Younger | Season 5

 

"#LizaToo"

Sexual misconduct allegations against Edward L.L. Moore leads Empirical Press to postpone his new novel. Marketing companies warn that they are dropping promotions of his work. Kelsey and Zane continue their quasi-rivalry while she discovers that Pauline's book is not being published under Millennial. Liza and Charles discuss their feelings, and she decides not to get between him and Pauline. The company changes its promotion focus to Pauline's book, which is sent back to printing to receive Millennial's label. As payback, Moore reveals Liza's secret to Charles.

"A Titanic Problem"

Pauline's novel is picked up by Reese Witherspoon's book club and she sends her company's assistant to have a meeting with Kelsey, Pauline and Liza. After they leave, Liza returns and offers the assistant a deal to have exclusive access to Millennial's projects. During a party, Charles announces that he had accepted the partnership with Reese's company. Charles questions his feelings and judgment after finding out Liza's secret. He starts considering her dismissal, but his lawyer advises him to instead pretend and go along with it. Josh tells Liza that Clare has admitted that she only married him to get her green card.

"The End of the Tour"

On the promotional tour of her book, Pauline lies about her relationship with Charles, while Diana and Liza try to help her emotionally. Charles appears in one of Pauline's Q&A sessions and she ends up telling a half-truth. Liza discovers that Charles is aware of her secret and tries to talk to him, but he says the two will maintain a strictly professional relationship. Josh tells Lauren that he is tired of falling in love and being disappointed, although he believes Liza and he are destined to be together. Kelsey and Zane vie for Barack Obama's former speechwriter Jake Devereux's memoir, but he chooses to be part of both Empirical and Millennial.

"The Talented Mr. Ridley"

During a party at Diana's apartment, Liza befriends journalist Don Ridley, and the bathroom toilet clogs. After the party, the plumber is revealed to be Diana's former lover Enzo, who invites her out for a date. Ridley pitches a book idea to Liza, Kelsey, and Charles, but the latter behaves rudely. Later, Charles apologizes to Liza for his behavior, explaining that he does not know how to act facing her lying. Kelsey and Jake kiss during a high-profile party despite their editor-client relationship.

"Big Little Liza"

After Don discovers Liza's fake driver's license, she tells him her secret and he uses it to write a Vanity Fair article about her, breaking her trust in him. However, Liza manages to make the magazine drop the article by starting an "age-queer" movement against ageism and age-shaming. After receiving threat of eviction, Josh tells Liza that he intends to sell his apartment and his tattoo shop and move away, but she advises him not to. Instead, he starts renovating the shop. Lauren throws a gender-friendly party but is reprimanded by her gender-queer assistant Tam about posting pictures online.

"Sex, Liza and Rock & Roll"

Famous rock singer Chrissie Hart is writing a memoir for Empirical and since she does not trust the Internet, Charles goes to her house to pick up the sketchbook, but she keeps stonewalling him. The morning after, Charles leaves after having an argument with Liza about their relationship. Liza manages to get the sketch by telling Chrissy how meaningful her music is, thus making her memoir appreciated. Maggie is chosen by the Whitney Biennial curators to be part of their exhibition. Diana spends the night in Enzo's house, learning that he does not have an impoverished living. Kelsey and Zane tell Jake that his chapter is not good enough, and Kelsey teams up with him to rework it.

"A Christmas Miracle"

Kelsey announces to Empirical staff that Jake's memoir is having an excerpt in New York magazine. Zane later tells her that he leaked it. During a party at the Katzs' household, Liza performs a family tradition with David and Caitlin at Bob, Julia and Rose's request. Charles shows up there and pretends that he has never met Liza. Enzo buys Diana a Christmas tree. Charles pulls Zane away from Jake's book editing after Jake told Charles that he does not want to work with Zane anymore after seeing him and Kelsey kissing, leading Zane to argue with Kelsey about their relationship. Penelope and Luca, the couple that bought Maggie's entire collection, invite her to a party in their house; there, she learns that they also bought the entire work of artist Akilah Jeffreis as an investment and not to be exhibited. Maggie then refuses to participate in the couple's "artist retreat" and leaves the party. Caitlin states to Josh that he is the best thing that has happened to Liza lately. Instead of leaving town, Charles is reminded of Liza's endearing performance, and makes a split second decision to find her. As Liza approaches her front door after an evening of grocery shopping, she meets Charles and they kiss.

