Too Little Too Late: Partner Track Ep 8, 9 & 10
It’s official. Though Ingrid got her position as partner (with a few bumps along the road), turns out we’re never going to see it. Netflix announced this past Tuesday that it would not be renewing The Partner Track for a second season. Not too surprising given the show never ranked on the Netflix Top 10 and carries a 62% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with viewer scores at 52%. The series was end-of-summer filler before the true fall line-up premieres. With classics like The Crown, Love Is Blind, and The Great British Baking Show, there was no chance for a mediocre #GirlBoss romcom. But they sure did try.
The last two episodes of this season sure put up a flight for Netflix, with no sign of surrender. They brought the heat, drama, and cultural competence audiences have been waiting 8 episodes for. Almost as if they could see the guillotine hanging above their heads.
We pick up at Ingrid sitting in jail. Turns out her sister stole a pair of earrings from Nick’s apartment, impersonating Ingrid. A man as rich as Nick needs to get some better security. This is the second time Ingrid’s NYU drop-put sister broke in. Not a great sign. Also, Ingrid and her sister do not look alike. I mean, the police didn’t even check the footage before arresting her? It’s own-race bias. Murphy comes to break Ingrid out and all we get is “I’m going to have a serious conversation with my sister.” The whole thing felt like drama for the sake of a cliffhanger.
Murphy is really turning on the charm for Ingrid. Breaking her out of prison, she obviously trusts him a lot. They win part of the Sun Corp deal again, Murphy bringing surprise Chinese food for the hungry jailbreak and kiss. I’m starting to think Ingrid only gets turned on by work. They have sex and Nick is entirely out of her head—before he walks in. It’s messy but pretty predictable. I’ve been calling their relationship since the beginning. We were never supposed to like her with Nick. Always Murphy.
And with the official end of Ingrid’s relationship with Nick, all signals are a go for the ultimate Ingrid and Murphy workplace rendezvous. He stays over a lot. They hold hands in secret at work, glancing at each other with sexy eyes. It’s gross. Especially when we know what’s at stake for Ingrid’s future as partner.
Tyler starts applying for other law jobs, interviewing at several firms. One even tries to get him as a diversity pick, having similar misogyny morals to Parsons, Valentine & Hunt. Rachel plans on quitting the firm and focusing on a writing fellowship, Justin being a supporting king, but she doesn’t get it or partner and she’s devastated. She was actually almost fired for “coasting,” despite being extremely talented, not getting enough billable hours.
Fallon, Reed, and Murphy got partner. Not Ingrid. Even though she deserved it. Even though she headlines Sun Corp and was more skilled with the law than any of her peers. Even though she chaired the sham of a Diversity Gala, him practically telling her to sell out Tyler and get partner. And she quits. Murphy runs after her but puts her in a cab a little too quickly.
Murphy continues to come over with food and kisses two weeks later. He announces that he’s officially moving to New York, alluding it has to do with Ingrid even though he just won partner and now has a hugely expensive and prestigious job in the city. But behind the scenes, Ingrid goes to Green Tech to talk to Z and hatches a plan for a hostile takeover. They partner with NewLeaf and start making calls. Rachel and Tyler show up to help, validating her change of heart. Ingrid even uses her family’s own immigrant story to convince Mihn to use his shares of Sun Corp to help appoint Z as its CEO.
Rachel gives Justin a plastic toothbrush, a cute teasing gift from their relationship together, but when he admits “I’ve been thinking a lot these past two weeks. I know what I want is to be with you. Do you want to be with me?” she says “Maybe.” It’s brutal. She decides to start a playwriting workshop she found, but declares celibacy so she can stay focused and have enough time. I don’t quite understand why. If single and dating around, sure that takes time. But having a boyfriend already who cares for you and your work? Eat together. Hang out. He can sleep over. Work and be Miss Lawyer Extraordinaire by day. I don’t see why it has to be one or the other. Writing for boyfriend. It’s a myth people tell women, that we can’t have it all. We can if we want. It just takes planning.
Marty threatens to have Ingrid disbarred because of her insubordination, despite her not working for him anymore (over what, who knows. His emotions being hurt?) Z interrupts and insists that Ingrid needs to be Parson, Valentine & Hunt’s point-person in order to continue business with them. They also insist on an actual Diversity & Inclusion policy. Marty caves, but not without mentioning he knows about Ingrid’s jail stint. Turns out Murphy told him. I knew he was a bastard.
There is no confrontation. Just a hazy scene of Murphy with Rachel and Tyler, chatting. In my image of season 2, Ingrid would continue to work on the Suncorp deal with Murphy, stirring some drama, him trying to win her back. The guys at Parsons would give her some slack for becoming a partner, and she would fight to fire Marty and Fallon after another racist incident at their hands, with Z supporting her. She might even start eyeing Z as a potential romantic partner. Tyler would fight Luxe and Parsons on behalf of Valdo, still sleeping with his CFO. Rachel would join that workshop for playwrights and put on her own makeshift play. Justin would show up on opening night, to support her despite their breakup, and she would confess her love for him, his answer being the cliffhanger finale.
I am not surprised the show was canceled. It dropped the ball. It didn’t put in the writing work. There was a ton of hype toward the beginning of the show, but the episodes just fell flat. Sure, they tied everything up in a bow for the finale, but you have to watch 10 episodes to get there. They brought the drama and diversity conversation I was practically begging for in the beginning, but it was too late. It all was. The Partner Track is just another 1-season show for Netflix. Oh well.
My overall series rating: 3 stars
