knowing look at the end of the episode, she’s already figured out that the loan documents she spotted at Charles’ place make him the deep pocketed financier backing Zane.
All this to say: the players are now in position and the real battle is about to begin.
Random Thoughts:
- Let the record show that I exercised great restraint in this recap by NOT making a Mercury Rising joke.
- It’s likely given the forthcoming feud over Colbert’s book that this is not the last we’ve seen of Fitzgerald. Considering how truly awful she was as the lead of MTV’s Scream, I’m surprisingly…ok?…with her performance as a monosyllabic would-be multiple murderer with a to-die-for wardrobe.
- The script for ‘The Unusual Suspect’ is by Grant Sloss, who has worked on Kirstie and Romancing the Joan. Far be it for me to speculate on anyone’s sexuality, but the number of sexually risqué/dirty jokes and RuPaul-esque dialogue in this episode is off the charts. In addition to Redmond (Michael Urie)’s mention of sex without lube, Lauren (Molly Bernard)’s comment about Maggie (Debi Mazar) getting “back on the hunt” (take a moment…it rhymes with…) is pretty brazen!
- While I’m always up for a little meta humor, the attempt to frame Charles and Liza’s covert meet-ups as some kind of dangerous liaison comes off a little undercooked. The intrigue is obviously informed by Exonerated, the popular Serial-esque podcast that Audrey’s book will refute, as well as Charles’ nefarious plans, but two scenes just isn’t enough. It would have been better to frame the whole episode as a mystery, which could have worked considering Kelsey and Liza are technically embroiled in an investigation around the success of Quinn’s book for the better part of the run time.
- Let’s offer up a hallelujah for the demise of Josh (Nico Tortorella) and Clare (Phoebe Dynevor)’s romantic status. Overlooking the hilarious suggestion that new parents have enough energy to make googly eyes at each other, I was beyond thrilled when Josh gets down on one knee to propose divorce. Thank the heavens for this cute ending to an ill-advised story line.
- Finally, Diana (Miriam Shor) is more or less relegated to supporting status this week, serving up comedic hysteria about Audrey and then deftly mixing physical comedy with bitchiness when she arrives bearing bad news (on crutches, no less). Shor is always great, but she doesn’t always need a full subplot of her own. Younger has proven surprisingly adept at knowing when and how much to use her talents and particularly given the focus of this episode on setting up the stakes for the battle to come, this judicious use of Diana feels about right.
Read next: The Spool's Best New Releases
Streaming guides
The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
The praises of live TV streaming services don’t need to be further sung. By now, we all know that compared to clunky, commitment-heavy cable, live TV is cheaper and much easier to manage. But just in case you’re still on the fence about jumping over to the other side, or if you’re just unhappy with ... The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
Season 3 of the hotly anticipated Power spin-off, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is arriving on Starz soon, so you know what that means: it’s the ’90s again in The Southside, and we’re back with the Thomas family as they navigate the ins and outs of the criminal underworld they’re helping build. Mekai Curtis is ... How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so back! To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, the BBC is producing a three-episode special starring none other than the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor himself, David Tennant. And to the supreme delight of fans (that would be me, dear reader), the Doctor will be joined by old-time companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and ... How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
For whatever reason, The Hunger Games series isn’t available in the same countries around the world. You’ll find the first and second (aka the best) installments in Hong Kong, for instance, but not the third and fourth. It’s a frustrating dilemma, especially if you don’t even have a single entry in your region, which is ... Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
After a years-long hiatus, scientist and explorer Albert Lin is coming back to National Geographic with a fresh new season of Lost Cities, renamed “Lost Cities Revealed.” In the past, Lin, who is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a real-life Indiana Jones, has traveled everywhere from the ancient Knights Templar in Israel to ... How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
As the sister channel of the much bigger Univision, Unimás is home to popular Spanish-language telenovelas and talk shows (yes, including El Gordo y La Flaca), as well as a couple of sports events and programs. Most notably, however, Unimás also operates a couple of station affiliates around the country, so it also reports local ... How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial