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At the start of Season 2, a Minx magazine without Joyce Prigger at the top of the masthead would’ve been less likely than Bambi getting a PhD in applied physics. But my, how things have changed by the time we reach Friday’s finale.
Constance goes to Doug, cutting Joyce out of Minx’s future — and he is fine with that. Joyce realizes that the woman she thought was her role model and champion is a narrow-minded backstabber. It’s the erotic-publishing world turned upside down, I tell you, and in a moment, I want to hear what you thought of the episode. But first, read on for the highlights of “Woman of the Hour.”
DOUG GETS A PROMOTION | As Minx’s international gala approaches, Joyce learns that Constance stopped the print run when she became aware that Richie’s bathhouse shoot was not only included in the next issue, it was on the cover. “Just say it already,” Richie demands when Joyce confronts him, and she does: “Minxisn’t supposed to be for gay men.” She wants him to run a photo retrospective celebrating their first year in print, instead, but he refuses. “You figure it out,” he says, walking out.
While Joyce is carrying out Constance’s dirty work, the mogul meets with Doug. She acknowledges that they still need Joyce “and all the other little Joycettes we’ve found,” but she wants him to be president of a new company: PRG, which stands for Papadopolous Renetti Global. He’d report to Constance, Joyce and Tina would report to him. Never one to spend much time worrying about how his actions will affect others, Doug easily accepts. “You have made the right call,” he says.
WOMEN LIKE WHOM? | Later, when Joyce is called into a pre-gala meeting with Constance, she’s irked to learn that Constance hired the British journalist Joyce didn’t like. Also? Constance wants to kill Shelly’s latest Bella LaRouche story, the one in which she identifies as a lesbian. Joyce fights back: Minx, after all, is a publication for women. “Women like us,” Constance coolly counters.
Tina, who’s been watching from the sidelines, is sent to the printer to pull the issue and runs into Doug just before she heads out. He happily announces that he’s going to be president. “Wow, you always land on your feet, don’t you?” she says wryly, and they part on not-great terms. But their interaction is nothing compared to when Joyce finds her business partner and is shocked to find that he’s fully on board with Constance’s new plan and vision. “Nobody gets this big without giving something up. No one!” he shouts. Ew, Doug. I liked you better when you were extolling the virtues of Feet, Feet, Feet. A stricken Joyce says she liked things better when Minx was just the two of them. Doug replies that it still is. (Side note: It’s not.)
The gala begins. Constance gives Joyce a glowing introduction… and then is surprised when the editor-in-chief is nowhere to be found when it’s time to deliver her remarks. And that’s because Joyce and Shelly are driving away in Doug’s Rolls-Royce, heading for the printer.
Elsewhere, Richie is redoing his bathhouse layout in the backseat of Bambi’s car, which picks that inopportune moment to run out of gas. But thank goodness for Lenny, who loads his kids into the car and picks up the pair from the side of the road. He’s clearly overwhelmed, now that he and Shelly have separated and she’s planning an extended trip to Italy with Joyce’s professor, Doreen. But as he drives toward the printshop, Bambi offers to lend a hand while Shelly is away. “I’m happiest when helping people,” she reasons, “and it seems like you need a lot of help.” There’s a little charge in the air between them, no? And honestly, anything to keep her from joining up with Pastor Jim at The People’s Temple, right?
THIS MEANS WAR | Joyce rushes into the printer’s and begs Tina to see her side of things, but no need. “You don’t have to convince me,” Tina says. “I already bought us another 30 minutes. The second Constance trotted out ‘women like us,’ I was done.” God, I love this woman. So they print the issue of Minx that should’ve gone through in the first place, consequences be damned. “I think I’m about to go to war against my own magazine,” Joyce says. And when Shelly voices her hope that the incident is a chapter in Joyce’s book, Joyce says, “This is the book.”
Back in turncoat land, Doug assures Constance that Joyce eventually will be fine; she seems unconcerned. And then, in the episode’s final moments, we see that Doug and Constance are sleeping together.
Now it’s your turn. What did you think of the finale? Grade it, as well as the season overall, via the polls below. Then hit the comments with your thoughts!
Season 2 felt so different than S1. They were three issues into the magazine and then suddenly they all acted like they’d been doing it for years and were burned out – so much character development felt skipped to move them all to dramatic emotional conflicts with each other, which then felt forced. We didn’t even see Joyce do that cover shoot that became such a thing.
Elizabeth Perkins is dependably great, but I don’t like what her character did to this show. Also, the change in look was so drastic – the cinematography really turned me off this season.
I watched S1 right before S2 and really loved what this show had going, but now I don’t want more (and I doubt there will be). They were such an entertaining group that became a real drag.
I totally agree. I really enjoyed the first season, which had a lot to say about pornography and feminism and also an interesting story arc in Joyce partnering with Doug and launching the magazine. Season 2 didn’t really seem to know what story it wanted to tell and the characters became kind of annoying. I forced myself to finish this season, but I don’t think I’d come back for a third.
Agreed. They totally lost the charm of the first season. I can totally see why it was cancelled now. If we get a third season, I’d be surprised.
The characters were a lot less likable this season and I actually found the season less enjoyable. Joyce having mama drama was unnecessary and made me feel like things were left on the cutting room floor.
Please renew the show Starz. I hope the strike doesn’t affect the season 3 order.
Shelly Bambi Lenny throuple of our dreams 😍🤞
I kind of thought Bambi might end up owning the magazine through some power move after the scene where she mentioned cashing all her checks at once for the first time. It’s weird that they showed that and nothing came of it
I was holding out hope that Doug was on their side but when they did cheers and then showed him in the robe I knew he was turncoat and if there’s a season 3 he probably doesn’t even see it. But I guess it’s better than making Tina the bad guy
I thought Doug was playing Constance. How could he have gotten Joyce’s speech notes otherwise? Distracting Constance by sleeping with her while the rest of the team puts Minx out the way they wanted to makes more sense to me. I can’t see how someone with Doug’s business savvy would be bought off so easily by Constance’s divide and conquer pitch. I liked Minx better when it was Joyce & Doug against the world. This season didn’t work as well because they got rich & famous so fast. They swept the main conflict from the end of S1 (the football player centerfold issue that caused Joyce to quit) under the rug and never resolved it. The character development (besides Shelley) took a back seat to Joyce being selfish and distracted most of the season. She even had time to be a groupie for Graham Nash & go to Vegas without once commenting on how misogynistic and degrading both those situations are for women. If there’s a S3, I’d like to see Joyce, Doug & Tina starting a new magazine. Bambi can move in with Lenny to get the family structure and support she needs (but not join a cult). Richie can get a Pulitzer for his Minx layout. Everyone would have what they wanted by kicking Constance out of their lives.
He may have thought Joyce was getting cold feet and she just gave him the notes and headed out. She probably said something vague like “I can’t do this” he may have thought she meant speech and went for air. They mentioned Joyce and Shelly were in a stolen car meaning Doug didn’t give her the car to use
Great soundtrack every season!
I need a side project of everything that’s happening in Bambi’s life.