Lip Service Episode 203 Recap: Shagathon

Let’s start with a detour into the Lip Service theme song, or rather “theme (instrumental),” as it would probably say on the sheet music. It’s not a bad one; for one thing, it’s blissfully brief. But there’s really no “theme” in this song, which is generally true of TV nowadays. Remember when theme songs would orient you to the world of the show? “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip” or “You take the good, you take the bad, you take ’em both and there you have” or “Just the good ol’ boys, never meanin’ no harm” or “Baby, if you’ve ever wondered, wondered whatever became of me” or “Well I bet we’ve been together for a million years” or “They’re creepy and they’re kooky” or “Love, exciting and new” or “Boy, the way Glenn Miller played” or “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, schlemiel! Schlimazel!” — OK, maybe not that last one.

My point is that you knew what you were in for because the theme song spelled it out for you. It wasn’t just about lyrics (the themes for Taxi and Mork & Mindy and Cagney & Lacey and Little House on the Prairie all perfectly captured the atmosphere without words), but lyrics definitely helped.

So I decided to write some lyrics for the Lip Service theme. These should match up to the harmonica line, but they’re also possibly not remotely singable at all.

Our friend is dead
and we all miss her.
Though … Cat is de-ead, life goes on.
Oh, yes our friend is … dead:
Fuck.

See? Now we know what we’re about.

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The dearly departed Cat played several roles on this show: chief furrowed-brow worrier and tidier; orbited center and loyal friend; frequent putter-oner of makeup; fickle hash-smoking oversexed buttoned-up near-autistic (according to her mother) architect. Sheesh, maybe she died of inconsistencies sustained in convoluted plot lines, rather than of injuries sustained in a crash.

Tess is here to take on one of those roles: she’s tidying up the kitchen. Or she’s at least fighting with the mess.

TESS RHYMES WITH MESS

Lexy: Playing crockery Jenga?
Tess: Yeah, bloody Sadie. How much washing-up can you generate in three days?

Me? None. I actually left dishes in the sink the night I started this recap, and I pretty much hated myself in the morning.

Lexy confesses that some of the washing-up is hers, but she promises to clean it up later. Tess figures Lexy has an excuse, being gainfully employed and all. Also, Tess is never going to blame Lexy for anything because she kind of has the hots for Lexy.

Tess clears her throat and shudders a bit.

Lexy: Still not sleeping?

How much later is it, exactly? A few days, did you say? Does anyone sleep during the first week after someone close to them dies? I’m not quite sure, because each time it’s happened to me, I’ve been fully out of my mind. And Tess is definitely not quite tracking.

Lexy: I could, uh, nab you some morphine from the hospital, if you like.
Tess: Really?

NO BUT I MIGHT TAKE SOME FOR MYSELF

No, not really. Tess confesses to being even “slower than normal” at the moment, which earns her another hug from Lexy. Tess is enjoying these hugs quite a lot. She’s even receptive to Lexy’s advice to get out of the house a little; Lexy thinks it’d be nice to go to rehearsal and “be someone else for a few hours.”

I think the “someone else” Tess wants to be is your girlfriend, Lexy.

OMG YOU SMELL GOOD

Sadie emerges from Frankie’s bedroom and offers a “Morning,” a cigarette in her mouth and a smirk on her face. Tess reminds Sadie that there’s no smoking in “communal areas,” so Sadie promptly extinguishes said cigarette in a teacup. Which is revolting.

And then Sadie goes to the fridge for some (of Tess’s) yogurt, which sends Tess right into shrieking-and-freaking mode. Sadie and Lexy both give Tess a look, so Tess tries to calm herself down and be cool. Sadie turns back to the bedroom she’s apparently been spending a lot of time in.

Lexy: Hey, how’s Frankie?
Sadie: Same.
Tess: Maybe she needs more than cigarettes and yoghurt.

Then there are a few random lines during which Sadie sees Tess checking out Lexy’s bum. I can’t help but think that Tess would probably like to get some advice from her friend Cat right about now.

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In Frankie’s bedroom, Sadie is scrounging for knickers. She has an appointment at the magazine they did the photo shoot for; she decided to write an article herself since the journalist failed to show. (Remember when Sadie was fondling that buisness card last week? Yeah, nobody cared much about any kind of fondling last week; we were all too busy shuffling off this mortal coil.)

