S01.E09: Four Friends and a Secret

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Maya struggles to tell Ainsley about Kash. Fearing their relationship may be getting too friendly, Gemma fires Duffy. Zara finds a way for Craig to reconnect with his daughter. Andrew has a surprising change of heart.

Coming to Hulu Wednesday, September 4, 2019.

[Duke2801]

Ugh I thought I saw that Duffy and Gemma pairing coming but I was really hoping I was wrong. Why do some shows/showrunners think that every single character must be paired off in order to be happy? I guess I’m just not a fan of Gemma in general. 

That said, Maya and Kash were really cute together. Loved his attempt at a New York accent. 

Andrew’s proposal seemed... sudden. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Duke2801

[peggy06]

1 hour ago, Duke2801 said:

Ugh I thought I saw that Duffy and Gemma pairing coming but I was really hoping I was wrong. Why do some shows/showrunners think that every single character must be paired off in order to be happy? I guess I’m just not a fan of Gemma in general. 

That said, Maya and Kash were really cute together. Loved his attempt at a New York accent. 

Andrew’s proposal seemed... sudden. 

Andrew only proposed like that because of thinking he had to vote for the hard borders bill. If Tony2 married him, Tony2 wouldn't be subject to deportation. Not to say Andrew wasn't sincere, but the circumstances are what pushed him to take that step so suddenly.

This show has some corny and predictable aspects for sure, but at least they didn't soft-pedal Ainsley's reaction to Maya and Kash. Like, make her be instantly forgiving because she's found real love herself. I'm sure she'll get there next week, but at least she had a realistic initial response. 

Gemma and Duffy deserve one another. That's not meant as a compliment.

[shipmate]

Yeah, Gemma didn't exactly soften expression-wise when Duffy declared his love 😜

I am still enjoying the heck out of this show, though!!

[tennisgurl]

People in this show sure do move fast! Kash is willing to leave the country to be with Maya, people are throwing out the L word left and right, how much time has actually passed since the show started? At least Andrew proposed so quickly because he was afraid Tony 2 might get deported otherwise, why is everyone else in such a rush? But then I guess if Maya is willing to risk her friendship with her long time best friend for Kash, they better be serious for it to be worth it.

Awww Andrew you old softie you! I do wonder what the fall out for his career will be, it seems like something his part wont be quick to forget about, and honestly, with him being openly gay, he was probably always on kind of on thin ice with them.

I was surprised how Ainsley found out about Kash/Maya though, I thought that Gemma would tell her, but she didnt even have the chance. I give the show credit, they did not sugarcoat her reaction at all, and I cant blame her for being so upset, especially considering Maya didnt even tell her herself. Ainsley might be moving on from Kash, but he was her fiance and he really did her wrong. Maya and Kash are cute and all, but this is really a big issue for them, even knowing that it will all certainly end happily. 

I will take Duffy and Gemma over Duffy passive aggressively mooning over Maya any day.

[HighHopes]

45 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

People in this show sure do move fast! Kash is willing to leave the country to be with Maya, people are throwing out the L word left and right, how much time has actually passed since the show started?

When Maya told Ainsley that Kash was the "Airport Guy from her birthday" Ainsley said something about how Maya/Kash has "been going on for 2 years now". So 2 years-ish? Which surprised me as it felt more like a few months at most - this show needs to be better at establishing a timeline with holidays or even a mention of time passing. 

[DearEvette]

I agree.  I am so confused about the timeline.  They introduced the calligraphy placards in one episode and we haven't seen them since.  That would have been the perfect mechanism to let us know how much time has passed.  I mean, In order for Gemma to move on to Duffy you'd hope more than a few months have passed since Quentin's funeral.

Other than that:

Holy cow I loved Zara and Craig this episode.  Zara is a great example of character growth.  I am happy about the development with his daughter.  And I like Ashley Madekwe o it is good to see her again on the show. 

I like Andrew and Tony2.  I wish they had introduced them as a couple a little earlier in the series because they do seem rushed.  Again with the timeline issue.

I LOL'd at Giles wondering if his new tutor was really Duffy in a Mrs. Doubtfire costume.

I love the office dynamic between Maya, Andrew and Marcus.  So effortlessly snipy. Marcus is so smarmy. 

Sigh.  I wish the show had subverted the trope of having someone find out a huge secret in the worst possible way, even though the person with the secret who had been trying to tell them keeps being interrupted.  But the scene was nicely dramatic and so awkward.  And I did love Ainsley's reaction.  Sad frowny face for Maya and Kash, but it wouldn't be a rom-com without this one additional impediment to their getting together.

