Paper Tiger

**Paper Tiger** is the second episode of the first season of *Trinkets*, and the second episode of the series overall.

## Synopsis

An invitation to a club may provide a cure-all for Elodie's homesickness, Tabitha's growing disenchantment with her boyfriend and Moe's empty house.

## Plot

**SPOILERS AHEAD**
With no real friends, since she is stuck with people who either won’t talk to her at school or see being her friend as a favor, Elodie is feeling lonely. Making her best friend Zoey’s birthday seem like the perfect excuse to visit home but that costs $300. Which Elodie doesn’t have, her dad doesn’t want to give, since it is a last-minute request, and because it seems he wants her more settled into Portland.

Unfortunately for Elodie, she is scammed by the would-be outwear purchaser, who tries on the already stolen jacket, bolts from the club, and jumps in a getaway car while screaming, “Screw you!” At least Tabitha and Moe are there to support Elodie in the very meta backstabbing. It’s then that Elodie explains she just wants to go see her “girlfriend” because she feels “so alone” in Portland. Tabitha and Moe agree with the sentiment and bring her back inside to enjoy Frankie Simone’s performance. The sparks of true friendship are afoot.

Still, Tabitha and Moe end up at Paper Tiger for their own lonely reasons. Tabitha heads to the club after realizing her hot date with Brady is actually a group hang with his annoying friends. So she peaces out to go flirt with Luca, at whom she eventually yells “I have a boyfriend!” Classic. While Luca is clearly a very dateable man — he even asks about Tabitha’s grandpa.

Moe shows up at Paper Tiger after her mother — a tireless single mom — cancels quality time plans to take a night shift at work. When Noah is also busy, Moe goes to the club for a distraction. After a few hours with friends, Noah strides into Moe’s room ready to hook up. It’s a nice sex-positive scene, but I feel so bad for Noah. Despite Moe’s burnout packaging, she’s actually a genius who is applying to a STEM program abroad and reads 20th century scientific philosophy before bed. Noah knows this about Moe and likes it. She in turn keeps him at a distance, saying she likes him for being “dumb.” At this point, Noah refers to himself as Moe’s “dirty little secret.”

Elodie and Zoey aren’t dating. Elodie lied. Towards the end of the episode, Elodie scrolls through Zoey’s Instagram feed to reveal her friend back in New Mexico is actually dating someone else. Elodie is relegated to best friend status. Apparently, Elodie is so hurt over the situation that she unfollows Zoey.

As the premiere proved, Brady can become aggressive with Tabitha. As its followup, “Paper Tiger” proves, Brady is genuinely dangerous. In the final scene of the episode, Brady becomes upset that Tabitha left his terrible video game hang and is now texting unknown individuals (it’s Elodie and Moe). Brady is enraged Tabitha won’t answer his questions and throws her phone at a wall, breaking it. “Happy now?” he yells at her.

## Cast

* Kiana Madeira as Moe Truax
* Quintessa Swindell as Tabitha Foster
* Brandon Butler as Brady Finch
* Odiseas Georgiadis as Noah Simos
* Henry Zaga as Luca Novak
* Larry Sullivan as Doug Davis
* Dana Green as Jenna Block
* Parker Hall as Spencer Davis
* Bryce Earhart as Dave
* Larisa Oleynik as Shawn
* Jessica Lynn Skinner as Kayla Landis
* Linden Ashby as Whit Foster
* Joy Bryant as Lori Foster
* October Moore as Vicky Truax
* Jacob Skidmore as AJ
* Emmett Pearson-Brown as Mr. Dunford