TV Recap: Lipstick Jungle – Chapter Three: Pink Poison

Under the evil eye of Page Six readers and rival Janice Lasher, Wendy drags daughter Maddy to a media luncheon to show the world she’s a good mom. But when Maddy figures out she’s just being used, she tosses her expensive new shoes on the table and storms out of the luncheon, leaving Wendy stifled at the podium.

Later, Janice bleats out gleefully, “Nice try using your daughter for damage control.” Wendy retaliates by writing “Bitch” in red lipstick on the back of Janice’s white coat. Wendy and Maddy make peace with each other that night, and Nico lends her help by hiring Janice’s assistant away to write a tell-all book about her.

Nico and Kirby have another lusty sex scene in her office. Apparently, these two can’t be in the same room together without ripping each others’ clothes off. But in a futile effort to put a halt to their affair, Nico tells Kirby’s boss to bring a different assistant to the next shoot. Kirby gets fired and fights back by slapping a sexual harassment lawsuit on Nico. Ouch.

Victory’s guy, billionaire Joe, sweeps her off to Paris for a quiet evening in the loft where Coco Chanel sketched designs and stared at the Eiffel Tower for inspiration. But Joe doesn’t score quite so high with Victory’s friends when they all get together at Nico’s for a dinner party. He doesn’t understand the necessity for friends, and Victory is forced to give him the brush-off.

And really, who can blame her? Joe has all the charm of Donald Trump and turns everything – including friendships – into a negotiation. Not only that, Joe and Victory have zero chemistry, unlike Nico and Kirby, who practically set TV screens on fire with their steamy scenes.

Lorraine Bracco looks like she’s having fun with Janice, but I wonder if her surliness will get old after a few episodes. Overall, though, I’m still liking this show.