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“Work Out New York” recap (1.4): Catch and Release

This week on Work Out New York, Holly goes on a blind date!

But first, Layla takes Jay to meet Mama Love, whose opinion means “everything.” Layla not only wants to have a romantic future with her boyfriend, but a business relationship. Considering they fight 75 percent of the time, it doesn’t seem like a good personal or professional move, but Mama Love would rather ask about Jay’s penis size and if he’s pleasing her daughter than anything truly relevant.

Later Layla and Lindsay go shopping because, Lindsay explains, it’s part of your job as a trainer to look good all the time. But instead of looking at clothes, Lena joins them to have a discussion that does not pass the Bechdel Test. They are all talking about (who else?) Joe. Lena thinks he’s OK now that he brought flowers to her competition. Lindsay has always been on his team because she thinks he’s cute and she’s the kind of straight girl who carries torches for unavailable gay men. Lindsay announces she’s going to have a “dirty 30” birthday celebration because she missed out on partying while she had surgery on her foot. Lena is already ready twerking in anticipation.

Speaking of Joe, he’s working with a needy client while chatting with Noah and Holly about plans they made to check out a ninja training gym in Brooklyn. Everyone is psyched, including Layla and Jay who hear the chatter when they come in the door. Holly and Noah extend the invite to them as well, but Joe makes it clear Layla is not invited. Noah has to be the bearer of this bad news, and Holly advises Layla not to make a big deal of it because she’s the peacekeeper and she was having a way better time making bottom jokes with Noah and Joe five minutes before.

Lena and Courtney hash out why he skipped her competition over the phone. Courtney explains he was depressed about his shoulder injury and Lena, a bigger woman than I, forgives him for ditching her. I get that he was feeling down, but he was her mentor and she’s been training so hard! And he always seems to be there for Layla but whatever. Lena still did the damn thing.

The ninja workout gym is the same place that Jae and Nneka went on a date on #Blacklove last week, which I know based on the decor and instructor named Geronimo. (You don’t forget a name like that.) Joe instantly pushes Holly in the foam pit because he’s so likable.

Lena and Holly continue to poke fun of Joe and Noah’s bromance, with Holly admitting, “Joe and Noah’s relationship is everything that I want. I’m going to sit back and take notes. It’s beautiful.” The four have a fun time running, bouncing and balancing around the gym while Joe haughtily tells the camera that he wanted to introduce the trainers to his way of doing things like he owns the place or something. Still, Holly finds Joe “funny, warm and enjoyable” because she is easier on other trainers than she is on the women she dates. (More on that later!)

In case you haven’t had enough of JOE (which I have four times over), Layla and Courtney get together to TALK ABOUT JOE. Not only that, but they put on “disguises” to do some detective work and visit his gym and favorite cafe to see what they can find out about the mysterious narcissist. They turn up empty.

Holly goes to get her hair done by one of her clients, celebrity hairstylist David Evangelista. He is the one that keeps her long-haired butch blonde on point.

Holly is going on a date with a “really pretty black girl, tattoos everywhere” that Courtney set her up with. Holly says the girl isn’t really her type, but she needs the practice, something every girl likes to hear about themselves. Holly doesn’t like to have girls stay the night and have them still there “Sunday morning.” Maybe you are better off single, Holly! She when makes the analogy that she needs to “Get back on the bike. Get those reps in, those sets.”

For those who care, Layla goes to visit Mama Love for her read on Jay. Mama Love thinks Jay needs to “work on his ego,” and she isn’t convinced that he’s “the one.” Layla wants to prove her wrong, which is the best reason to try really hard to make it work with someone.But now it’s time for Holly’s blind date! Tia is a babe and tells Holly she smells good after an introductory hug. They talk about Courtney (Tia knows him from Barry’s Bootcamp), and the basics: Are you single? When was your last relationship? Do you want kids? All typical lesbian fodder. Tia is giggly and flirtatious while Holly looks uncomfortable.

Tia tries to wipe something off of Holly’s lip, asking if it’s a mole.

The waiter comes over and asks, “Are you guys on a date or something? Is there a spark?” “Awkward is an understatement,” Holly tells the camera. When Tia asks for a nightcap, Holly is clearly not interested and Tia apologizes: “I know, I get a little aggressive sometimes.”

Holly just didn’t feel any chemistry, but when Tia goes in for a kiss, Holly reciprocates, proving women are the most confusing of all time.

The rest of the episode is BACK TO JOE. I’ll keep it quick because I’ve already had to think about him too much. Courtney’s trusted friend tells him that Joe is known to steal clients; that it’s a “systematic theme he has.” So at Lindsay’s party, Courtney confronts Joe in a very nice way and they end up having a gay heart to heart. Joe says he’s never stolen a client in his life, and it would be impossible because he is already so overbooked with a wait list!

Holly tells Noah about her new dating plan.”Sometimes you just need to catch and release,” she says. So if you see her on Tinder and you’re ready for a wife and kids, steer clear!

At the end of the night, Layla tries to squash things with Joe because everyone else is now his best friend. But Joe is not interested in being friends with Layla and basically tells her he doesn’t like her, and is fine with just being cordial. Layla is upset by this and starts to cry once Joe leaves for the night. This was probably his favorite episode yet. Holly thinks things will be OK, though she admits she’s an idealist.

Next week: No one talks about Joe once. Just kidding! We’ll never be that lucky.

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