Sadie tosses a packet of cigarettes at Frankie. I have been refraining from commenting on Frankie’s skeletal appearance, because it is impossible to comment on Frankie’s appearance without commenting on Ruta’s, and that’s just “not on,” as the Brits say. But … wow.

Speaking of what Brits say, Sadie’s next line is beautifully British to this particular American ear:

Sadie: I think it’s my turn to get a curry in. Housemates are gettin’ tetchy I’m not pullin’ my weight.

We don’t really have a word that means “tetchy.” Nor do we have as much authentic curry.

Frankie wants to know just how long Sadie plans to stay. Sadie gets all defensive and offers to leave right this minute, but Frankie doesn’t really care. Her phone rings; Sadie answers.

Sadie: Hello, Moody Cow Photography. Can I help you?

Sadie! I didn’t like you all that much last season, but this season you’re a goddamn life preserver.

Frankie has a brief conversation with her mother and arranges to see her. Tess waits in the wings and, after Frankie hangs up, suggests a walk later to visit Cat’s grave.

Hold on a minute. CAT’S GRAVE. For fuck’s sake.

Frankie doesn’t want to do that or anything else. She wants to get away from Tess and Sadie and the whole wide world. The best she can do is go for a shower.

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Sam is running again. Running seems to be the current shorthand for ambitious, upstanding, loyal, etc. — a statement that “this is a good person.” Which really, Sam always has been. But Cat was making her more complex; Sam was exhibiting need, desperation, and some of the other irrational behaviors that deepen a character. I hope we don’t go back to garden-variety “good.”

At least we get to meet Sam’s dad! He’s running with her. And he’s a former cop! He coughs a little, so Sam pretends to need a break. Aww.

WE RUN AFTER CRIMINALS

Lexy just happens to be running their way. She and Sam talk, and there’s obviously a connection there. Sam’s dad (whose name is Alfie — what’s it all about?) senses something between them. He asks how they know each other. “From running,” they say hurriedly.

Lexy: I’m a bit of a newbie to all this, as you can probably tell by my physique.
Alfie: Oh, I don’t know… (appreciates Lexy’s physique)
Sam: (scolding) Dad.

The whole thing is awkward in a sweet way. Lexy excuses herself, probably because she’s in love with both of them. Maybe that’s just me.

Alfie: Nice girl.
Sam: She’s all right.
Alfie: She one of your lot?

Oh, I like that. “One of Sam’s lot” can be the new “friend of Dorothy.”

This whole scene takes place in front of the tiger mural on the Clyde Walkway in Glasgow, painted partly in celebration of the 2010 Chinese New Year and partly to advertise a beer. Which is disappointing, because I thought maybe it had something to do with William Blake.

WHY GLASGOW IS BETTER

I want to go to there. And I almost can, thanks to this panoramic photo — if you make it full screen, you can pretend you’re running and wheezing with Lexy and Sam and Alfie.

Alfie and Sam go back to Sam’s flat, where Sam’s mum is cleaning. She’s dusting and moving things around, and the FA/CM wood piece is on full display. Sam gets upset and her Yorkshire accent gets a little more pronounced. Oh, I made a pun! I didn’t even mean to. I guess dorky puns are one of the many side effects of being around Sam’s adorableness.

Alfie calms everyone down and goes off to his “breakfast date” with Christine Bleakley.

Sam’s mum: There wasn’t much to clean. Cat’s pretty tidy, wasn’t she?
Sam: Yeah.
Sam’s mum: I wish we could have met her. At least gone to the funeral.
Sam: It wasn’t going to change anything.

Sigh. It’s nice that Sam has such supportive parents, but right now I guess there’s no comforting her. Understandably.

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In the hospital cafeteria, Declan is teasing Lexy about Sam. Am I supposed to like this Declan character? Because I definitely don’t so far.

Lexy: Come on. Her girlfriend just died, for fuck’s sake.
Declan: I’m not gonna blame you for trying. I mean, it’s not like you’re gettin’ much, is it?
Lexy: (looking meaningfully at a nearby blonde) I get … I get enough.

GIRL, CAN WE TALK FOR A SECOND?

