TV Recap: All’s Fair Episode 2 — Every Woman Has a Breaking Point

After its glitter-bomb pilot, All’s Fair doubles down on its intoxicating mix of ambition and betrayal in “When We Were Young.” Old mentors return, rivals sharpen their claws, and every woman in Grant Ronson Greene LLP faces a reckoning — professional, romantic, or both. As the champagne bubbles give way to secrets, suicide, and a shattering confession, the series proves that in Ryan Murphy’s world of love and litigation, power never comes without collateral damage.

Episode 2: “When We Were Young” - Written by Ryan Murphy & Jamie Pachino

Emerald Greene (Niecy Nash-Betts) opens the episode in full detective mode, showing Liberty Ronson (Naomi Watts) a dossier of photos proving that Chase Munroe (Matthew Noszka) has been cheating on Allura Grant (Kim Kardashian) with several women of questionable reputation. Her sons have been invaluable helpers: Elijah downloaded a reverse-image-search app that unearthed Chase’s secret accounts, and Ezra’s tech-sleuthing traced his burner phones. Emerald jokes that her boys are the only good men left. “That’s why I used a sperm donor,” she quips, before scolding Liberty about her own romantic indecision. “If you mess this up with Dr. Reggie, I will murder you myself.”

Before Liberty can respond, Allura sweeps in with a surprise guest — Dina Standish (Glenn Close). “The band’s back together!” Dina beams. Allura hired Dina as her divorce attorney, and she pre-emptively retained every top lawyer in L.A. to keep Chase from hiring them. “Please tell me someone called Carr,” Dina says dryly. The look between them says it all — they didn’t.

When Allura and Dina phone Carrington Lane (Sarah Paulson), she’s already well informed. Carr refuses to represent Allura, smirking from behind her desk. “Guess who’s here with me right now,” she purrs. The camera pans to Chase, smiling. Dina mutters, “Let’s light her on fire.”

Later, the partners take a new client: Deandra Barber (Elizabeth Berkley Lauren), a brilliant chemist who once built nine companies with her ex-husband, Arthur McPherson (Eddie Cibrian). “I was the product, he was the business,” she explains. But after the divorce, Arthur left her with five companies drowning in tax penalties and her name buried in incriminating paperwork. Emerald calls it “a long con.” When they admit there’s little way out, Deandra steps outside to smoke, leaping from the balcony in despair.

Reeling, the women take Dina to New York for Sheila Baskin’s (Judith Light) jewelry auction at Christie’s — a distraction from Dina’s worry over her husband Dougie (Ed O’Neill) and his cancer treatments. “It’s been really, really hard,” she confesses, eyes wet. Their mood lifts when they spot the catalogue; all three want the same item, the Verdura Flower Brooch.

At the auction, Sheila greets them warmly before Carr swoops in with barbed quips. Bidding for the brooch climbs past $500,000. Carr outlasts Dina, savoring the victory. In the restroom, Dina congratulates her. “Haven’t beaten you in court yet,” Carr admits, hoping to change that soon.

That night at the hotel bar, the auctioneer — Oliver (Jack Davenport) — flirts with Dina, noticing how she drove up the price to an uncomfortable spot for her opponent. “I’m married,” she insists as the conversation becomes more romantic. “I know,” he says, slipping her a room key.

Across town, Liberty celebrates her second anniversary with Dr. Reggie Ramirez (O-T Fagbenle), who is also in New York on business. A dessert-delivered ring turns his casual gift into a full proposal. Stunned, Liberty asks for time to think. On the flight home, her friends prod for details; she admits she hasn’t said yes or no. Dina shares her own secret — that she kissed Oliver. Guilt gnaws at her, but she plans to tell Dougie. The others beg her not to. “Honesty is part of true intimacy,” she insists.

When Dina confesses, Dougie surprises her with compassion. The two finally reconnect physically for the first time in three years.

Liberty later finds Reggie playing basketball by the beach and flips tradition on its head, pulling the ring from her purse, dropping to one knee, and proposing to him. After a pause, he smiles and says, "Yes."

At home, Emerald celebrates her sons’ achievements: Ezra (Jemarcus Kilgore), Elijah (Joshua Suiter), and Egypt (Armani Barrett) are all headed to college. At dinner, they gush about how incredible she’s been as a single mom.

Meanwhile, Dina tracks down Arthur at a classic-car show. She coolly cites the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act and exposes his paper trail. Her ultimatum: rehire the workers he had fired, restore their profit-sharing, and transfer his shares to Deandra’s family, or face prosecution.

Allura, dreaming of vengeance, imagines herself smashing Milan’s (Teyana Taylor) car with a baseball bat. In reality, she shows up calmly dressed in beige and knocks on the door. Milan, visibly shaken, invites her in. Through tears, she admits the affair began last March, and then delivers the real blow: she’s pregnant with Chase’s baby. “Allura, I’m so sorry,” she whispers, as Allura’s face hardens into disbelief.

Songs Featured in This Episode:

• “I Don't F*** With You” by Big Sean ft. E-40
• “Walk on By” by Dionne Warwick
• “Paint the Town Red” by Doja Cat

Next episode: “I Want Revenge”