Venice, 4x02
Recap by Jaina
Sad Venice is sad. If I was feeling lazy that could be my entire recap. As it is, I'm trying to work on that whole laziness thing so let's do this.
I miss "Venice Beach" by Jen Foster over the opening credits. All I have to do is hear that song and it puts me in a Venice frame of mind. This new song Steady Pace by Jess Walker is a little sadder. "I've done things, I can't erase/ Left too many scars that I can't change." As theme songs go for Venice, how much more perfect could that be? I'm not sure it gets more relevant than that. I've maintained for years this whole series is a songfic. This does nothing to disprove that.
Ani looks exhausted as she gets out of her SUV. There's no doubt she's been up all night consoling Gina, but she still remembers to take a moment before she goes inside to slip Lara's engagement ring back on her finger. I started to say "her" engagement ring, but I don't think Ani's really claimed it yet. It's still Lara's and a physical representation of Lara. She slips it off when she wants to put Lara away and forget about her. We see that damn ring come on and off her finger so many times, I think it should be the new drinking game. Every time she makes a switch - drink!
Ani tries to make herself look presentable - and like she hasn't just slept over with her ex - then pulls her hoodie more tightly around her before she heads inside to face the music. The music - aka Lara - is waiting for her when she gets inside. Ani jumps about a mile like she thought she was going to get away with sneaking back in the house like a recalcitrant teenager coming in after an all night raver. No such luck.
Lara is pissed and tired, but mainly tired. They've done this song and dance and had this argument. What more is there to say, but inquire after Gina's well being? Because there's no doubt in Lara's mind that's where Ani went. Ani just looks busted. Really, Ani?
Jamie has new digs. Good for him - and good that he and Drew are still doing fine together. They might just be the happiest couple on Venice Beach. Jamie implies a world of things with his eager, "So you were up late last night? Ani?" Gina claims they're just friends, maintains that they can be just friends. Jamie isn't buying. He's convinced his girl Gina's got game, even when she's grieving for her baby brother. I'm not sure he's wrong, but Gina's at the end of her rope. Loving anyone hurts too much. What is Jamie supposed to say to that? He's got nothing.
Words are spilling out of Ani's mouth as fast as she can spit them out, trying to convince Lara that she didn't do anything wrong, not because she's scared, but she knows she messed up. Ani's the one on the defensive here.
Lara, on the other hand, is just tired. Maybe it's a little passive aggressive, but she's not going to have this fight right now. She says nice, complimentary things about Ani, but it's also clear she's forcing those words out of her mouth. Ani just can't let it go, can't take the out that Lara's giving her and run with it. She has to try and make Lara feel better, one more time, about their relationship. It would probably be more effective if the words Ani were saying were true. Lara just disengages. She's lost. She knows it and she's walking away to find again another day. Maybe it's done on purpose on Lara's part, but this is when I started to feel bad for her. It's part of the reason I don't like these two together. Lara should never have gotten drunk enough to knock Ani into a wall, but on the flip side you should never be with someone who makes you feel like crap and consistently puts you second. That's no fun at all.
Richard is still flailing around trying to make things right with Sarah. He sets her up to go see The Colonel. So much for keeping a lid on things like Gina demanded, but then he was never going to respect her wishes, was he?
Gina is scatterbrained and pissed off. Her assistant is off living the good life and and her brother is dead. Alan comes in at the worst possible moment and this time there's no covering it up.
Guya's mojo has left her again, less like a long lost puppy and more like blocked by a brick wall this time. Brandon is still incredibly patient, considering the strain the whole situation with Sami and Owen has to be putting on their relationship. He really is the perfect boyfriend. Even though the universe is keeping Guya in the dark for the return of Owen. Here there be shenanigans.
Richard comes by to see The Colonel. He wants so badly to have someone to show Sarah off too. The Colonel is still grieving for Owen, grieving for himself and all the things that he's fucked up in his children's lives. He's been through this before though, and it sucked him down. This time he wants to do better. The Colonel has a plan and he's going to get up and move on. He's already looking to the future. It makes him the perfect person for Richard to bring Sarah to. Richard's ideas just keep getting better and better. If Gina was pissed when he brought Sarah with him to the funeral, she won't be pissed at all by Richard introducing her daughter to The Colonel against her wishes. No, not one little bit. If Richard wasn't just clueless it would be like he's setting this up to fail.
Aw, miraculous book deal return. Can I be happy for Lara? I'm happy for Lara. Just not with Ani. Which brings us back around to Lara and Lara's need to prove to the world that see, she and Ani are doing just fine. Woo. Oh and Lara's three weeks sober. Venice's timeframe always confuses me so I have no idea if that's plausible since last season or not, but I'm good with humoring Lara about that until she starts doing shots on screen again. I can't say as I blame her for being pissed about not shouting about her engagement because of her fiance's ex though. That seems fair. I'm actually feeling bad for Lara again.