"The Bubble"

Charles and Liza have sex during a night out. Ten days later, following the Christmas break, he appears at the office with a full beard. Later that night, he and Liza have another night out. Lauren invites Maggie and Josh to have dinner with her new hook-up, who is revealed to be Malkie, Maggie's ex-girlfriend. While eating, Malkie tells Maggie that she is a grown-up who can't hold tight to something, referencing their past relationship. Zane continues to be angry at Kelsey. She tells Jake that they can't date anymore and should instead pursue a professional-only relation aiming to further develop a romantic one after his book gets published. Kiara schedules a meeting with Diana, Liza and Pauline concerning the miniseries based on Pauline's book. Pauline indirectly threatens Liza saying that she wants revenge. After the meeting, Pauline makes a deal with Charles to stay quiet about his relationship with Liza. Maggie hands a flower bouquet to Malkie and later paints her face on a wall to show her commitment. After his relationship with Kelsey, Jake states to Charles that he believes that his book belongs to Empirical instead of Millennial. Charles asks about Zane about it, who responds that Jake's book is better off with Kelsey and Millennial.

"Honk if You're Horny"

Lauren reveals that Kelsey is being honored as the year's maverick at Glamour's Women of the Year awards. She then officially becomes Kelsey's publicist and pursues a job at Empirical by flattering Diana, which Diana refuses. Lauren meets Enzo and remembers that he starred in the first pornographic film she ever watched. She earns Diana's attention when she takes down the video. In a restaurant waiting for dinner, Charles and Liza are surprised by Redmond, who questions what they are doing together, and Liza improvises by lying that she is there to deliver a manuscript to Charles. Redmond realizes that the manuscript is one that was rejected by Millennial and, after Liza leaves, asks Charles to analyze it. Charles accepts the project, despite Kelsey's earlier decision, which causes Liza to tell her about her secret relationship with Charles, much to Kelsey's anger. Kelsey threatens Charles with the possibility of exposing his relationship with Liza. At the awards ceremony, Kelsey dedicates her award to herself and Liza. Charles gives Millennial money to succeed with a book by Quinn Tyler, a self-made millionaire, and Liza and Charles decide to keep their relationship a secret, since there are already many things going on in their lives.

"Girls on the Side"

Liza is puzzled to discover that Caitlin is dating an older man and this relationship is a secret since the man is a teacher. She tells Josh about her secret with Charles; they argue about her wanting to be "real" and Josh affirms his feelings. After seeing Charles with Quinn at an event, Liza realizes she should not continue her relationship in secret. Then Caitlin arrives from a wedding and claims that her boyfriend asked her to leave due to a risk of having their relationship exposed. Liza then advises Caitlin to have a public relationship. Charles reveals that Quinn is planning to invest in the company. Liza tells Charles that their relationship will only continue when the time is right to make it public. At Enzo's family's dinner, Diana and his mother discuss why the latter does not believe the former is a "decent woman" because she does not know how to cook. Afterwards, Enzo reveals he is moving to Manhattan and buying his own apartment.

"Fraudlein"

Empirical and Millennial staff go to Frankfurt Book Fair, where Liza encounters Cheryl Sussman, a friend of Diana's and someone who knows Liza's real age. Charles tells Liza that he is meeting with several investors because the company's economic situation is difficult. They need to find an investor or the company has three months left. Diana says that two Millennial books have been chosen as "books of the fair". In a Q&A session, a journalist notices Liza's older appearance. Instead of blackmailing her, Cheryl offers Liza a job since Empirical is failing. As a way to date Charles and free Kelsey from the need to lie, Liza accepts Cheryl's offer and cuts off her ties with Empirical. Kelsey is sexually assaulted while drunk, and Zane protects her by punching the man, taking her to his bedroom so she can sleep and recover. The next day, she understands the situation and begins to rethink her judgment on Zane, while Zane discovers that the man he punched is a potential client.

"Lizability"

Cheryl offers Liza the management of a new imprint, Chick(y), with a high salary, but Liza rejects the offer after Quinn proposes an investment that would make Millennial the main brand of Charles's company after she learns about Liza's secret. However, upon discovering the relationship of Liza and Charles, Quinn goes back and says she can not invest with such liability. To resolve the situation, Charles steps back as main publisher, with Kelsey replacing him. Enzo almost dies during a task operation in the sewers of New York, leaving Diana worried.