RINGER Recap: ‘It Just Got Normal’

RINGER finally returned to our TVs Tuesday, and what was the first big development of the second half of the season?

Bridget got bangs!

Yes, believe it or not, Bridget took the plunge. Astonishing, I know. This calls for an updated version of the giant, creepy picture in the hallway, don’t you think?

I’m honestly not too crazy about the new look, and I imagine Siobhan isn’t either since she will have to get bangs, too … in order to keep pretending to be herself. As if she wasn’t mad enough.

Hair issues aside, I enjoyed the episode and thought it was a great way to jump back into things. Plus, Gemma’s gone, so what’s there not to like (other than that whole Jason-Dohring’s-character-might-be-a-rapist thing)? 

The episode begins with Bridget taking off a HUGE ring (will … avoid … pun) and getting into the shower. Siobhan then creepily walks into the bathroom and stares at Bridget for a really long time, somehow without Bridget noticing.

Two days earlier, Bridget and Andrew meet up for dinner with some couple we’ve never seen. I can only associate the wife, Greer, with Sherry from GILMORE GIRLS — so I hate her immediately.

The mood is obviously tense between Greer and Bridget (because apparently everyone hated Siobhan before she left). Greer gives Bridget a bouquet of peonies, which Bridget realizes is a reference to the word “Pivoine” (meaning peony) that was on an envelope she found with her name on it in Charlie’s apartment. Love the passive aggressiveness.

Before the situation gets icier, Greer mentions she’s holding a fundraiser for Juliet’s poor high school. Bridget offers to help, saying she wants to spend more time with Greer.

At Henry’s apartment, Victor shows up to talk with Henry about Gemma’s case (because I’m sure FBI agents are on call like that). The twins are nowhere to be found, as usual. Ah, to be rich/able to afford a nanny.

Henry complains that the NYPD isn’t talking to him much about the case, only telling him that Charlie killed Gemma and then himself. However, the police apparently found Bridget’s fingerprints on the gun, so Henry has no idea what’s going on. The police don’t really seem to know what’s going on, either, but Victor suggests that Bridget kidnapped Gemma for ransom.

Siobhan’s finally in New York City (sorry, Tyler), executing whatever evil scheme she has up the sleeve of her cute coat. She gets into Andrew’s office, and although she tries to hack into his computer, she can’t figure out the password — even though it turns out to be the most obvious password ever.

At Bridget and Andrew’s apartment, Juliet is getting ready for school, but she tries to make up an excuse not to go. Despite Bridget’s observation that Juliet is upset about something, Andrew doesn’t think too much of it and makes her go to school. Juliet, did no one teach you to put a thermometer under a hot lamp?

Malcolm calls Bridget and tells her he can’t make their NA meeting because he has a job interview. Bridget says she can’t make it, either, even though she’s missed the last few meetings. Uh oh. I hope someone’s not about to fall off of the wagon.

Malcolm tells Bridget that if he doesn’t find work soon, he may have to move on. Bridget says that Andrew is looking for a computer guy, so she will put in a good word for him.

As Siobhan is hanging out in some coffee shop, Tyler (aka Siobhan’s cute doormat) calls her and wants to know why she’s trying to get back at Andrew. Although she’s hesitant to tell him, he suggests that he can help her since he works for Andrew.

Siobhan tells Tyler that she’s looking for false statements she thinks Andrew is using to mislead investors. Tyler says she should try looking on Andrew’s home computer, since home security is usually worse than office security.

Siobhan then abruptly says goodbye to Tyler (seriously, poor guy) when she sees Henry. She tells Henry she misses him, and he responds that he misses his wife. I don’t really believe that, since he pretty much hated Gemma (didn’t we all?), but whatever — I guess she is the mother of his nonexistent children.

Siobhan wants to explain everything to him, but since she can’t tell him that, you know, she has a twin sister, is a murderer and is pregnant with his child right there in public, he reluctantly agrees to meet her at the loft.

Meanwhile, Andrew is holding a meeting with potential investors, and Malcolm is there to help out (I guess). The investors find the company’s rate of growth impressive, but they want to know that it will hold up over 10 years. Since the old computer person left, Andrew tells them he can’t figure out how to compute the rate of growth, but Malcolm figures it out in literally two seconds and makes Andrew look pretty dumb.

Andrew is impressed, though, so he offers Malcolm a job if he’s interested. Because Bridget’s old lover and new lover working together isn’t completely awkward.

The next day, Siobhan sneaks into Andrew and Bridget’s apartment to look for the documents. She sees all of the fancy things she used to own lying around, and though she gets emotional for a few seconds, it doesn’t last too long.

She sees the computer and tries a few passwords before she sees a picture of Bridget and Andrew taken on New Year’s Eve. She tries “SIOBHAN” as the password, and what do you know, it works!

Siobhan starts to copy Andrew’s files when of course he unexpectedly walks into the apartment. Siobhan stands still, but is seriously probably less than 10 feet away from him. Andrew still manages not to notice her (I’m serious — apparently Siobhan has the power to be invisible now).

After stupidly standing still for much longer than she should’ve been, Siobhan finally hides before Andrew sees her. Stuck at the apartment until Andrew leaves, Siobhan misses meeting up with Henry. So, of course, Henry becomes mad at Siobhan for the hundredth time.

