Episode Report Card Pablo G: C- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Jonah and Riley's Infinite Crapfest
By Pablo G | Season 1 | Episode 7 | Aired on 10.20.2009
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The familiar WPK screensaver on an iMac informs us we're in Ella's office. She reaches for some generic Advil while on the phone with Caleb, trying to convince him the shoot wasn't a disaster. She thinks Jo was able to salvage some good shots. Speaking of Jo, here she comes right now! She steps into Ella's office to complain about Riley and drop off some proofs. They argue a bit about Riley until Jo claims Riley sold out. Ella gets defensive on Riley's behalf for some reason and brings up Jo's lack of integrity for giving up journalism to pursue fashion. Check and mate.
Violet lies on the edge of The Complex Pool, dipping her hand in the water. Jonah walks out into the courtyard and sees her, hoping she didn't notice him. He tries to sneak by, but stops when he notices the bird's nest from earlier. This small pause gives Violet the time to sneak up behind him. She mentions her whole furniture dilemma and Jonah gracelessly makes up an excuse about having a date with Riley to avoid helping. Violet informs him that Riley is already back from her modeling gig. Jonah thinks Violet's mistaken, but she insists Riley is over at Auggie's as they speak. This doesn't sit well with Jonah. Violet senses his distrust and plants the seed that they have little secret get-togethers behind Jonah's back.
In Auggie's apartment, he and Riley are finishing up their little pow wow when Jonah knocks at the door. He comes in to find them just having tea but he looks ready to snap in his own geeky way. After he and Riley trade cursory questions about how their respective big days went, Riley heads home to cook dinner. Jonah stays to have a word with Auggie alone. Right away he starts accusing Auggie of being in an inappropriate relationship with Riley. Auggie defends himself as anyone would when being accused by someone who can't be convinced otherwise, but Jonah stays on the advance. He brings up the security footage he saw from the night of Sydney's murder. Jonah is a dick to every one of Auggie's explanations and attacks the purity of his intentions. Auggie revisits his "you're way off base" line. I like that. I hope it becomes a catch phrase. I'm not sure what Jonah wants from Auggie when he tells him that he and Riley have already talked about what happened and he just wants to hear Auggie's side of it. Auggie thinks he's talking about the time Riley kissed him while drunk. She kissed him, Auggie clarifies. Jonah goes blank. Wh-wha-what? Auggie looks most upset when he realizes he just let the secret out. Who cares if I'm a home-wrecker, I suck at keeping secrets. Auggie tries to soften the blow by explaining Riley was drunk and that she definitely loves Jonah. Jonah's not listening. He leaves in disbelief.
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Love Nest. Riley pops open some champagne. Are they going to break up? Is that what this is? Because that would totally be reason to pop champagne. Jonah walks in, takes a glass from Riley -- who is trying to propose a toast to his career -- and downs it. Riley's confused, but that goes without saying. Jonah starts in with the questions. Why did she go to Auggie? Riley explains why and Jonah tries to poke holes in her story. Why didn't she text Jonah? Riley still thinks this is about letting him down with the modeling shoot. Jonah says he doesn't care about the money. He only cares about her telling him the truth. He asks again if there's anything going on between her and Auggie. Denial. He asks again if anything's ever happened. Riley lies to his face again. He can't bring himself to accuse her of kissing him based solely on Auggie's word. He leaves.
David comes home to find Lauren waiting outside for him on his stairs. She starts asking questions about why David does this whole stealing thing. We go into one of those annoying dramatic irony arguments where they don't understand they're so much alike. He thinks she's so prim and proper, but Lauren asserts there are times when she wishes she was someone else, but that doesn't mean she victimizes other people. It just means she sells out her body. David points out he targets people like his dad who are white-collar criminals. Lauren doesn't understand still that Dr. Mancini is a jerk. David explains that the idea of a trust fund is ridiculous. Michael wasn't a father to David. Stealing won't fix David's relationship with his father, Lauren insists. It'll let him lend money to his friends, though, David fires back. Lauren doesn't want the money now. She's going to keep this between them in return for him never stealing again. Lauren's phone goes off with a text from Wendi. After this supposed declaration of solidarity, Lauren leaves David by himself. It was just a text, Lauren. You don't have to answer those immediately, you know.
Violet sits on her apartment floor, fiddling with furniture pieces. Auggie just sorta Auggies into her bedroom somehow and offers a hand. Violet says it's been therapeutic trying to figure this furniture thing out and Auggie says he's looking for therapy, too. His sponsor hasn't been answering his phone. What are they building? It's Violet's new bed. Auggie takes off his jacket to reveal his arms. Violet's eyes go wide. They get to work on her new bed. Putting it together, I mean.
At the Embattled Love Nest. Riley steps out of the shower, hoping Jonah is back, but he isn't. She checks her phone where there's a text from Jonah saying he went for a walk. Riley goes outside and sees the sparrow's nest has fallen. It's a metaphor, you see. The Love Nest is now the Fallen Mess of Branches With Crushed Eggs. Subtle. Meanwhile, Jo wanders through the courtyard looking around and it turns out she's there looking for Riley. She reveals -- for those who haven't quite figured out yet she's an old school character -- that she used to live there. Jo admits Riley was right to tell her to go to hell. She wants to get back into photojournalism. Going down south to expose food shortage in Latin America is her plan. Riley says Jo kinda got through to her, too. Maybe she should be more open-minded. Jo says she was engaged at Riley's age and her real life started when she left the guy. Also, turns out Anton saw the last photo Jo took of Riley and loved it because she was terribly pissed off and showed "raw emotion." Whatever. Riley is officially the new face of Anton's jeans. I thought we established that last episode. Jo wishes Riley luck and takes off into the Latin American unknown.
At a fancy night spot, Jonah walks in to find Kendra at the bar. She smiles when she sees him. Jonah takes his seat next to her and offers to buy her a drink. Do it, Jonah, do it!