Declan: It’s not today, is it? Please tell me it’s not today.
Lexy: What?
Declan: Gash Wednesday.
Lexy: Stop calling it that. Anyway, we’ve diversified; it’s not just Wednesdays.
Declan: Whatever. It’s weird.
Lexy: It works.
Declan: Yeah, but with someone from the hospital? Have you never heard the expression “don’t piss in your own lift”?
Lexy: What’s the difference between that and sex-ray, apart from the fact that I’m actually fucking mine?

I typed all that out because (1) Declan, like too many gay male characters, seems to be disgusted by women and thinks nothing of using the word “gash” — so, yeah, he’s an ass; (2) no, I’ve actually never heard the expression “don’t piss in your own lift,” but I think I like it better than “don’t shit where you eat”; (3) the term “sex-ray” (which is apparently what they’re calling the radiologist that Declan has a crush on) is funny and clever; (4) the whole thing is an admirable example of reasonably realistic dialogue that clues us into a plot development without getting all clunky — unlike the ham-handed exposition-via-dialogue that’s all over American TV and film. (My girlfriend loses her mind every time someone says “Remind me why we’re doing this again?”)

Here is how Shonda Rhimes would have written that scene:

Lexy: You know what today is, don’t you?
Declan: Wednesday?
Lexy: That’s right, Wednesday! Wednesday is the day I have my fun happy sexy time with that blonde woman over there. Remember?
Declan: Oh, right. But she’s your co-worker.
Lexy: She sure is. We’ve been working together for 6 months now.

Ugh, I just bored myself.

Lexy gets another mysterious call. WHO IS IT?!? Is it a mobster? Is it a new friend who can take over for Douchelan? Is it Marcel the Shell saying, “Hullo, this is me”?

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Frankie is buying flowers. She wants to know what people “usually get” for Mother’s Day. I don’t know, but don’t get lilies. Or begonias.

Meanwhile, Sadie is meeting with an editor at Minus 21, which is the magazine Frankie did the photo shoot for last week. The editor seems to be reading Sadie’s article right there in front of her, which I guess is one way to do it. Maybe they should have “speed reading” for editors and writers, like speed dating, only you sit down with a random book/magazine/whatever editor who reads your one-page piece really quickly and decides whether to publish it. Doesn’t that sound fun? Yeah, not really.

This is a good time to mention editorrealtalk.tumblr.com, which is stupendous. (Hat tip and enormous gratitude to Heather Hogan for telling me about that.)

Sadie gets some real talk from this editor: her piece is “too corporate” but her take is “interesting.”

JUST DON'T SAY "NEW MEDIA"

Editor: Who else have you written for?
Sadie: All over, really. Mostly down south.

If you know what I mean! And then the editor wants to know what sorta stuff she typically writes.

Sadie: I can turn my hand to most things.
Editor: Except spelling. (points to the page) En suite is spelt E-N, not O-N.

Sadie’s quite lovely when she’s half embarrassed, half delighted at being seen through.

AW, GOSH, YOU GOT ME

She confesses she’s not really a writer but knows a lot about hotels and such ’cause of being an estate agent. The editor doesn’t think the piece is worth working on, but she invited Sadie to come in anyway because she likes to “check out new talent.” Do you now?

The editor bids Sadie a fond farewell and enjoys watching her go. Sadie stops to compliment the editor’s shoes. I need to know the editor’s name because it’s starting to feel like I’m writing a not-very-good Devil Wears Prada fanfic that keeps referring to Miranda and Andy as “the editor” and “the journalist.”

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69 Comments

  1. I can’t bring myself to hate Nora because the actress who plays her was a beautiful, awesome lady werewolf in Being Human and also her hair is kind of great.

    • This is troubling me; because now when I think of that actress in “Being Human” I find her annoying. I should rewatch Being Human, probably.

    • Yes, Sinead Keenan will always be Nina the werewolf to me so I have a hard time hating her as well.

    • And someone on the Lip Service Tumblr keeps posting pics of her. It doesn’t feel like a fan…more like her publicist or Keenan herself. It’s awkward when nothing is said, just these random pics. I’d fire the publicist.

    • Uuurgh it’s so rubbish that there are only six episodes each series.. Not to mention, it’ll be another two years before we get series 3..!