As Siobhan’s hiding, Bridget comes home. Andrew tells Bridget that he talked to Juliet, but she insisted everything was fine. He and Bridget proceed to talk about dresses, tearing off dresses and such, which doesn’t make Siobhan too happy. Siobhan also sees the huge rock on Bridget’s hand, so that couldn’t have helped matters.

Andrew leaves, and Bridget goes into the bathroom to take a shower. Siobhan finishes copying Andrew’s files, but before she leaves, she feels the need to stare at Bridget in the shower. INTENSE. She also takes Bridget’s fancy ring because she’s mature like that.

When Bridget gets out of the shower (after about 30 seconds), she can’t find her ring. She figures it must’ve fallen down the drain, but when Andrew notices it’s missing, she tells him she’s having it resized.

At the fundraiser, which is being held at Andrew and Bridget’s apartment, Juliet is avoiding Mr. Carpenter by hiding out in her room. Although her friend keeps insisting she tell her parents what happened, Juliet says she doesn’t want to screw things up when they just started to get normal.

Andrew makes Juliet come out of her room, so to make the situation a little more bearable, Juliet proceeds to drink everything in sight. She eventually gets drunk, and tells Mr. C that the woman he’s flirting with is too old to be his type. He tells her they should talk, but when he tries to reach for her arm, she yells for him not to touch her. Andrew, realizing she’s drunk, sends her to her room.

As if that wasn’t enough of a downer, Henry shows up and gets mad at Bridget for not showing up at the loft. Bridget doesn’t have any idea what he’s talking about, so he gets angrier and tells her he canceled a meeting with The New Yorker to meet with her. Uh, Henry, that’s kind of your fault for being so stupid. Just sayin’.

Upset, Bridget goes out on the balcony. Greer follows her and asks Bridget if she and Henry are still together. Bridget says she ended it and doesn’t want Andrew to find out. It turns out Greer discovered the affair one weekend at the Pivoine Hotel, and she was mad at Bridget because after she found out, it ruined her friendship with Gemma. Don’t worry, Greer — I don’t think you were missing out. Greer and Bridget appear to make amends, and Greer says she won’t tell Andrew about the affair.

Bridget then goes to check on Juliet, and Juliet tells her what happened. Bridget immediately leaves Juliet’s room and punches Mr. C in the face. I had two reactions to this: 1. YES! and 2. Not his beautiful face!

Mr. C seems legitimately confused about what’s going on, but Bridget kicks him out. Bridget and Andrew eventually go into Juliet’s room to talk. She tells them she just wants to forget what happened, even though everyone knows about it because of Bridget. So much for normalcy.

Victor, not believing Bridget is a kidnapper or killer as the NYPD thinks, finds out that Charlie was in the Hamptons the weekend Bridget was there. Thinking they may have worked together, he goes there to investigate.

He goes to a random restaurant in East Hampton, and the waitress who is serving him just so happens to remember seeing Charlie there with someone named Siobhan (That’s is a stretch — even for this show).

At the apartment, Andrew comes back from the police station and wants to talk to Juliet, but Bridget says Juliet won’t come out of her room. Andrew tells Bridget he’s not angry at her for punching Mr. C; instead, he’s mad at himself for not seeing that Juliet needed help. Bridget says they’ll get through this this – “as a family.” Aw so cute.

Finally, Siobhan goes to see Henry and tells him she’s sorry about the past few crazy months and Gemma’s death. She adds that she’s going to fix everything and she loves him. Henry, who is understandably really confused, demands that Siobhan tell him who she is. He probably means metaphorically the woman at the party or the woman in private, but we know they’re actually different people.

The episode ends there, and we will have to wait until next week to see if Siobhan spills the beans to Henry.

Other thoughts: 

• I like Nestor Carbonell (Victor), but I just feel as though his scenes slow down almost every episode. The writers need to somehow bring Macawi back into play — otherwise, Victor doesn’t have much to do and is honestly pretty boring.
• Henry, who couldn’t get a book deal to save his life a few months ago, is apparently swimming in offers. I guess a high-profile murder case involving your wife will do that.
• Is it just me, or did Andrew seem to not want to show investors the 10-year rate of growth projection? He seemed to “not have a computer guy” on purpose and looked worried when Malcolm intervened. Was Siobhan telling Tyler the truth? I doubt she told him the entire truth, but I’m guessing Andrew is up to some shady dealings with investors.
• CW, why are you making me think about rate of growth and investments? You are the CW — I obviously don’t watch you to think about such things.
• Juliet. I hate to question it, but is she telling the truth about Mr. C? She seems legitimately upset everywhere she goes, but Mr. C also seemed genuinely confused about the situation. What is going on?!
• Will Siobhan actually tell Henry the truth? I’m going to say no, but I hope the show goes there. Someone else needs to find out about Siobhan’s secret to spice things up a little bit. Speaking of spice, did you all see Henry and Siobhan heating up on the couch in the promo?
• Finally, how much better is it that Siobhan’s in NYC? We are seeing so much more of her, which is exactly what the show needed.

What did you think of this week’s episode? What did you think of Bridget’s bangs?! Let us know!