Minx was always a show that deserved more time.
When MAX chose to cancel the series after an engaging and creative Season 1, fans were naturally annoyed because the series had only scratched the surface of the story it was telling.
Luckily, Starz swooped in to save the day and resurrect Minx from the cancelation bin. And thus, we got Minx Season 2 Episode 1 to devour and set us up for another trip back to the ’70s.
One of the best things Minx decided to do upon its return was not drag out the inevitable, which was getting the whole band back together.
Quite some time had passed since Doug let Minx go, and everyone struggled a bit. None more than Doug, though, who was working overtime to keep Bottom Dollar alive.
If there is one man you want in a crisis, it’s probably Doug because he’s a pretty damn smooth operator. He’s a talker who usually knows how to get what he wants. But he was in a hole so big that even his usual schtick wasn’t working.
Tina, the forever MVP, was the only one still on his team, and bless her soul for being a shoulder for him to lean on while also not sugarcoating just how bad things were getting.
Doug Renetti is a very proud man, and he was never going to run back to Joyce with his tail between his legs. Or he wouldn’t admit that his tail was between his legs.
For her part, Joyce was in a much better place than Doug, but she was also procrastinating in picking out a publisher because let’s face it: she was never going to find something that recreated the magic she found with Doug at Bottom Dollar.
Thinking of everything Joyce has been through with Minx, it made sense that she wasn’t willing to just go with the first people to give her attention, especially when everyone was coming with the same pitch.
They were all leaning into her feminist roots as if comparing her to Jackie O would suddenly make Joyce leap across the table to sign on the dotted line. None of those publishers actually knew Joyce or the blood, sweat, and tears it took to get Minx off the ground.
But she was also reaching a point where she had to decide because she had people depending on her. And there’s that whole striking while the iron is hot thing.
Minx is a hot commodity, so it would behoove her to move forward sooner than later.
Enter Constance Papadopolous.
Isn’t seeing Elizabeth Perkins in such a delicious role delightful? Constance is exactly the kind of person Joyce would look up to because she’s a woman who takes matters into her own hands, even when surrounded by a sea of men.
But if there’s one thing Joyce does well, it’s making an awkward first impression.
You could tell from their first interaction that Constance was a woman of principle who wasn’t to be toyed with. She saw a man she had to have and made him hers. Now granted, she did that with a lot of money, but the sentiment still stands.
Constance does what Constance does. And Constance gets what Constance wants.
But while Constance may be the kind of woman Joyce looks up to, it doesn’t feel like she’s the kind of person Joyce would actually want to be. But time will tell there as the two ladies will be working closely.
All Doug had to do was hear Richie had a wealthy lady in his pocket, and he was already thinking of his next play. And it was a stroke of genius.
Constance was flush with cash, a woman Joyce admired, and Doug desperately needed a life raft.
Constance didn’t seem very taken with Doug, though, and we’ll have to see how that plays out over time because Doug isn’t used to taking orders and not being the top dog. It’s why he and Joyce clashed so much in the past.
Doug operates a certain way, and while he’s always after money and success, that doesn’t mean he’s always willing to take a backseat.
But perhaps he’s learned something through all this. The fact that he slithered away and let Joyce close the deal with Constance without much pushback implies that he’s willing to do things differently this time.
Taking a step back isn’t something he’s used to, but it’s all for the greater good right now: getting everyone back to work and continuing to expand Minx.
For as much backlash as Minx received, it also courted a lot of popularity, which I presume will continue, especially with someone like Constance heading the ship. Because let’s face it, the person who fronts the bill always asserts the most power.
How will Doug Renetti handle not being number 1?
It sure will be interesting to see how the group works together the second time around, especially with Joyce having a controlling interest in Minx.
How often will she hold that over Doug’s head?
Elsewhere during this hour, Shelly and Bambi hooked up again, and it was inevitable this would happen, no matter how hard Shelly fought her attraction.
Shelly loves her husband, but there’d been something missing from her marriage for a long time that was definitely more than just the sexual component. Bambi understood her in a different way, and the two cultivated a wonderful relationship before things got physical.
But Shelly’s decision to come things off came from a place of wanting to save her family. And even after her latest tryst, you could tell her head and heart were still warring with one another.
Again, there’s no doubt Shelly loves her boys, but she also loved getting out of the house and doing something with her days beyond laundry and baking casseroles. And hopefully, she takes Lenny’s words to heart and returns to the work field.
Now, what becomes of her and Bambi will be interesting, especially if Shelly decides to go back to Minx because it’s unclear whether these two can get past their obvious feelings for one another.
It may be a fling, technically, but it feels a lot deeper than that on both sides. But I fear Bambi, in particular, is setting herself up for a world of heartbreak the longer this goes on.
Minx is back, baby! And if this first installment is any indication, we’re in for a treat!
Everything Else You Need To Know
- One of the sweetest parts of Minx Season 1 was the growing relationship between Doug and Tina. Tina is the only person who truly understands and accepts all faucets of Doug, and Tina is the only person Doug is his complete self around. Rooting for these two!
- Speaking of Doug and Tina, they’re still going strong in Minx Season 2, but I wonder how things will evolve if Tina finds herself wanting more than what she’s currently doing. Doug doesn’t want to lose Tina, but she deserves to spread her wings.
- Let this be the season of Richie! He’s just a good egg and deserves all the fabulous things.
- Is there a more disarmingly charming man on television than Jake Johnson? The man oozes charisma.
- That pile of Minx magazines made me miss Shane Brody. I hope he’s still saving lives and doing well!
Summer just got a whole lot hotter, and we’ll be here all summer chatting about all things Minx!
Jump into the comments and let me know what’s on your season 2 wishlist and how excited you are that STARZ gave this little gem of a series a second life!
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.