An Exciting New Chapter In The Annals of Erotica
Joyce is frustrated with Shane for fumbling over his words, which only causes further angst for her. They have the premiere addition of Minx coming up and she’s desperate to make a good impression for the press.
While Joyce tries to train Shane up, reassuring him that feminism is not a bad word and it’s all about equality, the pair start drinking wine and flirting. That flirting soon leads to kissing and so much more.
Shane surprises Joyce with croissants and flowers in the morning, but it seems like their casual encounter is over.
The other employees in the office are worried about how Joyce is going to keep her eye on the ball and not Shane’s by the way, the proverbial ball with the press conference. The pressure is really on though when a respected reporter called Glenn decides to attend the press conference and learn more.
Doug tells Tina that he’s been taking money from the company for himself to help him pay for his side hustle. He worries that if Westbury finds out, they’ll shut down the company and he’ll have to go back to working for minimum wage. Tina trusts Doug though, and they decide to keep going with their business.
The next day, a lot of reporters show up for the press conference – as well as Shane’s parents. Unfortunately, Shane admits to Joyce just before they hit the stage that he’s starting to fall in love with her.
Glenn almost outshines Shane in front of the press, bragging about having sex in a public bathroom and talking about how beautiful his teacher is. Thankfully, it’s Glenn who saves the day, steering the conversation back around to the magazine.
After the conference, Shane appears and Joyce tells him that they are not a couple and will not be going forward. Shane is heartbroken and eventually decides to pull out of the magazine completely. The thing is, he has signed a contract and as such, they are legally allowed to publish his pictures. ..
Doug calls Joyce out for her hypocritical attitude and admits that if they pulled this magazine, they’d be done and Doug’s business would go up in smoke. “Get okay with this, or fix it.” He eventually says, slamming the door and walking away.
Joyce heads over to the fire station to talk to Shane and eventually admits how she’s feeling. He’s only the fourth person she’s slept with and apologizes for not taking his feelings into consideration. She also apologizes for not speaking to his parents after the conference, as Shane eventually decides to run with the story after all.
Shane, the other firemen, make fun of him but he confidently steps up to them in the shower and points out that they’re part of the patri-archie and that’s not good. As he walks away, naked, the episode comes to a close.
The Episode Review
Joyce’s character is under scrutiny this chapter as we see her double-standards as a feminist and she’s rightly called out for it. The dynamic is fascinating though, seeing her pedal these ideas but also start to wrestle with her own feelings and what it means to be a woman.
There is a surprisingly complex character here and seeing Joyce so open with her flaws is a refreshing change of pace, especially as the show looked to introduce her as a Mary Sue early in episode 1. That’s not the case though and Minx is all the stronger for it. ..
Doug’s shady dealings and his financial records are likely to come back to haunt him, though Tina appears to be well aware of that too, pointing out how concerned she is. ..
Episode two of the season will feature a double bill of stories, with one focusing on the characters and their relationships, and the other exploring the mystery at hand. ..
