Now that we’re three weeks deep into season five of Younger, the various plots are starting to thicken. Relationships are getting complicated and strained, and there’s a whole lot that’s ready to be let out of the bag. Last night’s episode, “The End of the Tour,” signified more than just the literal end of Pauline’s book tour for Marriage Vacation. It marked the beginning of icy civility between Liza and Charles. I actually couldn’t stop cringing throughout the episode, and I imagine my face looked just like the emoji.
Here are four moments that stood out as some of the cringiest in this episode.
1. When Kelsey had to watch Josh’s overnight guest pee
Okay, I know we’ve all peed with the door open either on purpose or by accident at some point in our lives, but I know it’s not something I would do in front of a virtual stranger, especially in an apartment that belongs to the guy you just hooked up with. The way in which Josh’s overnight guest basically sat down on the toilet completely unaware of how uncomfortable that was for Kelsey was just *awkward* (and that girl had to pee really badly…).
2. Zane’s smooth slide into Kelsey’s Tiara DMs
There’s something so funny about finding someone you know on a dating app, whether it be a neighbor, someone from your high school or your brother. When Kelsey got accepted to the celebrity version of Tinder (appropriately dubbed Tiara), she didn’t seem super interested in using it until she received a message from a man named Zane. Yes, THAT Zane. Even though they were staying in the same hotel, he couldn’t just knock on Kelsey’s door and say, “Hey! I want to see you tonight. May I come in?” Zane’s too complicated for that, of course.
3. When Jake Devereux acknowledged seeing Kelsey’s Tiara profile
There’s another implicit rule about seeing someone from a dating app in real life: you don’t say anything to them. Obviously, Jake Devereux, the speechwriter that Zane and Kelsey managed to snag for Empirical/Millennial, didn’t know that rule when he told his potential future editor that he saw her profile on Tiara the night before. The intensely flirty eye contact was enough to hint at the possibility of some action in the coming episodes.
4. Charles’ stab at Liza for Pauline’s lie
We’ve known since the end of the season premiere that Charles is aware of Liza’s real identity, but besides being aloof in her presence, he hasn’t directly said anything to her. Liza has definitely sensed something shift in both their work and personal relationships, but it wasn’t until Charles came to an event for Pauline’s book tour that his mask started to slip. Diana had said that lying about the real marriage was Pauline’s idea, but Charles suspected it was Liza’s and essentially said it to her face with the coldest stare I think we’ve ever seen from him. It wasn’t a pretty moment.
With a super tense ending, I’m using the entire next week to get myself mentally prepared to be emotionally blown away.