Episode two of this season of Minx gives us a glimpse into some tension that might be brewing between the members of the Bottom Dollar team as they’re now under new management. It also leaves the question to some people if the new partnership with Constance (Elizabeth Perkins) was a blessing in disguise or too much change. This seems like one of the big questions we’ll come back to as the season continues.
Now that they have money again, Doug (Jake Johnson) goes all out and has Bottom Dollar host a screening of Deep Throat, a porn movie that features a woman who wants to have an orgasm but has trouble because her clitoris is located in her throat. This is a very real pornographic movie starring Linda Lovelace that came out in 1972 and featured an actual plot. It was also banned in some areas for being obscene, but was a mainstream phenomenon. Unfortunately, there’s a big bump in the road that has to be solved before anyone can watch it. The projectionist alerts Doug that the print is missing and has been replaced with Bedknobs and Broomsticks. They find a copy that Bob Evans is holding hostage and Doug sends Tina (Idara Victor) and Richie (Oscar Montoya) to go get it.
While Tina and Richie are on their errand, waiting for Bob Evans to finish viewing the movie one last time, Richie wonders why Tina decided to turn down the University of Chicago. Tina explains that Bottom Dollar will be her business school, as she explained to press people earlier in the evening that they plan on expanding into other media. This is part of Doug’s big vision and it’s clear she’s not ready to let go of that. Richie however, points out that being Doug’s errand person isn’t exactly a good way to learn on the job. It’s something that takes Tina a good portion of the episode to come to terms with, as Doug continues to send her on other errands, causing her to miss the entire movie and the afterparty. Doug usually makes a big show about how much he needs Tina, but this episode proves that he’s having a hard time adjusting to everyone’s new roles. At the end of the party, Tina throws a stack of resumes in Doug’s face. If she’s going to be the managing editor now, Doug has to find a new secretary. I’m glad Tina put her foot down because as much as Doug hates change, he’ll only push Tina away if he continues to expect her to be at his beck and call in the same way when their relationship and her job have clearly evolved since they first began working together.
Meanwhile, Joyce (Ophelia Lovibond) isn’t all that excited about the Deep Throat screening. She’s not nearly as fascinated at the idea of it the way some other people are. She’s also been working on her letter from the editor for the next issue of Minx and would rather have stayed home to find inspiration for that. She only turns around on the event when she and Shelly (Lennon Parham) run into Joan Didion (Samantha Sloyan) in the bathroom. Joyce very awkwardly invites Joan to their afterparty, hoping to be able to persuade her to write something for Minx. When Joyce hands over the address, Joan utters the funniest line of the episode (that is, if you live in Los Angeles), “Is this in the Valley?”
In the end, after another run-in with Joan at the party, Joyce once again asks if she’d want to write a piece about Deep Throat for Minx. Joan says she doesn’t have anything to say about the film, which prompts Joyce to discuss all the things she took from it, even though she didn’t like it. It’s clear that Joyce has found her letter to the editor, and she gets right to work typing it up and preparing for the next issue.
The saga of Bambi (Jessica Lowe) and Shelly continues as well, though at the moment it’s mostly Shelly trying to put as much distance between the two of them as possible. She and Lenny (Rich Sommer) attend the Deep Throat screening as a fun date night away from the kids, even though Shelly is a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. Lenny seems pretty oblivious to any tension that might be emanating from the two ladies, completely missing that Shelly tries her hardest not to end up seated next to Bambi, to no avail. Shelly seems determined to make things work with Lenny no matter her feelings for Bambi, but if she keeps getting into situations where Bambi is around, it’s only a matter of time before they pick up again.
Things are certainly changing for everyone. Richie has a romance blossoming, Constance tells Doug it was big of him to give Joyce the larger office, and it seems as though Joyce is really coming into her own. Doug and Bambi commiserate some of this change together, bemoaning that “Porn’s gone mainstream.” While this feels like a good thing for their business, it’s certainly going to bring new and interesting challenges for everyone to face.
Rating: 9/10
