It must be November sweeps because this week Melrose Place saw more action than ever. Either that, or every tenant was simultaneously in heat.
Amanda Woodward Returns to (sort of) Screw Up Everyone's Life
Amanda, the New York based president of WPK shows up unexpectedly, determines that the LA office is pathetic and fires Ella's boss Caleb. Caleb warns Ella that Amanda will "will get inside your head and do things you never dreamed you'd do." Ella blows him off. Amanda calls Ella into her office and tells her Riley is all-wrong for the big jeans campaign. Amanda has made up a completely fictional life story about how Riley grew up in the ghettos of Boston to appeal to the press, and Riley will have to stick to it at the big launch party that night.
Back at the apartment, Ella tries to convince Riley to go along with the fake story, despite Riley's protestations that she has had a very privileged upbringing. Ella convinces Riley to break her infallible moral code and lie (even though she seemed to be fine lying about kissing Auggie), in order to save Ella's job - and also because if Riley doesn't lie, she'll break her contract and forfeit the big bucks she was doing this all for in the first place. Jonah suddenly decides it's fine to ask Riley's parents for money instead, but Riley doesn't want her mom to say, "I told you so." Yup, she definitely did not grow up underprivileged.
At the party, all the reporters keep asking Riley about her childhood in the midst of gang violence and Ella keeps pulling her away before she can answer. Amanda tells an ecstatic Ella that she's doing good work. Ella then meets some famous talent agent who simultaneously offers her a job and hits on her. They find a corner and makeout as Talent Manager Lady tries to convince Ella to take the job. Ella says her heart belongs to WPK.
Riley worries people will find out she's a liar (namely her first graders, who she teaches to tell the truth) and Jonah consoles her with making- out. Eventually a reporter gets a hold of her and Riley can't bear to keep lying. In front of all the reporters and photographers (who all care desperately about an amateur Model in a jeans add), Riley says she's been lying, "the only real thing here, is that I'm a teacher who loves her job."
Amanda chastises Ella and tells her Riley's not her real friend. Ella runs off and Lady Talent Manger tells Amanda, she gave Ella that Ella is loyal and "passed your little test with flying colors." What? That whole random perfect job offer was a trap? Nooo...
The next day, Amanda tells Ella she has to "disengage her emotions" if she ever wants to be the PR goddess that Amanda is. To prove thos, she wants Ella to call Riley's school and tell them she used her sick days for the photo shoot. Noble Ella responds, "Miss Woodward, if that's what it takes to be you, then I'm sorry. I guess I'm not interested." Back at Melrose, Riley's principal calls and fires her. Someone ratted on Riley. Ella overhears from the courtyard, muttering, "Amanda no you didn't!"
At the end of the episode Amanda shows up at Sydney's apartment, opens a safe and finds a letter addressed to her, from Sydney that says, "you'll never find it". Whaaat?
David becomes an amateur detective, but gets distracted by the pretty lady
The cops find Auggie in Mexico and arrest him. David visits Auggie in jail who claims to that he tried to get Sydney to lay off the coke the night she was murdered, and she went at him with a knife. He pushed it away, and that's why his fingerprints are on the murder weapon. David wonders for the millionth time if he killed Sydney and Auggie reassures him (for the millionth time) that David was blacked out and must have been framed. David suddenly realizes his dad, Dr. Mancini, must be the murderer.
David shows up at Mancini's driveway and warns the wife Vanessa that his dad is no good, and she should take her car and run as fast as she can. She doesn't listen. David sneaks into Mancini's car and finds a plastic bag with a bloody necklace hidden in it. Flashback to Sydney wearing it- the night she died!
On his breaks from sleuthing around, David keeps asking Lauren out, and she mentions that she misses the season in her hometown of Cincinnati. So, David decorates her apartment with candles and red leaves -he even gets Chilli delivered from her home town. They make out, take some clothes off, move to the couch... and then Lauren panics and stops it. David tells Lauren he's never dated anyone like her and is happy to wait. They have dinner. Cuteness--that is until David inevitably finds out she's a hooker and dumps her, but that won't happen for at least another...2 weeks?
Later, David tells Ella that Auggie didn't do it- he's sure his dad did it. Ella wonders why "a genius heart surgeon" would keep evidence in a plastic bag in his car. David doesn't know but his dad always had a plan--an evil plan--and David is determined to have him put away for good.
Poor Auggie
At pool time (in the middle of the episode instead of the end- changin' it up!), as Jonah makes mojitos, and the girls fall out of their bikinis, Auggie shows up unannounced. (David posted his bail) and tells the shocked crowd that he didn't kill Sydney. Everyone is silent, even Riley. Poor Auggie. Sad music plays.
Auggie goes back to his apartment and Ash-let follows him in. Ash-let tells him she believes he's innocent and that those other haters aren't his friends. Auggie apologizes for skipping town after they slept together- and says he wants to be friends. Ashlet looks disappointed -but sneaky and totally lost.
On Jonah and Riley's way home from the party, a topless Auggie suddenly emerges from the pool. He wants to know if Riley is the one who gave the police the anonymous tip that he was in Mexico- she was the only one who knew he was there. He wants her to look him in the eye, she won't. Jonah tells him to back off and they walk away. Auggie sees the pool bar. And takes a bottle...
Back in his apartment, Auggie is staring at the bottle and freaking out when Ash-let shows up and tells him, "You don't need that." Apparently what he does need is for Ash-let to take off her clothes and do him on the counter. Which she does.