'Katy Keene' Episode 13 Finale Review: A tribute to artists before bright lights and blinding fame take over
Spoilers for 'Katy Keene' Season 1 Episode 13 'Chapter Thirteen: Come Together'
Secrets were revealed; Ginger Lopez (Jonny Beauchamp) saved the block, a fashion show at the Pepper Plant made Katy Keene's (Lucy Hale) dream come true and Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray) got a new manager - yes, that was a crazy finale. While we had hoped that too much wasn't given at once, it seemed as though the finale had a lot going on. The great part was that each character kind of settled into the ends of their stories, each narrative brought the character an achieved sense of peace. During the season, we were also told that the building that the quad lived in will be bought by the city and that even Lacy's was being sold to the Cabots. THIS episode settles all THOSE forsaken boundaries as well.
Katy had earlier found out that Guy LaMontagne (Luke Cook) had been stealing designs from his apprentices, including her and had then been blacklisting the young woman from the industry. While Guy admitted his wrongdoing, he offered Katy a lead designer position in the same breath. Katy accepted the offer long enough to realize that she would rather work in her 'home,' at Lacy's where her mother worked at and she didn't want to curb her path for a man. After promptly denying his offer and convincing Gloria Grandbilt (Katherine LaNasa) to fight for Lacy's, she organized an epic fashion show. As Guy's past apprentices walked the runway in their own designs, we, in that scene, are able to see Katy's growth as a character. From a young woman that wouldn't think before mixing business with pleasure, to now turning down her dream job for the solidarity of truth. Not to mention, she gets noticed by a woman from her dream school and is offered a position at Parsons.
Turns out that Prince Erol (Saamer Usmani) took over Lacy's, reinstated Gloria and Leo Lacy (Cary Elwes) is to take over his mother's position - all is well that ends well, especially in the cutthroat fashion industry. While we catch a minute of Leo at the end of the episode, having Katy blurt out "I think you may be my father" was a jolt and definitely a cliffhanger to end on. If you remember, the love letter Katy had found in Gloria's drawer had the same 'L.L' that Katy found on her mother's sewing machine had which had the gang suspecting that Leo may have been dating the both of them or left one for another. An hour can only give us so much, so we see how they couldn't give us more but we're sure Season 2 (not confirmed) will divulge into this love triangle, or so we hope.
On the Lopez side of things, Jorge Lopez (Jonny Beauchamp) tries to convince his parents to fight so the city doesn't force them to sell their building. When the city council meeting doesn't go well, Jorge looks to his ex Buzz Brown (Eric Freeman) for help. Buzz tells Jorge that he needs to get 10,000 signatures to be taken seriously by the city and with Pepper Smiths' (Julia Chan) help, Jorge puts on a show. In drag and showcasing Ginger Lopez, he rallied and danced with fellow residents to acquire those signatures and while that with the media there was a feat in itself, he in drag in front of his father was the best part of the show. His father who was not accepting of Jorge as Ginger through many harsh fights throughout the season now expressed the pride he felt to call Jorge his son.
We were shown the vulnerable side of Papa Lopez as he admits because Jorge's Tio (uncle) had died due to AIDS, he was afraid of losing Jorge; he was afraid he couldn't save him. Jorge's father opened up for the first time in the entire season and we were waiting for this father and son bond to be bolted in tight. Now, enter 'Riverdale's' Hiram Lodge (Mark Consuelos), the buyer that was supposed to buy the building, with his literal minute on the show, Hiram confirmed he's bringing in trouble. As Archieverse fans, we'd have hoped that Hiram had more time on screen, but we're hoping that this means we get to see more of him in the (hopefully) next season?
Ah, now to the Pepper drama - we adore the growth the woman has gone through in the first season. From an impeccable con artist to a friend that helped Katy pull off a perfect fashion show, helping Jorge save the block and the futures of the artists that live in it and for choosing to ditch the life of deceit - yes, we're proud! Initially, a character lurking in the murkiness of her own shadowed and secretive life, we were finally shown a bit of Pepper's past in the last episodes. While it seems that Katy is going to take a while to forgive Pepper, Pepper has softened Josie's (who's now single, thank God) heart and was offered to manage the frontline of Josie and the Pussycats.
To be honest, Peppers Plant is an amazing place, a place where artists are able to showcase their talents, get discovered and be allowed a wilder and greater future. It seems fit that with a show that has characters trying to fulfill their dreams, that the dream of their friend (Preppers, Pepper Plant) is what's making theirs - and many like them - come true. In short, the season has been a vulnerable tribute to artists that are now in the city and showed the reality of artists' pasts, before the lights and fame take over.
This was definitely a wholesome finale, but we need to know where the quad will go from here - who else is shouting for a Season 2?