Ani steps out of her SUV, coffees in hand. Then stops. Ring check! Back in the pocket it goes. And, drink! This, of course, begs the question of when Ani is planning to tell Gina. I can understand not telling her at first, but it's not like Gina is going to magically get better over night. Ani can't keep this a secret indefinitely - or she shouldn't. It isn't fair to Lara, although Ani doesn't seem overly concerned with that.
Alan's in mid-rant when Ani walks in. Gina's place is a disaster and Alan knows it. Ani has eyes too, so she takes Alan up on his offer of an assistant for Gina on Gina's behalf. Pushy Natalia, I mean Ani, is in the building. I was kind of relieved Ani didn't volunteer. She's come further than that and it would be a huge step back for her, even to help Gina out. Gina just watches, a little pissed off, but letting Ani handle her. She does snark about it when Alan walks out of the room. Work isn't what Gina needs Ani for though, and this time Gina's willing to ask Ani for her help.
The Colonel's taking the news that Gina had a baby really well. REALLY well. Must be on some good meds from that stroke. Richard is suddenly all open and "well only if you want a relationship with her" when it comes to The Colonel, but he can't offer Gina the same courtesy. It's not fair. The Colonel at least seems to understand that Gina has a lot going on. He seems very content though with this new knowledge that he has a granddaughter. He has a second chance, a do-over and he doesn't want to screw it up. He wants to get it right where he couldn't with Owen and Gina.
Guya is sniffing and groping and almost motorboating Katherine in search of her mojo. It's, um, vigorous. Katherine is kind and considerate and asking all the things that Guya doesn't want to hear. So Guya deflects and reads the cards for Katherine. She calls it that Alan is lying to Katherine and playing her for a fool. Katherine is too blinded by all the awesome sex she and Alan are having to hear it. And after that visual I think I'm blind too. Guya also specifically warns Katherine away from Alan. I wonder if she's told Gina her feeling about Alan too? Even if Gina already doesn't trust him to begin with.
Alan and Jake are conspiring loudly in the bar. Jake is pissed his darling sister is still consorting with Gina the Evil Bitch.
"Those girls and all their bed-hopping. Who can keep track?" Funniest line of the episode hands down. Alan sounds like a 1950's schoolmarm.
It's soon made clear that Alan and Jake are only up to evil, conspiring to get Alan's assistant in to Gina's office just so they can set her up and use her business to launder their money. Jake's situation is more desperate than we've been lead to believe before. Apparently he's been up to all sorts of skeevy banker things. Alan really is the slimeball that he seems. He has the situation - and Jake - well under control though and soon Jake's dancing to his tune and doing exactly what he wants. But is their trouble in criminal paradise? Will these two be at each other's throats soon? Only time and soapy machinations will tell.
Brandon is letting Gina and Ani into Owen's apartment. It's clear that both he and Ani think this is a bad idea but Gina's insistent. It isn't going to be any easier even if she waits, so Gina just plows ahead, desperate to get it done.
Sarah is coming up the walk to see The Colonel and Richard. "Welcome, young lady." The Colonel's so weird and old, but he's what Sarah needs at that moment. He's welcoming and so clearly wants her there, the exact opposite of Gina. And he's just pushy enough to make it stick. It works so differently here than with his own kids. I wonder how much that'll piss Gina off. Not that she won't already be pissed that Richard introduced The Colonel to Sarah in the first place. It's a very sweet meeting though. Sarah is a little more gunshy this time. Not without cause. The Colonel's insistence that she stay is the opposite of Gina's response and it gives her hope, takes the burden off her to bow out gracefully. Richard reassures her one more time that it's going to be fine and this time she can believe him.
Even though he's totally wrong and crazy and Gina is going to flip when she finds out. But that's an epic blowout for another day.
Furtive Lara is furtive as she furtively takes out the trash. She could not be more obvious that she's being sneaky and doesn't want to be seen. So of course Jake sees her and goes to check out what was being disposed of. I think Jamie might have been less obvious when he was getting rid of that dead body - and he was pretty flipping obvious. Jake finds the liquor bottle and is suitably creepy and amusing about it as he wonders why the pretty lady is so nervous. I sense future blackmail potential.
Gina is going through things in Owen's room when she finds one of his old shirts. It smells like him. All she can do is pull it to her and curl up on his bed, trying to get as close to him as she can be. That's where Ani finds her, falling apart. Ani does the only thing she can, climbing up on the bed behind Gina and holding her close as Gina falls apart.
Sad Venice is sad.