[ichbin]

22 hours ago, Duke2801 said:

Andrew’s proposal seemed... sudden. 

6 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

People in this show sure do move fast! Kash is willing to leave the country to be with Maya, people are throwing out the L word left and right, how much time has actually passed since the show started? 

4 hours ago, DearEvette said:

That would have been the perfect mechanism to let us know how much time has passed. 

I could swear that something about "two years" was mentioned when Ainsley and Maya were having their confrontation. I would go back and check but I don't have commercial free and I don't feel like going through the ads to find the scene.

[geauxaway]

Still loving this show!  Wednesday’s are my current favorite must see TV night between 4W&F and BH90210.  I’m a total cheeseball and I’m ok with that!  

I really hope they get a renewal.  I need happiness and love on my TV!

[tennisgurl]

7 hours ago, HighHopes said:

So 2 years-ish? Which surprised me as it felt more like a few months at most - this show needs to be better at establishing a timeline with holidays or even a mention of time passing. 

So if I remember right, Maya came to London to visit Ainsley and go to her romantic comedy themed party, and she met Kash when he was still Ainsleys boyfriend. Then we do a time cut to later, when Ainsley and Kash are getting married, and Maya has dumped her married boyfriend, and thats when the show starts proper. So there was a time jump in there somewhere, apparently about a year and a few months, and this has probably been a few months of the show, at least thats what it looks like, but I cant be sure.

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 9/5/2019 at 11:16 AM, shipmate said:

I am still enjoying the heck out of this show, though!!

I LOVE this show. I'm so impressed with it I think it's really an accomplishment!  I can't believe I've watched 9 hours of these people already.

On 9/5/2019 at 2:03 PM, tennisgurl said:

People in this show sure do move fast! Kash is willing to leave the country to be with Maya, people are throwing out the L word left and right, how much time has actually passed since the show started? 

Two years, Ainsley said it when angry with Maya.

23 hours ago, ichbin said:

I could swear that something about "two years" was mentioned when Ainsley and Maya were having their confrontation. I would go back and check but I don't have commercial free and I don't feel like going through the ads to find the scene.

You are correct.

[tennisgurl]

I’m pretty enjoying this kind of rom com renaissance we’re in, it’s delightful! This show has flaws, but I really like just spending time with these people.

[Ms Blue Jay]

15 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I’m pretty enjoying this kind of rom com renaissance we’re in, it’s delightful! This show has flaws, but I really like just spending time with these people.

Same.  I don't even really think it has flaws; I'm happy with it.  I hope the trend continues.  

[meatball77]

I hope we get more sweet romances.  Not everything has to be gritty.

Netflix just started filming a regency romance series.  I'm excited.

[twoods]

Just finished binging this show in a week and I love it. Almost gave up at the pilot but it definitely improved. I love all of it, even the typical romantic tropes and all the scenes that are an exact match to Love Actually. Plus, I love all the surprise couples they have thrown at us (Fatima and Bash, and Gemma and Duffy), and character growth especially with Zara. I can’t wait until Wednesday. 

[Enigma X]

I also just finished bingeing this. I am in the minority and was hooked by episode one.

I must say the only couple  I don’t enjoy is Kash and Maya. My favorite pairings are Zara and Craig, Gemma and Duffy, and Andrew and Tony 2.

[DearEvette]

17 hours ago, meatball77 said:

I hope we get more sweet romances.  Not everything has to be gritty.

Netflix just started filming a regency romance series.  I'm excited.

I am so bummed this one's last episode is this week.  I have enjoyed it so much.  There is a British Chick Lit author named Jill Mansell whose books are a lot like this series was.  A largish cast of characters, breezy romance with lots of great British slang,  and romantic musical chairs where everybody ends up with the person they re supposed to.  I love her stuff but always lamented it wasn't diverse.  This show does the same thing and it is so wonderfully diverse.  I also hope the trend of rom-coms on tv continues.  I too am sick of dark, gritty stuff.

I have been following the Birdgerton stuff on Netflix since they announced Shonda had optioned it.  I read the books way back in the day and they are also very light and fun.  I am even more excited about the Netflix adaptation because there is colorblind casting as well!

Also Netflix has been doing a lot of rom coms: The Set Up, To All The Boys I loved Before, Nappily Ever After, and the most recent one, Falling Inn Love.  I think they seen so much success that they are continuing the trend.

17 hours ago, Enigma X said:

must say the only couple  I don’t enjoy is Kash and Maya. My favorite pairings are Zara and Craig, Gemma and Duffy, and Andrew and Tony 2.

