By Pablo G | Season 1 | Episode 9
The big problem for Emanda, Amily, is still lingering in the Hamptons. Even worse, she's throwing her stripper self at Jack and he is completely receptive. Nolan tries to run interference and implies to Amily that pissing off Emanda is the last thing she wants to do, but she digs in her heels and defiantly pulls the "Whateva, I do what I want!" card. It's ballsy enough to go against Emanda's wishes, but Amily adds more balls to the ante when she convinces Jack she is in fact Amanda Clarke returned to claim her destiny. They bring their blossoming romance right to Emanda's doorstep since Jack figures Amanda Clarke would want to see her old house. That awkward moment when your childhood crush and dream guy falls in love with the stripper you switched identities with because he thinks she's you.
Emanda has a few "Aww hell naw" moments too many on account of Amily and feels the need to call in a favor from an old mentor, much like she did with Warden Stiles. This time, she brings in a mysterious Japanese man who gave her some training after she switched identities with Amily. He makes an appearance at an event at Grayson Manor under the name Mr. Takeda and cryptically gives her vengeance platitudes, again, much like Warden Stiles did.
Queen Victoria is also pulling out all the stops as her empire crumbles. She had been trying to subdue Lydia with medication once she started to remember the animosity from Victoria on the night of her accident, but Conrad absconds with Lydia without Victoria noticing during the party at Grayson Manor. Now that he has Lydia, he is out of the house and seems to be out of his marriage as well. Daniel also continues to hold a grudge against Victoria for directing Frank's murder investigation toward Emanda, who tries to make a show of playing peacemaker between mother and son. It doesn't work entirely, and Daniel continues to stay at Casa Emily. Queen Victoria feels her grip on her family is slipping so badly that she takes it out on Charlotte. She doesn't just forbid Char from seeing Dec like a normal mom. She goes over to the Stowaway to try and buy Declan off so he'll stay away from her daughter. Charlotte pretends to heed her mom's advice that ending things with Dec is for the best, but she sneaks over to continue seeing him and will continue to see him, leaving her mom completely alone and depressed in her mansion.
Tyler has once again grown ambitious after finding Lydia's Open Arms speech that would've exposed the Graysons. That ambition gets put to good use when Conrad pits Tyler and Daniel against each other in a bit of friendly competition to close an investment deal at a party for Grayson Global. The first one to do it gets full commission. Tyler is all vitriol against Daniel in trying to secure his future. He tries to gain a leg up by stealing Nolan's credit card and charging some clothes for him and Ashley so they can look good for the party, then asking Nolan to invest. The trusty whale spy camera comes into play again here. Nolan uses it to watch what Tyler does when he leaves him alone in the Fortress of Solitude. He catches a glimpse of the Open Arms speech and sees that Tyler has tried searching for info on David Clarke. Emanda suggests that Nolan go ahead and give Tyler an investment to placate him until they can figure out what to do. At the party, Nolan takes Tyler aside to talk business and then asks to continue their physical agreement. Ashley walks in on them kissing, which is... you know, not what you want to see if you're a girlfriend. Tyler manages to convince Ash that it's all part of their plan to not be so nice anymore and actually gets through to her that she needs to stop being such a lackey for Victoria. As a result, she offers up a little info on Emanda to Queen Victoria and makes a brunch date with her boss, whom she now calls "Victoria" instead of "Mrs. Grayson." Small victories.
-- Pablo G. is some guy who lives in San Antonio, Texas. He co-hosts TWoP's original "Trailers Without Pity" with his brother Omar G. Check him out at Unp0ssible and Pablog and follow him @PendejoJoe on Twitter.