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'Lipstick Jungle': Those crazy Scots and their scotch!
After the crazy pace of the last few episodes Lipstick Jungle finally slowed it down a bit tonight and let their characters breathe, and it was a welcome change. By developing the three central characters a bit more and finally giving them all conflicts that seemed germane to them and had real consequences, the very capable cast rose to the occasion and the results were a cohesive and even emotionally compelling hour.
Do you wear any spoilers under your kilt?
Because everything in the world has a mandate to mention Harry Potter at some point in time, the main story of the week was Nico and Wendy's quest to gain the rights to J.K. Rowling's newly discovered "prequel" to the Harry Potter series. Nico tells Wendy the best way to do this is to fly to Scotland and pitch Rowling in person, but Wendy says she cannot go because Shane is working and no one will be able to take care of the kids. Nico decides to go alone, but then gets the very bright idea to have Kirby meet her there so they can have a romantic trip where no one knows them and they can be free to be a couple in public without impunity. Kirby jumps at the chance, right when Shane tells Wendy she has to go to the meeting and Wendy agrees. When Wendy surprises Nico on the company jet, Nico is none to pleased which Wendy takes as a slight against her personally. When Wendy gets to Scotland and meets Kirby, she puts two and two together and reads Nico the riot act for continuing her affair with Kirby and keeping it from her. Harsh words are exchanged between the ladies and it ends with Wendy throwing out the lowest of blows, telling Nico it's good she doesn't have kids so they don't inherit her bad values. Ouch, Wendy. The two don't speak the entire way home, and back in New York they run into each other on the street and you can feel the chill in the air all the way through the television. They don't make up, which is a natural and nice progression to the story and leaves a lot of room for interesting things to happen down the road with their friendship.
Meanwhile, Victory is busy getting her line off the ground now that she sold her company to the sketchy venture capitalist, Mr. Kintero. He easily agrees to all of Victory's demands and doesn't even ask to see her sketches, which sets off alarm bells in Victory's head. She tests him by asking for things that are patently ridiculous, like a sheep farm in upstate New York to raise her own sheep for wool and the feathers of an endangered Chinese bird. Endangered animal remnants as fashion. Fierce! Victory also spends the hour moving into her own wing of Joe's insane apartment, complete with a closet full of all new clothes and shoes in her size. It's a nice gesture, but Victory would be happier feeling like she was more important to Joe emotionally than having her own space the size of a small country in Joe's Manhattan apartment. Joe does exactly that, making her feel important like only a rich man can do by transforming a room into a ballroom for her and hiring a piano player and singer to accompany them in a dance. It's romantic in that cold, lonely, money-soaked way the rich are romantic. After meeting Joe's arch rival at a high end art auction (where Joe buys a painting for $50 million) Victory worries to Joe that Mr. Kintero is laundering money through her company, and even comes to the conclusion that one of Joe's arch rivals bought the company and is using it to one-up Joe by owning Joe's girlfriend. Conspiracy theory much? Upon hearing that crazy story, Joe admits it was him who bought her company. That's gotta sting. Joe explains a devastated Victory that he did it behind her back because he knew she wouldn't accept the offer to her face, and that her company is a good investment. When Victory insists he sell, he refuses to do so until it is profitable, so she breaks up with him on the spot. Poor Victory.
What did you guys think? Are you on Nico or Wendy's side in their argument? And what is up with Joe thinking he can just buy anything he wants, including his girlfriend's affections?
So last night was the first time I have watched and it has me worried. I think my morals might be slightly off. I understand where Joe is coming from, he likes to make money and Victory's company will make him lots cause he knows she has talent. She never would have let him buy it so he sneaked. I also get why he didn't sell it, he wouldn't make any money selling it now, he would probably lose some. Also Wendy is a &%$#*, your friend is cheating. Yup that def gives you reason to basically ruin a friendship. I think she was more annoyed that she didn't know than that Nico had a boy toy.
Courtney | Mar 14, 2008 10:26:46 AM | #I agree with you, Coutney..umm, easy there Wendy! Maybe it's was your jelousy talking ! Although Nico's "affair" isn't the smartest thing, be a friend and support her instead of adding the salt to her wound. With friends like Wendy, who needs enemies !
As for Victory - get over it !
Final note - this show's growing on me..baby steps, but growing.
I don't think Wendy was jealous. I think that she's in a hugely awkward position because she's friends with Nico's husband too. She might have come off a little high-and-mighty, but I'd hate to have to keep Nico's secret if I were also friends with her husband.
AD | Mar 14, 2008 12:50:48 PM | #This show has been growing on me too - this was the first episode I actually liked.
I think Wendy went too far, but I don't blame her; that felt real. Sometimes your friends piss you off and disappoint you, but eventually you work through it.
Victory still really annoys me to no end. And Joe's creepy: cold, seemingly uncaring and aloof. Besides his money he's not much of a catch. Though the money would be a big draw...
I think I'm putting my finger on what irks me about her - the writers seem to write her like she's a teenage girl - the way she responds to things is not quite right.
Well, I've had problems with Nico from the beginning - especially when she got Kirby fired.
By the way - did SHE pay for him to fly to Scotland?
As much as I like Kim Raver, I'm disliking Nico more everytime I see her - she's the MOST incredibly selfish person I've ever seen.
You have to remember that ONE reason Wendy was mad at her was that she blew the J.K. Rowlings secret to Hector, not probably 30 minutes after she ASKED her not to tell anybody, but Nico had to be front and center, so she did it.
I didn't have a problem so much with her having Kirby there (though I'm still perplexed how this "poor" guy could afford it on his own) but I have a huge problem with her selfishness in ALL things.
And you just KNOW what's coming after next week's previews.
Jan | Mar 14, 2008 2:42:53 PM | #Wendy said it all, right there at the end, that half of her wished she had never found out and the other half wanted to know all the details from the beginning. Classic case of inner conflict on taking the moral high ground as opposed to hearing all the juicy gossip. The only way for Nico to work things out on a moral basis for Wendy is if she leaves the marriage or drops the boy-toy. From the preview, SOMETHING happens to her husband. That WAS her husband in that hospital bed, right? Maybe he dies, thus releasing her morally through the tragedy? Joe could have avoided the whole argument if he had simply said he had ADVISED Mr. what's his name to invest in the company, that it was his advice to a fellow investor and personal friend rather than just admit it was all his doing completely. Joe should have found someone better to play the investor to sell it all as valid. But... as he said, buying little companies and making them prosperous, IS what he does...
xyzzy | Mar 15, 2008 2:03:19 PM | #Check out the Arrica Rose song “Uh huh” featured in the makeout montage in the Lipstick Jungle episode “The F Word”. She’s a great indie artist who just had “Uh Huh” remixed.
Click on the link to check her out!
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=276465181
Does anyone know who the artist is of the painting on Lipstick Jungle behind the sofa in Wendy's loft? Thanks.
antiquefetish | Nov 24, 2008 2:51:01 PM | #
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