Alex Levy has vanished, and that spells major trouble. Trouble for TMS (after all the fanfare surrounding Alex Levy's homecoming?), trouble for Chip, and trouble for us, the audience. This show simply cannot function without Alex Levy. It craves her sharp exchanges with Cory and absolutely thrives on her fiery clashes with Bradley. There have been far too few Alex/Bradley scenes this season! What on earth are we even watching this for, folks?!
While Chip pretends to have the Alex situation under wraps, repeatedly assuring everyone that she's under doctor's orders to rest due to her back pain, we know he's in a full-blown panic because he can't reach her. We also know that since she hopped on that plane and fled the Democratic Debate in Vegas, she's vanished without a trace. But you've got to think that all roads eventually lead back to Mitch, right? His storyline is bound to intersect with everything else happening at some point. For now, it remains a tantalizing mystery. All TMS can do is scramble to avoid looking like complete fools (which seems pretty much impossible at this stage) and find someone to fill in the gap. Chip suggests Laura Peterson, probably as a way to get back at Alex, who's been torturing him mercilessly. Cory jumps all over that idea, probably secretly hoping someone else would propose her. He's the one who fed the Bradley/Laura story to The Vault and even tipped them off about their location so the tabloid could snap photos. Now, he's staring wistfully out of windows, embodying the Saddest Boy in New York. So, does he want Laura Peterson right next to Bradley on TMS when this story breaks because he's so petty and spiteful toward the woman he harbors intense feelings for? Or is he hoping to blow up her life spectacularly so that she comes running back to him? It's probably a healthy mix of both.
At Bradley's urging, Laura agrees to take the job. If Bradley had any sense or made any logical decisions, this woman who seems terrified of being outed probably wouldn't want to be so publicly tied to her girlfriend. Alas, I'll go along with this tale of convenience only because it gifts us the ongoing delight: Julianna Marguiles's devastating delivery of "Yeah, I won't be doing that" when asked to wear Groucho Marx glasses for a segment. That moment alone cured three gray hairs on my head; it was that therapeutic.
And you know who's probably sprouting new grays all over due to tension, anxiety, and guilt? Cory Ellison. He's standing there in the control room, watching Bradley and Laura blatantly flirt during a heart health segment, just waiting for the story of their secret relationship to go live. Even Stella can tell something's off with him. He's nowhere to be found when the story finally hits the internet. Bradley learns about it during a commercial break when her drug-addicted brother Hal, who's arrived in NYC for a surprise visit, texts her the link.
Bradley has a complete meltdown in her dressing room. She's an intensely private individual, and she's adamant that no information should leak out regarding who she is or isn't dating, she explains earnestly. Laura, who, it's worth recalling, was also publicly outed in the past and suffered profound trauma from the ordeal, attempts to empathize while gently reminding Bradley that she'll weather this storm just fine. Summoning her composure, Bradley manages to pull herself together enough to appear for the final segment of the show. Later, as she once again retreats to her dressing room to hide until everyone has departed, an argument erupts over the phone when Laura introduces Bradley to the idea of therapy. Bradley keeps interjecting, insisting that Laura can't possibly understand the environment she grew up in, while Laura, growing increasingly impatient, has no tolerance for Bradley's constant interruptions. Honestly, this entire dynamic between them gives off more of a "woman in desperate need of a maternal figure" vibe than one brimming with sizzling sexual chemistry, doesn't it?
Anyway, Bradley then makes her way home to confront Hal. Oh, the drama between these West Virginia siblings is off the charts. Hal is livid because their mother has been bombarding him with calls nonstop after hearing about Bradley being gay, and she is far from accepting. Remember Bradley's mother? She's truly a despicable person. The argument escalates from Bradley expressing her hope that their small town has evolved somewhat, to explaining the sheer trauma of being outed, to Hal screaming about how their mother has only gotten worse since Bradley started sending her money, how she's suffocating him, and how he's depressed, believing that the only way he can survive and stay clean is by being with Bradley. Bradley, of course, has to point out that this is an overwhelming burden to place on someone, especially someone whose life has just imploded in front of everyone. To paraphrase Bradley Jackson, it's utterly exhausting. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.
And then, as if the situation couldn't get any more intense, Cory shows up. Perhaps he's there to witness the chaos he's unleashed, to ease his guilt, or to see if Bradley will crumble into his arms. The conversation, however, doesn't unfold as he might have hoped. Instead, as they discuss what has transpired, Bradley comes to a profound realization: She genuinely likes Laura and the person she becomes when she's with her — a far better version of herself than when she's with her family. This moment, she realizes, is forcing her to grow because she now has the opportunity to admit her true feelings for someone else. Why should she care what those terrible people think of her? "I'm glad it worked out," Cory tells Bradley. But his expression doesn't reflect gladness; it looks like he needs to find another window to gaze out of wistfully. Bradley doesn't notice this, though. Instead, she strides back into her hotel room (or rather, her house for the night) with determination and tells her brother that she wants him gone by tomorrow morning.