  2. WAIT is Frankie really leaving the show? I feel like I am watching somebody go out of business, like where the talent keeps dropping off and I wonder how they’re gonna keep going like this. Also I have strong feelings towards Frankie — I both hate her personality, and like looking at her face and posture. This episode she really annoyed me though, I feel like it makes sense w/in the context of the show, sorta, but i can’t imagine in real life anyone heartless enough to abandon one of their best friends after losing a mutual friend to a fatal car accident — and that being left by her mother would inspire her to leave tess, rather than perhaps inspiring her to become a better person than that, to stick around. So I sort of imagined she’d be back…

    Anyhow, I agree that Heather Peace killed it this episode. I don’t really like Sadie, but the way you write about Sadie makes me think I could like her, so I’m gonna try to like her. I’M REALLY OGNNA GIVE IT MY ALL.

    (Also that editor tumblr just changed my entire life, I don’t even know where to begin with that.)

    • Ruta Gedmintas (Frankie) said on twitter that we’ll have to wait and see as whether she’ll come back, but it was implied she does.

    • Riese, it makes sense to me that a person would leave if faced with what Frankie was faced with, leaving behind best friend or not.

    • I don’t see how Frankie would be able to go back to NYC anyway.

      If she can’t afford the rent when it’s shared between THREE people, how on Earth is she going to be able to afford that nice big New York apartment from the first ep?

      Sense : it makes none.

      • Since Frankie seems to never eat,she might be paying the rent by all she saves on groceries :)

  3. Frankie better be coming back or else what the fucking fuck?! I like her character, I want to see progress with her character. But I guess the highlight of this show for me will now be Sam getting over Cat enough for ‘stuff’ to happen with Lexy.

    Also can there be at least some representation of a fairly stable/faithful couple on this show? “I have a wife I really love but…” Why is there always a but?

    Also also I really loved Party Down too. I keep expecting that second season to happen.

  4. i really liked the hugh-and-tess fun time minutes in this episode. it was a nice break from the crying and the… weird.

  5. Is it just me, or is everyone in Glasgow a Lesbian?

    I mean, not that this would be a bad thing…

  6. i feel like the writers are taking us the lesbian community seriously the emotions feel real, the characters are being taken seriously. As much as this show has been a downer, i’m still hooked… as opposed to watching a glee episode…I don’t know how they softened Heather Peace’s jaw line (random observation) I don’t know if i’m upset about it or not, but her acting is just beyond delicious. I think there are 2 episodes remaining, if they are going to take two years between seasons then the last one had better be an hour long sex session between Lexy and Sam, something to tide us over.

  7. Cat and Frankie were my least favorite characters so I can’t say I’m going to miss them much though I’m probably the only one. I like that the show seems to be shifting to being about Lexy/Tess/Sadie with Tess as the new heart of the show. I’ve always really liked Tess so I’m okay with that. Sam still seems like an outsider, especially now Cat is gone. I really hope they work on integrating her better with the rest of the cast.

    Finally we get sexy times this week! I was wondering when we were going to see Lexy naked. I approve of her whole situation. And Sadie is really starting to grow on me too after hating her so much last season.

    Fun Fact: Lauren the editor also plays Madam Vastra(and a few other characters) on Doctor Who. Vastra was the kickass Silurian detective who was in a relationship with her female companion in “A Good Man Goes to War”(aka the episode that revealed who River Song really was).

  8. Is there only one jogging path in Glasgow? How do Sam and Lexy run into each other EVERY time they go running?

    • I got the impression from the last episode when Lexy fist ran into Sam on the jogging path that Lexy chose that path on purpose because she knew Sam jogged there and wanted an excuse to run into Sam.

  9. I LOVE Tess and hate that she’s always so unlucky. Her clumsiness and stuttery-ness is endearing. But there’s only so much unlucky Tess moments I can take before I start to cringe. But Fiona Button’s facial expressions deserve an award.

    I think it’s about time Tess got laid. Preferably with Lexy.

  10. I pretty much ONLY watched the show for Cat and Frankie.

    so now…. Tess is better this season then last, but her “actress” gig never really seam organic.

    Lexy is cute, so at least that is something. They really need to add better characters though if they want to survive.

  11. At this point, I’m just waiting for Sam and Lexy to hook up. Lexy has quickly become my favorite character on the show, besides Sam.

