I Love LA Recap: I Might Say Something Stupid

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Generally, taking a break from the internet and stepping away from conflict is a good way to handle online drama. But for someone even slightly well-known in Los Angeles, like Tallulah, it’s rarely that easy.

Paulena’s harsh TikTok video, calling Tallulah names and accusing her of theft, causes major fallout for both Tallulah and Maia. The story follows how this impacts their lives. For Maia, it’s a career crisis that could go either way. For Tallulah, it triggers a downward spiral of paranoia, and her fears that everyone in her new city is against her aren’t completely unfounded. No amount of sponsorship or fame can shield you from a public scandal, especially if you’re surrounded by people in the entertainment industry and frequent popular spots where everyone knows your business. In that world, it’s easy to become the center of attention – and not always in a good way.

Tallulah discovers the video while receiving an at-home vitamin IV drip – a lavish treatment that turns frightening when she frantically pulls it out, causing blood to spill on the floor. When Maia arrives, she finds Tallulah frantically searching for a vape, and calmly hands it over. Meanwhile, Alani is heavily affected by an edible she took, which Tallulah had declined. Odessa A’zion and True Whitaker deliver excellent comedic performances throughout the scene with effortless skill.

Finally, Alani had to resort to dunking Tallulah’s phone in water to stop her from aggressively responding to Paulena’s remarks with extremely offensive comebacks. It was a desperate measure, but it worked! The episode—and this scene in particular—felt incredibly tense and chaotic, thanks to director Bill Benz (who also directed At Home with Amy Sedaris).

The room felt increasingly tense as Charlie rushed in with a new problem: apparently, everyone in LA’s gay community had found out Mimi fired him, and now no one would let him skip the coffee line. (If you’re hoping for bigger drama on I Love LA, you might want to watch something else.) Charlie’s solution? He tries to use Tallulah’s dinner date as a way to improve his reputation with the gay staff at the coffee shop. He shamelessly flatters the waiter, orders a ton of stuff, and leaves a ridiculously large tip, hoping it will work. But the waiter immediately mentions how happy the generosity will make his wife, leaving Charlie completely frustrated. This happens a lot with Charlie’s storylines – he’s often so disconnected from the other characters that they don’t even seem to notice what he’s saying, and it’s likely to keep happening.

Maia went to work anticipating that Alyssa would be furious about Tallulah potentially harming their business. However, her boss was surprisingly calm and didn’t seem concerned with the details of the situation. Instead, she and a relaxed consultant (Josh Brener) told Maia to simply follow the standard apology procedure, as they considered this instance of “white on white bullying” to be a minor issue and easy to resolve. (Leighton Meester continues to deliver a strong performance, even while largely confined to desk scenes.)

Maia is fiercely loyal to her friend and deeply annoyed by Paulena’s two-faced behavior, so she refuses to ask Tallulah for a formal, corporate-style apology. Throughout the episode, she struggles with whether pushing Tallulah to apologize is the right thing to do. However, a conversation with a particularly outspoken mother at Dylan’s school fundraiser clarifies her thinking. If even a young kid sees backing down over something small like a cookie as a sign of weakness, then Tallulah shouldn’t back down now either. The episode, “Girl’s Girl,” cleverly points out how the idea of empowering women and being supportive can be twisted into something negative. Some of the show’s commentary – like Alyssa’s calm approach to crises and Paulena’s insincere feminist justifications for her actions – is effective. But Maia’s realization, sparked by a mom praising her daughter for avoiding “submissive” behavior, feels a little forced.

Once Alani figures out Paulena’s true identity – Paulena Grace Rikers, of that Rikers family – Maia finally agrees to let Tallulah take action. This discovery of the family’s dark history gives Tallulah everything she needs to expose Paulena’s carefully crafted online image. She does this in a quick video, which costs her a sponsorship with Trésemme, but could potentially lead to a much bigger deal with Balenciaga. If Maia truly becomes a ruthless PR expert this season, this moment of aligning with such a controversial figure will be the turning point.

Just Circling Back…

It’s completely understandable Tallulah was flustered by the attractive chef who messaged her, especially since we learn she’s played by the incredibly charismatic Moses Ingram. While Tallulah was too anxious for a romantic moment, the chef’s bold move of sharing her number inside a jar of rice suggests this isn’t the end of their connection.

Congratulations to Dylan! When his principal saw a meme of him allegedly using drugs, the response wasn’t to fire him – it was to ask if he could get some for the principal’s friends. While it doesn’t fix the problem of the photo being online forever, it’s a quick solution, at least for now.

If Talullah becomes known as someone who damages a brand’s image, I’m in serious trouble. What could she even do to cause that much harm – write a tell-all book?

• “It’s like my dad used to say: ‘we’re not letting another indictment ruin Christmas.’”

• “She just broke my phone. What am I supposed to look at?!?”

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2025-11-17 07:55