The L.A. Complex Ep. 1: There’s no place like home

January 10th, 2012

A Canadian actress who can’t catch a break, an Australian actor who just got his big break, a music producer ready to take a chance, a dancer sweating it out for her dream, a comedian who only hears crickets and an aging actress whose career isn’t what it used to be. Get to know Abby, Connor, Tariq, Alicia, Nick and Raquel on Episode 1 of MuchMusic’s brand new show The L.A. Complex!

Read the complete recap after the jump and watch the first episode here!

Meet Abby. She’s a Toronto native who has moved to LA to fulfil her dreams of being an actress. Unfortuantely, after six months she has no job, a boyfriend that is sick of long distance and apparently a landlord who has evicted her.

When Abby breaks in to steal her stuff back, her landlord comes after her and breaks her car window with a hockey stick. Landlords are crazy, y’all!

After having her window broken, her car breaks down. She calls her only friend, Tariq, who works for hip hop producers Jamaica Jay and Dynasty. Unfortunately, these guys are great producers, but really mean bosses. Tariq can’t pick up Abby for her audition and tells her to call a cab, but she doesn’t have any money.

Instead, Tariq calls his friend Nick, an aspiring comedian, to pick up Abby. Anyone notice Nick’s ringtone is crickets? Speaks volumes on his comedic career. Nick is helping his friend Connor pack to move out of Nick’s complex and into his own mansion after landing the starring role on a medical drama. Did I mention Connor is a hot Australian? We shall call him McComplex. Or McAussie. Or McDingo. I’m still deciding. Connor is about to have his face on every billboard in the country, but instead of looking excited looks really, really nervous.

Nick lives at The Deluxe, or The Lux, for short. Raquel, an actress who used to be famous but is kinda fading out, also lives at The Lux. She was hoping her ‘friend with benefits’ Connor could get her a part on his show. Unfortunately for Raquel and for Nick and Connor’s ear drums, he didn’t.

Nick fixes Abby’s car for her, but it’s too late for her to make it to today’s audition. Nick offers to follow Abby home in case she breaks down, but Abby tells him that she’s evicted.

Nick convinces his landlord, Eddie, to let Abby stay at The Lux and pay her rent in a few days.

Alicia is an aspiring dancer who has abs that I can’t even dream of ever achieving.

She makes it through the second round of her audition for the Usher tour and decides to celebrate that night at The Lux. Alicia tells the landlord Eddie that she’ll find out the next day at 3 whether she gets the part.

Things seem to finally be looking up for Abby and she meets up with her best friend Tariq that night at the pool party in The Lux. Abby encourages Tariq to force Jamaica Jay and Dynasty to listen to his beats. Abby decides to take another party goer up on her offer of Ectasy. This can’t be good.

After not getting cast in Connor’s show, Raquel is feeling down. Two guys approach her at The Lux and ask her to read their script. She’s just depressed enough to do it! Yay?

Nick, who obviously has a crush on Abby, introduces her to Connor.

The two go for a walk together and Tariq points out the obvious – if you think a girl is cute, don’t introduce her to your hot friend.

Abby tells Connor about her boyfriend and Connor lends a supportive ear. This doesn’t look good for the boyfriend. The two keep flirting and one thing leads to another and… giggity.

The next morning, Connor and Abby wake up under the LA sun on top of The Lux and realize they didn’t use protection. Connor suggest Abby take the morning after pill. It’s the best decision either of them have made in the past 24 hours.

On their way to the drug store, Connor runs into Raquel, who apologizes for yelling at him after she wasn’t cast for his show. Abby gets introduced to Raquel and subsequently insults and praises her. Impressive. I don’t think they’ll be besties. Abby and Connor run into Nick, who now has visual confirmation that the girl he likes slept with his friend. I don’t think a stack of pancakes is gonna help that.

In the studio the next day, Tariq offers to ‘help’ his producers with one of his own beats for a Drake track they’re working on. Dynasty agrees to let Tariq play one track and turns it off after literally two seconds. Harsh.

When the producers ask Tariq to send three tracks to Drake’s people, Tariq takes his career into his own hands and attaches his beat to the email. Oh Tariq. I am nervous for y’all.

Later that day, Dynasty calls Tariq into his office to tell him that he knows Tariq sent his own beat. Dynasty admits that Drake liked the track, but tells Tariq to never do anything like that again. Does this mean they’re finally going to let Tariq make beats?

Connor offers to take care of Abby when she takes the morning after pill, but Abby reminds him that she has a boyfriend.

Abby takes the pill and gets a call from her manager saying that her audition today is a go. Unfortunately, this pill is going to make Abby very, very sick. To make things worse, Abby’s unpaid tickets have finally caught up with her and there’s a boot on her car.

Connor has to run to the studio so Abby is left to take the bus to her audition. She gets there just in time, but Abby hasn’t practiced the song. Still, the director gives her a shot. She nails the song, but then she nails the piano with puke.

Raquel shows up to an audition for her friend Samantha, who apparently isn’t that much of a friend. Raquel ends up insulting the show, which is probably not the best way to get an audition.

Realizing that parts are coming less and less, Raquel decides to take a chance on the script the two writers gave her the night before. She tells them that she’ll help get it made as long as she’s the lead. Seems fair to me!

Alicia visits Nick at the coffee shop where he works and finds him already heartbroken over Abby. She tells him to focus on his first big show tonight, but she’s having problems focusing while waiting for the call about the Usher tour. Alicia can’t relax, so she works out, makes smoothies and pretty much does everything I don’t do to relax. It’s almost 7 pm and Alicia finally faces the fact that she didn’t get the part.

It’s Nick’s big shot at a good Improv Club and he runs into Mary Lynn Rajskub, who pretends to Sarah Silverman. Unfortunately, Nick misses the joke.

I don’t think this is a good trailer for what’s to come when he hits the stage. Nick bombs. Like BOMBS. I’d expect Nick’s cell phone of crickets to ring at any time, but I think that would be too much sound for this room.

The pain continues when Nick walks by Mary Lynn and Scott F. Thompson, who tell him in the meanest way possible that he is a terrible comedian. I’m pretty sure the silent room full of people delivered that message loud and clear.

Finally done filming for the day, Connor unpacks in his new house. Anyone notice that he put his kettle on top of his cupboard? Odd.

Alone and lonely, Connor contemplates calling Abby.

Depressed and emotional, Abby finds a friend in Alicia, who offers to get Abby work under the table since Abby is an illegal immigrant.

But I don’t think Abby realized this work would put her on top of a table.

Will Abby stay with her boyfriend? Will Connor’s show be successful? Will Raquel get an acting job? Will Tariq get a second shot a beats? Will Alicia get the chance at another tour? Will Nick make a good joke? Find out this season on The L.A. Complex!

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Tags: The L. A. Complex, The L.A. Complex 0101 Recap