  12. ‘At this rate, Lexy, Sam will probably soon be ready to jump back on other kinds of horses too.’
    This reference reminded me of a comment Riese made in one of her SON recaps: ‘Obvs Nikki Stevens is busy riding Jenny’s strap-on hobby horse all weekend.’ #ReasonsWhyRieseIsHilarious

    Speaking of that, the parallel of the sex scenes in this episode reminded me of the first episode of Season 6 of The L Word – with Papi and some chick making ridiculous noises (with Alice and Tasha laughing at them in the next room saying ‘Who the hell makes noises like that?’) while Jenny meanwhile, was playing domfemme to Niki during rough sex. The scene with Bea and Lexy had a much sweeter vibe to it, though.

    This episode made me love Tess even more than I did before. She makes me miss England so much.
    I’m also starting to crush on Lexy. She’s cool.
    I really like the friendship between Tess and Ed. It’s nice.
    That was very ‘Frankie’ of Frankie to run away like that, I suppose.

    • sicksadworld, if Sadie is new Frankie and Tess is the new Cat (although I really don’t see Sadie as the new Frankie), the difference is of course that there’s no love or romantic/sexual attraction between Sadie and Tess.

  13. Great recap,pretty much exactly how i felt about the episode.

    And i am glad i am not the only one wondering if Frankie is on some sort of hunger strike.

    And i hope they get a season 3,but with more episodes,so they can get some more depth in the storylines.

    And allready in eager anticipation of a Sam Lexy hook up

  14. she DOES look like a sim. well spotted.
    I reckon Frankie will be back in the next couple of eps

  15. Lexy just cannot keep saying “I’m really out of shape” when she’s running all the time, can keep up with Sam and has a banging body. Whatevs Lexy, stop fishing for compliments

    • me too, she looks like a femmebot. But, I liked how they gave her some human emotions this time, before she just seemed like a robot in that she did not care about anything or anyone.

    • I originally hated Sadie for her complete lack of empathy… but now I hate her even more for bringing home that screamer and ruining the Lexy-Bea scene for me.

  16. I don’t understand how Sam hasn’t found the bracelet Frankie gave to Cat. Or did the car that hit her decimate the gold band/erase their fucking initials?

    • Or isn’t Sam looking for the necklace she gave Cat on their trip? Frankie still has that…

    • The cell phone text messages, or emails I don’t know what year is it. The initials bracelet in the bag. I guess we’re to go along and believe? Sam wants to think that Cat chose her, and wasn’t having sex with Frankie? Yeah! And where’s that necklace? Does Sadie have it?

  17. Ok firstly the screen caps in this recap were just superb! I also like that you mentioned the word tetchy as it is one of the best words ever, i’m sad you don’t have an equivalent.
    William Blake… Yes!
    Begonias now make me think of Cat when she was stoned. Now shes dead… too many feelings.
    Sadie would so have known how to spell En Suite she was a frigging estate agent! Come on now.
    I hate Nora so much, I want to rub salt and vinegar crisps in her eyes, Or make her eat them when she has a paper cut on her finger.

    Lastly, Every time I see a new crisp flavor it makes me sad that you Americans probably don’t get it.

  18. The woman playing Bea is now the second out lesbian actress on the show (along with Heather/Sam), so my guess is that’s why the sex scene with Lexy was realistic – a huge contrast to that horridly painful image of Frankie and the mortuary receptionist in last season that made me wonder how she got all these one-night-stand women wanting more.

    And the Mormon style guide link got me excited I was going to see some fashion tips on how to pull polyamorous women – sadly disappointed.

  19. It’s funny that you mentioned Lexy “deciding to do a guest spot on True Blood”

    Everytime Sadie and Lauren were on screen together, I thought I was watching a vampire movie. Lots of pale skin, red lips, black hair/clothes, emo energy…definitely twinning.

    I thought the “screamy condiment sex” was kinda hot in a don’t-put-that-on-me-I-don’t-like-being-sticky-and-hate-the-smell-of-ketchup kind of way.

    Hopefully Frankie returns. Tess is the only one left who I’m at least mildly attached to and she has the least interesting storyline at the moment.

    Lexy, keep being sexy…just not EVER with Sam.

    And Sadie, “you do you” – preferably NOT with Lauren again.

  20. So I’m probably the only one, but I’m kind of okay with just having Sadie replace all of Frankie’s screen time. She’s so much more entertaining.

