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“Venice: The Series” recap (4.12) – “I Hate Weddings”

The final episode of the season opens up to a beautiful day. Wedding guests are milling about and Jake is drinking all the wine. He’s going from guest to guest, assuring them that both brides are in the building. Considering most wedding guests naturally assume that the people getting married, are indeed somewhere in the vicinity, I imagine this must have come across as a bit alarming. Alan senses Jake’s rattled nerves, but Jake assures him that he is more than fine. Before he can go into a never-ending soliloquy about crushing Gina’s spirit, Katherine saunters by and interrupts them.

Lara, lets just say, is not having the most ideal wedding day. The stress of the lies and Ani’s near reversal, are pressing down on her. She spies a glass of wine and cannot stop herself from bringing it to her lips. Natasha comes in with a Curve magazine, and they bond over high heels. Lara talks with Natasha about being a high femme, and it would be a really sweet conversation about femme identity if the day wasn’t so fraught with stress and anxiety. Lara, in a moment of casual defiance, asks Natasha to grab her another glass of wine, but thinks better of it. She instead steers the conversation to Ani. Natasha thought she was right behind her, but she must have gotten lost somewhere on the way. Perhaps the Harry Potter door under the stairs? That’s where I always check first. Natasha sets off to fetch the other bride to be.

Ani isn’t lost, in the literal sense of the word at least. She stands on the staircase, looking down on a hopeful Gina. Gina begs her for five minutes, and Ani reminds her that this is a hell of a time to process. Ani has finally convinced herself that Gina is no good for her, and now here she is, heart in hand. Gina puts it all out into the universe. “I love you. I miss you. I want you. I need you,” she says. Gina finally utters everything that Ani has wanted to hear for so long, and does it with complete abandon. Gina admits that she’s been so scared of all those feelings that she’s managed to sabotage their relationship at every turn. “Please give us a chance,” she implores.

Back in the pre-reception, Logan is getting her flirt on with Katherine. Logan, you sly fox you. Katherine’s phone rings and she has to excuse herself. While she’s indisposed, Alan cozies up to Logan to discuss their nefarious plan. (A plan that I find confusing since no one has done anything about it, for all the evil laughing and plotting.) Katherine comes back, and she’s been given a bit of news. Something she is playing close to the vest at the moment.

There’s a haze of sage smoke in the air, and behind it, a frustrated Guya. Suddenly, Owen pops up, much to her delight. She cheers and her teases her that it took her long enough to get her medium on. He admits that he wanted Gina to stay with him, but had to let her go. He tells Guya that soon, she will need Gina more than he does. Oh ghost Owen, why must you be so vague and cryptic!?

Jamie is running around the pre-reception, but he has a bad feeling about this damn wedding. He has always been Team Gina, and feels that Ani has been talked into this wedding. His boyfriend makes Jamie promise him that he won’t marry him unless he’s absolutely sure. Jamie smiles and they share a sweet kiss.

Ani is not accepting Gina’s words of love and devotion very easily. She asks Gina if toying with her is fun, and questions her motives. Gina takes Ani’s verbal jabs as if they were feather soft kisses. She’s willing to fight and fall and fail for Ani. She alludes to the letter, but never directly addresses it. Gina asks Ani to walk away from all of this and be with her, and promises she won’t face the fallout alone. Ani is torn, and gets up to leave but Gina stops her. She asks Ani to at least look her in the face when she gives Gina her answer. Ani pauses, then steps into Gina’s arms and kisses her passionately.

The guests are getting restless, and Alan and Logan are getting punchy. “I hate weddings!” Alan declares. Oh hush now, and have another mimosa. Jake gets a frantic text from Lara that simply says, “Help!!!!!!!” He runs off to see her. Meanwhile, Gina and Ani are six minutes into their seven minutes in heaven, when Lara comes down the stairs and sees them.

