Younger Season Finale Review: Lizability (Season 5 Episode 12)

Younger‘s Season 5 Finale holds absolutely nothing back as it takes us on the most tumultuous emotional roller coaster yet.

Wrapping up loose ends and somehow opening the story for even more, Younger Season 5 Episode 12, “Lizability,” touches on everything the show has been building on this year and puts your heart through the wringer from start to finish.

Liza and Charles finally get what they’ve wanted all season, to be together without having to hide or lie about their relationship. But what they had to do to get there may have very well stolen the joy out of what should have been a beautiful moment. Seriously, those final looks on their faces are going to haunt me all through this hiatus.

Quinn Tyler gives Liza the perfect opportunity to have it all; stay at Empirical and embrace her age rather than hiding behind her lie.

Quinn: I’m going to celebrate it.

I love the way that Quinn looks at this as a win for everyone, herself, the company, and Liza too. This option is so good I wish that it had been the one to work out. But of course, we can’t expect Cheryl Sussman to pass up another opportunity to blackmail Liza.

Especially after putting all her eggs in a basket Liza politely decided to hand back to her. As alluring as her own imprint, a corner office, and a salary bump are, Liza can’t bring herself to take Cheryl’s offer and Quinn doesn’t want to invest in Empirical without her there anyway.

So Cheryl throws a wrench into everything, not by outing Liza for her age as we’ve all worried about for five seasons, but instead exposing that Charles and Liza have been having a torrid affair.

As awful and painful as this is to watch, I’m actually relieved that the backlash isn’t because of Liza’s age or anything she did on her own, but something that is as much Charles’ responsibility as it is her’s.

Charles owns that responsibility by taking a step back from Empirical in order to save Liza from backlash, and the company from losing Quinn’s investment.

With Kelsey now in Charles’ position, Liza staying to take on an executive role at Millennial, and Quinn potentially being more hands-on next season through both her investment and her book, I’m very excited about the future of the company.

Younger has done a great job of keeping strong, intelligent women at its core, and having them take control of the company is a great move.

I’m hopeful for Charles and Liza finally getting their happily ever after in the future, but I think they’ve still got a long way to go to get there. Their relationship has been a whirlwind and they’ve barely begun to figure things out beyond the overwhelming love they have for each other.

Charles: Liza, I have got everything I want. I’m happy.

Liza: Then so am I.

I hope on Younger Season 6 they really put work into having a real relationship and moving past stolen kisses and torrid romance.

 

Meanwhile, Josh finally gets some clarity on where he stands emotionally just before he’s thrown for a loop that has the potential to change everything.

It’s no secret that Josh wants kids, but after some Lauren-induced soul-searching, it’s clear that the only thing still holding him back from that is that he only really wants to have kids with Liza. Which for her is out of the question, and it’s the core of what drove the two of them apart in the first place.

Josh’s dreams are so pure, I want there to be a reality where he and Liza get to live happily ever after.

But when Clare shows up pregnant on his doorstep after spending the last eight-ish months staying in Ireland and leaving Josh questioning everything, that happily ever after may come to this reality in unexpected ways.

This could still lead to Josh having the life he wants even if there’s no way for he and Liza to ever get back together. After everything he’s been through I just want to see him happy.

Speaking of happily ever after, Diana finally overcomes her pride and admits to all of New York that she is madly in love with Enzo.

This storyline is wrapped around humor; with Enzo working on a Fatberg how could it not be? But the emotional growth that Diana goes through is real. She learns to take Enzo’s job seriously and to give him the same respect he gives her.

Seeing her run into his arms after he’s pulled from the depths of the New York sewage system is enough to melt pretty much every heart in the city.

OTHER THOUGHTS: 

• Zane quit Empirical, but things with him and Kelsey end in a good place and they could really dive into that relationship on Younger Season 6!
• Josh and Maggie’s friendship has been one of the absolute best things about this season.
• Will Clare stick around and try to work things out with Josh, or is she just there to let him know about the baby?
• How will Charles handle having a more passive role in the company? I don’t think he’ll be able to just stand on the sidelines for long.

What did you think of the Season 5 Finale of Younger? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Younger will return for Season 6 in 2019 on TV LAND.

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