The Sutton Foster-led Younger premiered on TV Land on March 31 with two back-to-back episodes. In the half-hour comedy, the Tony winner plays Liza Miller, a 40-year-old newly single mother who passes herself off as 26 to resume her professional life. Along the way, she learns all sorts of tidbits that every 20-something should have on their radar. Here are just some of our favorite lessons that we learn with Liza in the first two episodes.
EPISODE 1: Pilot
Liza Learns About Bang with Friends
We first encounter 40-year-old Liza mid-job interview at a publishing firm. On cue, her significantly younger interviewers go off on a social media-fueled tangent, because they’re millennials. Facebook! Twitter! Instagram! Bang with Friends! We (Liza included) are then treated to a very work-appropriate story about Tinder and breast recognition. Welcome back to the working world, Liza!
Liza Learns About Lena Dunham
Six skinny margaritas later, Liza meets Brooklyn-based hot tattoo artist Josh (Nico Tortorella), whose claim to fame is having “tattooed the insides of Lena Dunham’s ass cheeks” because “she wanted to keep some things private.” Not that Liza knows who Lena Dunham is. (She’s old, remember?!) Josh orders shots, sparks fly, Liza accidentally demands to see Josh’s junk. Nailed it.
Liza Learns About Harry Styles
With the help of her best friend Maggie (Debi Mazar), Liza concludes that the best way to resume her career is to tell potential employers she’s 26 (I-9s be damned). Cue montage, in which Liza develops those key features every 26-year-old has: highlights, a nose ring, a Gmail account and One Direction flashcards. (RIP Zayn. And Caesar?)
Liza Learns About Her Lady Garden
Liza gets a publishing job and quickly befriends co-worker Kelsey (Hilary Duff). But with the exception of Helen Mirren, no one can de-age 14 years without a hitch. Following a Krav Maga class with Kelsey and their friend Lauren, Liza unleashes her literally gasp-inducing nether region. Liza, in need of some consulting after her hairy situation, turns to Maggie. Maggie’s seen her “fair share” of vaginas. Maggie is a gynecologist. Just kidding. Maggie is a lesbian artist.
Liza Learns About Ass 'n' Titties
During a meeting at the publishing firm, Liza’s phone goes off with a brand new ringtone: One that mentions two female body parts described in A Chorus Line's “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three.” Her boss, Diana Trout (Miriam Shor), is disgusted; however, they’re all in a conference room discussing a Pride and Prejudice rerelease with what appears to be 50 Shades fan art on the cover. Mixed signals, Trout.
EPISODE 2: Liza Sows Her Oates
Liza Learns About the Grid
At the start of episode two, Liza cements her place as a "millennial" and renounces her Gen X days. Unfortunately, her vision board looks like something out of a Lisa Frank psychological thriller. But hey, props for organization. With the help of an internet guru, Liza says goodbye to her 40-year-old web presence. She’s officially younger.
Liza Learns About #ToplessTuesday
Liza and Kelsey meet up with Lauren for lunch. (Since when does Publishing Demon Trout allow lunch breaks?) Lauren then does what any driven millennial would do at the table: Take off her shirt for her 35,000 Twitter followers. “Breasts aren’t shameful. Ask Rihanna,” she says. The whole scene is just like that Sondheim ditty: "Here’s to the ladies who lunch—everybody strip!"
Liza Learns About Mouthgasms
While out on the town, cutie Josh brings Liza meatballs. This scene, aside from a potentially disastrous run-in with some of Liza’s adult friends, does little to advance the plot. But it does have Foster reach sexual climax while eating a meatball. Now it’ll be even harder to tell him that she’s been lying about her age (and her daughter and her alleged work in India) this whole time. Meatballs have that effect.
Liza Learns About Viral Marketing
Liza, inspired by topless Lauren’s lunchtime reveal, convinces Trout to push the big Joyce Carol Oates release to a Tuesday. Because... #ToplessTuesday. Yep, after a half-naked photshoot in the middle of a crowded office and just a bit of internet magic, Liza has women from all over the globe showing off their Oates. Girl power! Literature! Boobs!
Liza Learns About Booty Calls
Liza, back to her 40-year-old self, goes on a blind date with an age-appropriate Chipotle investor. Mr. Chipotle Investor, despite contributing to literal Heaven on Earth, is a terrible human being. But after a flirty text from Josh, Liza forgets all about the burrito schmuck. She rushes to her hipster hottie in the heart of Williamsburg, just as all 26-year-olds do. She leaves him with just a kiss at his door—the rest (i.e. her Oates) is for a future episode.
Younger airs Tuesdays at 10 PM on TV Land. Tune in to discover what Liza will learn next!