I think Kash and Maya are at a disadvantage from the other couples because their pairing is considered a taboo of sorts.  With Maya breaking the girl code, I think the show had to be careful with how much they got to show Maya with Kash because they could be perceived unsympathetically.  So, so much of the show had to be them apart.  Whereas the other couples got to get together in more familiar and conventional ways.  An get to work out their attraction and issues openly.  I actually liked Maya and Kash in the pilot and thought the chemistry between them then was great but that got subdued over the course of the show because of the Ainsley situation.

Over the course of the show, I think the couple rankings go up and down.  I really never liked Zara and Craig in the beginning at all, but y the time Love Chalet came around I began to change and then now I really like them.

Gemma is such a prickly character that she is hard to like sometimes, even when she gets some of the best lines.  I like her and Duffy because I think he is such a drip and he deserves someone as acerbic as she.

Tony2 and Andrew are a come out of nowhere surprise and I like them I think mostly because their romance is so tied up in Andrew's character arc, which I think is one of the better ones.

I root for Maya and Kash only because it is clear they so obviously want each other.  And I find them both equally likable, and a little awkward.

I loved Bash and Fatima because both characters are so well written.  And both actors are so engaging.  But they are the types of characters that are easy to like because they are both clearly side characters who never had to carry any plot whatsoever and just got to show up and be charming for a few scenes.

My least favorite couple of all s Ainsley and Dylan McD.  But mainly because I don't think the show had a great character concept for Ainsley besides 'Maya BFF and the reason Maya and Kash can't get together."   As a character, Ainsley inhabits a rather passive space.  And I think the Dylan McD character is a convenience romance so she could be shown to move on and to clear a path for Maya and Kash.

That said, I don't dislike any of the pairings and think each person will end up just right.

[Enigma X]

@DearEvette your post reminded me that Bashir and Fatima are part of my favorite couples’ list.

[smices]

I didn't like Zara til the last episode. Her shallowness annoyed me and I didn't get her appeal to Craig beyond the physical. Nice to show her sweetness. I didn't care for Andrew and Tony2 because I thought Tony2 could do better but now I like him.

[funnygirl]

Unpopular opinion: I don't care for the Maya and Kash relationship. I know I'm supposed to, but I just don't. 

It's actually the third tier characters/couples that endear me the most: Bash/Fatima and Andrew/Tony 2. Everyone else is quite enjoyable, though there's something about the tone of Duffy's voice that gets under my skin. lol 

Is this supposed to be a limited series? I just don't see how there's a season 2 unless it's all new characters and situations since the story is wrapping up for this group. 

Edited September 11, 2019 by funnygirl

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I hate that Andrew only changed his vote because of Tony 2 being an immigrant. I also hated a few episodes ago when Andrew said he wants people to like him. First of all, that should not be your motivation when making decisions. But secondly, if you want people to like you then stop doing jerky things and then complaining that people don't like you.

The fact that he thought he could still vote on that bill and then marry Tony 2 so he could stay just showed how selfish he was. I was glad that Tony 2 asked if he was going to marry all of the other immigrants. Intending to vote for that bill and marrying Tony 2 was his version of having his cake and eating it too. You're supposed to do the right thing because it's the right thing, not because it affects you or someone you know.

Also being selfish (again): Kash. He was the one who pushed Maya to take their relationship beyond being platonic because he didn't care what the fallout would be to her entire world and all of her relationships, but once his brother made a sad face, he was like forget it, I can't go to New York with you because MY relationships are important and can't be sacrificed to be with you. I know I'm supposed to root for Maya and Kash, but I just can't. He's constantly self centered. Even after Maya told him that Ainsley found out and she was clearly devastated, he was insisting that they should still be together. Seriously, BACK OFF.

Ainsley's reaction was as explosive as it should have been so I'm glad they didn't soften it. Kash left her at the altar. He not only betrayed her and hurt her, but he humiliated her in front of everyone she knew. Of course she's going to be mad that her best friend has been sneaking around behind her back seeing the person who hurt her the most.

I'm glad that Zara's ploy worked and Julia is coming around to letting Craig see Molly. Zara and Craig seemed like an odd pairing back in the first episode, but they've become a good team since Love Chalet. Ha, and I really wanted Zara to tell me more about Celebrity Prostitute.

[tracyhmcd]

Loving this show, and I'd take a second season with a mostly new cast with a few from this season thrown in.  Loving Andrew and Tony2, which I didn't see coming after the first few episodes.