'Lipstick Jungle': More tricks than treats

Lipstick Jungle tackles Halloween and the tricky nature of being friends with an ex this week, with both storylines offering enough tricks and treats to keep our jones for soap satisfied until the next episode.

Victory begins the episode in the throes of a nightmare about Joe falling through ice and dying. She thinks this means she should call Joe, which Wendy agrees with but Nico does not. Although she knows she shouldn't, Victory calls Joe and interrupts him while he's preparing for a trip to climb the Matterhorn just like in her dream! She goes to see Joe and tells him he can't go on the trip, but Joe is determined to have the experience because his father died at the same age he is and he wants to live life to the fullest. Joe also gives her flack because she told him to move on with his life and now she's there, butting in. She says she's still allowed to care about him and be his friend but Joe is skeptical.

Victory goes with her awesome assistant Roy to a Halloween party to distract herself from the Joe debacle but Joe turns up at the party in disguise and remains elusive throughout the night, which totally messes with Victory's mind and even causes her some strange hallucinations. Exactly what is in those martinis she's drinking? In the end, Victory leaves Joe a rambling message about how she'd be a good friend just as Joe is waiting on her doorstep to tell her he didn't go climb the Matterhorn, he only wanted to because he is having a crisis because he feels like he hasn't accomplished enough in his life. Victory points out all the good he's done with his money by giving to charity, and they look like they're well on their way to starting a true friendship. Will this friendship evolve into more in the future? If Joe stays this likable that might be a darn good thing.

Nico & Kirby are having their own issues this week, starting with Kirby's love for Halloween competing with Nico's desire to just forget the day even exists. We get it, she's old and he's young. Nico asks Kirby to celebrate a holiday she enjoys by spending Christmas with her skiing in Aspen but he defers, saying he's worried about how much it will cost. She says she'll spring for it as a gift, but Kirby obviously isn't keen on Nico paying for everything all the time. Nico doesn't understand his hesitation, but Wendy points out that she should let him pay for things sometime so he feels included. Kirby gets the bright idea to make a little cash by snapping a picture of a Hollywood starlet while he's cater waitering a Halloween party so he can get some cash from the tabloids. Nobody likes a paparazzi, Kirby. I guess he gets his shot, because he presents Nico with two tickets to Aspen, telling her he "he sold a photo." I'm sure this will come back to bite him in the future.

Nico's having her own issues at work, as Griffin wants to make a play for a sports magazine and wants her help, enticing her with the promise of a promotion to oversee more than just Bonfire in the future. I think Griffin really wants to oversee the unbuttoning of her pants, if you know what I mean and I think you do, because that was not subtle at all. They meet the owner of the magazine and he's a total pig but Nico swiftly and succinctly tries to put him in his place, but he still continues to harass. Nico figures if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, so she evens the playing field by being just as dirty as him, totally charming him and landing the deal. Griffin wants to kill the purchase because the owner is such a pig, but Nico refuses and says things we'll be different when he's under her banner for good. Then they flirt some more, and I really start to worry about my little paparazzi Kirby. 

Wendy's dealing with her own tricks this week, missing Shane who is gone on a business trip. Unluckily for her, she spends her alone time hanging out with fellow stay at home parent Dennis, who is discouraged with his own wife Kate because she is always working and isn't receptive to his complaints. Wendy advises him to talk to her, but that talk turns into them planning a separation. Wendy and Dennis spend a good amount of time talking and getting close and it's more screen time than we've seen Wendy and Shane have all season long, which is never a good sign. This newfound closeness leads Dennis to kiss Wendy, which is totally expected by me and still totally awkward to watch. The girls come over to comfort her, and Wendy admits that she feels bad mostly because she didn't hate it. This leads Wendy to finally apologize to Nico for being so judgmental when Nico had her affair with Kirby. In the end, Dennis apologizes to Wendy and she accepts, but makes sure their kids' next play date doesn't include a play date for them as well. Wendy ends the episode by calling Shane and letting him know she misses him, which is a good sign.

On the work front, Wendy is excited because she and Sal from Parador are planning on starting their own production company. There you go, Wendy! Hollywood needs more independent female producers! Unfortunately for Wendy's and her dreams, though, Griffin offers Sal her old job and he is going to take it (although he has the decency to feel bad about it in the process). Wendy encourages Sal to his face, but off in private has her own little moment of sadness. What will Wendy do now? I say still start your own production company, girl. You can do it on your own.

In a move that makes me more than a little bit concerned for the show's future, Lipstick Jungle is moving to Fridays at 10pm starting in two days. Make your DVRs are set accordingly, and I'll see you all then!

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