  21. When reading through the comments on these recaps, somehow they all sound British. As in, I can’t stop imagining them being said in a British accent. It’s like going on vacation, but a lot, lot cheaper.

  22. Off topic, but is Lexy looking a little Joan Crawford? Grow in your brows a little! I love her but that side-eye in the second pic screamed NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!!! Tess too…she’s got Bette Davis eyes. Ok, back to reading the recap!

    • I totally agree! I dunno why it bothers me so much, but I’m fairly sure I would like Lexy 10X more if she had normal eyebrows.

  23. One word recap of your recap: Awesome. The opening bit with the tv theme lyrics: hilarious! The Shonda Rhimes stuff: Bril!

    “Sadie, I didn’t like you all that much last season but this season you’re a goddamn life preserver.” THIS FOREVER.

    lololol @ “tidy cat.”

    Frankie, stay gone forever. I cannot with your neverending walking-about-town/leaning-against-a-tree-smoking stick model misery-mugging.

    Thank goodness for Hugh. What Tess needs is fun, frivolity and friendship!

    As I watched this episode, I would periodically shout out “WHERE’S CAT!?” as though last week’s atrocities hadn’t occurred. I miss Cat like hell. And having her minutes filled by Lexy and Sam will not stand. Fiona Button is the star of this show now. I hope the writers and producers make proper use of their realest actor.

  24. It’s weird, because I honestly prefer the characters of Lexy and Sadie to Cat and Frankie… but I still miss Cat and Frankie! Well, mostly Frankie, to be honest. Maybe I just need some time to grieve. Sam, Tess , Lexy, Sadie and Ed are all awesome characters, and I’m excited for them as the show moves forward. I do hope Ed stays in the picture.

    I can handle Frankie being gone for good, but I’m not sure she is. The storyline feels unfinished. Also, Frankie got SO HOT in the past few episodes. Despite the emaciation, which is usually a no-go for me. Why did intense grief increase her hotness in my eyes? Also her hair had a lot to do with it.

    Sadie is pretty much my favorite character now. AW! I really feel for her and enjoy her complexity. Her moments of softness/sweetness really touch me. Great dialogue for her too. I do think she and Frankie could still make a good match at some point…

    I ship Lexy and Sam and really don’t want Tess to get hurt in this situation. I just feel like Lexy and Sam could be a realistic couple, and Lexy would be better for Sam than Cat was. She’s a great combination of empathetic/understanding and laid-back. I feel like Sam needs someone like her.

    Lexy is hot and that sex scene was hot. Hot.

    Tess is the dearest dear.

    Heather Peace is a beautiful being.

  25. Thanks for the link to 4 p.m. Great little short! I wish it was longer or a full-length. I’m surprised I didn’t hear about it on the festival circuit years ago.

  26. Recapping really is an art form and I don’t know of anyone better than you! great read as always.
    I really liked this episode, it was alternately melancholy and sexy. I don’t think Frankie’s gone for good. There wasn’t enough build up and even though I didn’t like her last series, she’s grown on me and I want her back.
    I love Lexy now. she’s compassionate, laid back and funny in a weird way and she and Sam really need to get it on. Nowadays like Butch-in-progress’s name for them Saxy. Also, Heather Peace is amazing.
    Poor Tess. Things have to start looking up for her soon or I’ll lose it.
    And finally, Sadie has become someone I really enjoy. Frankie’s rejection and her reaction made me see her in a new light. I could see through the armor she wears for the first time.

  27. I ship Tess and Lexy because Tess needs more luck in her life, and they would make a cute couple, and also their ship name can be Texy, which makes me think of Texas which is funny because NEITHER OF THEM ARE TEXAN.

  28. Okay so as for “tetchy”, I thought it was “touchy”. =P

    Though I was still shocked by Cat’s death & reluctant to watch an entirely new show (however loving Heather Peace), I was surprised to find myself so drawn to Sadie. Except for the melodramatic coke scene some literally 30 seconds after Frankie walked out the door, I enjoyed watching her hunt.

    Was I the only one who felt like she was shagging herself during the Lauren sex scene? Maybe it was the obvious aesthetics (dark hair which kinda reminded me of Cat’s bob of last season, pale skin, blue eyes, red lips) but also that extremely self-confident power play. Coy-successful-magazine-editor Lauren = aloof-ex-successful-estate-agent Sadie. Especially in contrast to lost yet enthusiastic Italia.