Back at The Colonel’s place, Sarah tells Stella and her grandfather about her conversation with Gina. They just can’t believe that someone made Gina come to her senses. The Colonel still has reservations about Ani, but knows that Gina loves her. N.P.R. Richard joins the party, and is a real proud papa when he hears about Sarah’s sway with her mom. They all decide to drink, but wait! They change their minds and decide to be backup to Gina and The Great Wedding Crash of 2013. Stella calls Guya and they are off.

You know what’s awkward? Seeing your fiancĂ© kiss her ex girlfriend who you hit with your car, on your wedding day. Lara stands at the top of the stairs, an invisible arrow, plunged deep in her chest. She yells at Gina to stop it. Ani, in a brief moment of lucidity, asks Lara how long she’d been standing there. (p.s. Ani, it’s not exactly an out of the way spot. You’re macking on the main thoroughfare of the house.) An invisible tug of war begins, with Ani as the rope. Lara beckons her, promising to never leave her. Jake hisses at his sister to go with Lara. He tries to throw Gina under the bus for her night with Logan. Ani gets upset, even as Gina promises that it didn’t mean anything. That’s Ani’s issue right there. Nothing means anything to Gina. Ani walks up to Lara, and whispers, “I’m sorry” while gently touching her arm. Gina is left at the bottom of the stairs, heartbroken.

Owen tells Guya that he can’t stay for long, because those pearly gates are a callin’. Also, he has to be on set soon. He’s in a Hitchcock film. I kind of love that Owen gets to live his dream in heaven. It gave me such a lovely sense of hope. He goes to leave and Guya tells him that they need him. He kindly tells her that it’s time for the ones left living to look out for each other now. Just before he exits, he tells Guya to be strong because some heavy things are happening. “No matter what you hear, it is not your fault.”

Speaking of trouble, Det. Brandon is making his best sexy, conflicted face as Van struts down the street. Brandon pushes his almost step son into the bushes, and yells that he knows Van was there the night Owen died. Van, visibly shaken, confesses that he was but he didn’t hurt Owen. He got scared and ran, that’s all. Brandon releases his grip but promises to keep an eye on him.

Lara is crying, like you do when you see your bride-to-be with her tongue in another woman’s mouth. Jake sweeps in and spins her around like a maniac. He thanks Lara for taking Gina down, and she promises to be good to Ani. Then he kisses her. On the mouth. It’s short and not reciprocated, but he’s gleeful nonetheless.

Gina sits on the beach, forlorn and ready to give up. Owen appears to her and tells her to go back and win the girl. “I tried to make it right with everyone especially Ani, but there is such a thing as too late.” Owen doesn’t believe that and pushes her to go back and stop the wedding. Gina asks him not to go, that she’s so sick of being alone. She’s not alone though, because when she snaps out of it, her family is surrounding her. They shoo her off. Have fun storming the castle, Gina!

Ani is dressed in her wedding finery, and Jake appears to escort her down the aisle. He places a bracelet on her wrist and reassures her that she is doing the right thing. Then they have a moment of actual, genuine, brother sister tenderness. He tickles her and calls her “Marshmallow.” Awww, Jake, if you weren’t such a son of a bitch, this would be heartwarming.

Owen watches his family from heaven, and the angel approaches. It’s nearly time for Owen to have his own journey, and he watches wistfully from above.

It’s time for the wedding! Lara waits nervously at the front for Ani, her bouquet trembling in her hands. Jake and Ani soon follow and the two women face each other, ready to make a commitment. Lara promises to make Ani happy, and I’m sure Lara truly believes that. However, their blissful moment is brought to a standstill as Gina bursts through the door and up the aisle. This time, she’s got back-up. Jamie looks like he’s going to puke with relief, and Katherine chuckles that the day is full of surprises. “You’re it for me,” Gina declares. She tells Ani that she wants her to be happy, no matter what she decides, even if that isn’t with her. Then Gina makes some vows of her own, as Lara stands gobsmacked. Ani looks back and forth between her two loves, then focuses on Gina’s words. “You are most definitely my missing puzzle piece,” Gina tells her, with tears in her eyes. Ani stands speechless, as both women call out her name.

What did you think of the season finale of Venice: The Series?

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