The Starter Wife Episode 1.09 Her Old Man & the Sea

Worried about Joan's disappearance, Molly calls Detective LaRoche, who says that there were two charges on Joan's credit card three days after her and Pappy were reported missing. This tidbit puts Molly somewhat at ease.

Later, Molly spies David Shea at the grocery store. Even though David claims to have not heard from Joan since she set sail, Molly becomes suspicious when she sees Joan's favorite foods in his cart. Molly tails David to Malibu and discovers that Joan is happily hiding out with David without a care in the world-or any idea that her disappearance has become an international police matter. When Rodney arrives, he and Molly plead with Joan for an explanation. All Joan will say is that she had had enough of Pappy's controlling ways, so she came back to be with David while Pappy left the boat to visit a friend in Monaco. Despite her indifferent attitude, Rodney and Molly urge Joan to go to the station so the police can call off the search. Back in Molly's makeshift movie production office-a.k.a. her living room-Kenny is busy steamrolling over Molly on what actress should play the lead role for "Wife Goes On." Molly prefers independent feature film star Katrina Jane Vanderbrook, but Kenny wants young starlet Blake Stenton. As they're arguing, Zach arrives, eager to hear Molly's thoughts on his novel. Molly starts bluffing, claiming she's read more than she has. Kenny, knowing that Molly hasn't gotten past page forty, saves his ex by whisking her off to their meeting.

Since Lola is planning to out Felix to a major tabloid, his agent and publicist have arrived in Felix's trailer on the "Dark Axe" set to discuss damage control. A horrified Rodney listens to their plan to discredit Lola, which will ultimately ruin her career. He also knows that if Felix's hench-people go after Lola, she'll only fight back twice as hard. He's got to do something.

At lunch with Blake Stenton, Kenny is practically drooling all over himself despite how obviously wrong she is for the part of Gracie. After lunch, Molly demands that Kenny set up a meeting with her actress of choice, Katrina Jane Vanderbrook.

Later that evening, just as Molly is settling down to read Zach's manuscript, Kenny arrives with an armload of DVDs for them to watch as research. Then Joan calls, but not to report that she has gone to police. Joan has bigger concerns: David's barbeque is broken. Realizing that Joan is not taking anything seriously right now, Molly picks up Joan and takes her to the station. When they arrive, Detective LaRoche conveys some bad news: Pappy is dead. His body was found washed up on the beach. Joan seems devastated, until LaRoche steps away. Then Joan asks Molly if they can pick up a new grill for David. The next day at Joan's house, Joan insists on packing up and donating all of Pappy's belongings to charity right away. Rodney and Molly dutifully agree to help even though they don't understand Joan's urgency or lack of signs of grief.

In the midst of all of this mania, Kenny has moved up the meeting with Molly's actress of choice but Molly has to help Joan with the funeral arrangements. Molly tells Kenny to take the meeting alone but pleads with him to keep an open mind. Before Molly zooms off, Kenny tells her that he read Zach's book and thought it was phenomenal, making her feel even worse that she hasn't read Zach's book yet.

When Campbell finally arrives for his visit, he is not at all what Devon and Liz were expecting, especially given his mother's description. He strides into the house without even a hello because he's too busy reporting about the "cool crib" to his friend on the phone. Campbell bumps fists with the little boys and promptly asks Liz for a beer. Devon and Liz exchange looks: maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

Even though Jane Vanderbrook is obviously perfect for the part, Kenny barely pays any attention to her until she cleverly mentions that she costs half the price of the other actresses he's considering. Suddenly, Kenny's interested and the tone of the meeting instantly shifts as the two begin trading flirtatious barbs.

When Molly drops off Jaden for her sleepover with Skylar, Zach asks Molly again if she has read his book. Knowing she's stuck, she parrots Kenny's feedback until Zach catches her in her lie. Zach is hurt more by the fact that she lied than by the fact she's been too busy to read it.

Rodney visits Felix on the set to tell him the good news: Lola has agreed to keep quiet if Felix pays her $1.5 million dollars. To celebrate their victory, Felix pulls Rodney into an empty corner for a kiss. But they both are later stunned when a picture of them canoodling ends up on Dizzy-Land's website.

Upon hearing that Kenny has almost closed a deal on Blake Stenton without discussing it first with Molly, Molly finally blows up at Kenny and reclaims control of the movie, demanding that Kenny hire Katrina in the starring role. Kenny acquiesces and casually mentions that he'll tell Katrina the good news when he sees her for their date later that night.

As soon as Molly finishes Zach's novel, she rushes over to his house to tell him that she is blown away and has a million thoughts about it. But Zach isn't interested in hearing her notes because she's only been a writer for "five minutes." Molly apologizes for not being supportive enough and rushes out. Just when it seemed like they were getting back on track, there's another bump in the road.

At the meeting for Pappy's funeral arrangements, Molly confronts Joan about how she doesn't seem to be coping with Pappy's unexpected death. Joan gets angry with Molly and says that Molly can either judge her or stand by her. Right before the funeral is about to begin, Joan finally breaks down and Molly and Rodney are there to comfort her.

Detective LaRoche stops by Molly's house to return her stolen journal. When he asks about Joan's well-being, Molly says that her friend has been acting strangely, insisting on cleaning out her and Pappy's house immediately and giving away all of Pappy's personal effects to charity. What seems like an innocent comment must've been a red flag for LaRoche, because he and his fellow detectives show up graveside to stop the burial. They have a court order to perform an autopsy and toxicology test on Pappy based on some information that they found on the computer Joan gave away. Was there foul play?