    As for Frankie leaving, I don’t think she’s actually leaving the show. That’d be too much shock at once, right? & I don’t know if the writing could keep up. I mean, it’s not Game of Thrones. Lezbehonest.

    • Oh gosh imagine if it was like Game of Thrones!
      Tess is recruited to be the hand of Frankie, much to her chagrin. Frankie buggers off to the states to drown her sorrows by “chasing boars and counting whores (or is it the other way around?)” and Tess is left in the rat’s nest they call the Shagaflat to fend for herself. Sam (poor girl, hugs to you bb) is on the verge of going Brienne of Tarth-postal on the guy who killed Cat.
      Sadie sees Tess pining in pained silence for Lexy and says to Tess,
      “When you play the game of lesbians, you get laid or you want to die. There is no middle ground.”

      A doctor has travelled from a far away land across the narrow sea and another continent, (I hear she does hair commercials… in Qarth.) She is known as Lexy Price Sexyborn of House Australian. She is the Mother of Hotness.
      O_O Lip Service could be Game of Lesbians. I did feel for Frankie.. Hope she comes back.

      • HAHA! This is excellent. Would totally pay to watch a tale of medieval/ancient lesbians, possibly switching to a Mediterranean locale. Island of Lesbos perhaps? Made my morning!…until I just read that Maurice Sendak died. Which has absolutely nothing to do with thread but still makes me sad.

      • β€œWhen you play the game of lesbians, you get laid or you want to die. There is no middle ground.”

        This is possibly the truest thing I’ve seen in 2012.

  29. Omfg I was paraphrased in a scribegrrrl recap! How awesome!

    I’m filled with dread every time Hugh shows up on my screen, because I expect he’ll put the moves on Tess at some point. I’m sure they wouldn’t want to repeat Tess’ storyline from last season, but… they might. So I’m not able to enjoy him.

  30. “Also, don’t say “hit” and “Cat” in the same sentence, please.”

    I giggled uncontrollably.

    In fact, your recaps make me alternately giggle, smile, cry and laugh.

    I was and am still not really a fan of Sadie’s. I prefer to wait and see before I pass judgment.

    I would prefer to see Sam and Lexy together rather than Lexy and Tess (even though I’d like for Tess to be luckier in love) and I’m anxiously hoping we’ll get a glimpse of Sam and Lexy getting it on before the end of the season (I feel guilty, Cat did just die).

  31. Was it just me or when both Tess and Frankie ran out of the flat and across the road without looking was anyone else mentally screaming
    ‘LOOK LEFT! LOOK RIGHT! LOOK LEFT AGAIN!’
    were they not taught the green cross code as children?

  32. I was reading all these comments and I got all these nice warm feelings from the kind words and then I got a little scared of the Game of Thrones comparisons. I don’t *really* want to see Sam put someone’s head on a stake!

    But you know, I feel like the overall sentiment about Lip Service is that we like it and we want it to be good. Which is nice.

  33. Anyone else check to see if the lyrics fitted the theme tune? Nope..? Just me then..

  34. frankie leaving is a bridge too far. i hope this an extremely brief hiatus. i didn’t care about cat dying, in fact i was pretty happy that she was gone, but i really won’t be interested in watching anymore if she doesn’t come back.

    i don’t buy sadie and the editor. and i want sadie with frankie. sadie is still absolutely fabulous though and i love her one- liners.

    it seems like creepy, pervy declan has replaced creepy, pervy jay. can’t the show just be rid of all the male assholes?

    i think sam and lexy have a ton more chemistry then tess and lexy.

  35. Lexy is going to save Sam one day when they causually bump into one another running. Sam will be having a post traumatic stress attack/panic attack/premature ventricular contraction and Lexy the doctor will be there to save her. They’ll get down on it and it will be the last scene of the season-bumming my hopes for Lexy and Tess.

    That premature ventricular contraction line was me trying to impress Lexy the doc. If she was real.

  36. i thoroughly enjoyed this recap. the show certainly has its moments for me, and by moments i mean every time Lexy is on screen. i just don’t get why a fair amount of the characters are cheaters. actually i should restate that as “i don’t like that a fair amount…”

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