Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Smokeshow
Meaghan Frey
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Things are starting to heat up at the Riviera Grand, and it's not just because of the fire that El Rey set.
On Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 2, secrets began to surface.
The real question is, though, are these secrets worth killing for?
Danny is getting dangerously close to the fire, investigating Sky's disappearance. The Mendoza family is no joke, and I can't imagine what Santiago would do to him if he found out what he is really doing at the Riviera Grand.
I understand that Danny feels like he has to do whatever it takes to figure out what happened to his sister, but I can't say that I agree with him using Alicia along the way.
Related: Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Welcome to the Riviera Grand
Even though stealing her key card seems like a small thing, each little small act that he performs like this will begin to add up.
One day she will learn the truth, and she will look back and see all these moments for what they were. Will she be able to forgive him for it when she does?
Danny may loathe the Mendoza family for what they may have done to his sister, but I think in spite of all that, he is developing real feelings for Alicia. He needs to start thinking about the long term consequences of his actions.
Alicia: Of course, this would happen on my first day.
Danny: Right, new manager gig.
Alicia: Hence, the dorky blazer.
Danny: I don't know, you look pretty good to me. I mean that's what I would say if we weren't keeping this strictly professional.
Alicia: Right, well, you know, just trying to look the part.
Danny: Yeah, definitely. Yeah with your name tag, your clipboard, your keycard.
Alicia: Oh, this one? Yeah, highest security clearance. I'm basically secret service for this thing.
Danny: Wow 'cause mine won't even let me into the gym.
Alicia: As if you need to spend more time at the gym, is what I would say if I were being less professional.
Jason finding out the truth about Danny so soon was a twist I didn't expect. Typically with mystery shows, things like this are drawn out. I expected them to have so many more almost moments before the real reveal.
Now that Jason knows the truth, it will be interesting to see if he continues to take Danny's side over his mom's and the hotel.
Mateo and Santiago may look like the villains right now, but villains don't work alone. They have henchmen that take care of their dirty work for them.
In many ways, Mrs. P is that to Santiago. What if it goes further than just the hotel business that Mrs. P is willing to help Santiago take care of?
Perhaps Mrs. P found out that Sky had information that could hurt the hotel and Santiago and took care of the threat. Would Jason really be okay with exposing his mom?
Poor Jason. He is unwittingly getting wrapped up in everyone's secrets.
Ingrid thinks she has it all figured out. But then again, why wouldn't she? Javi is making it too easy.
Javi seems to forget that he lives in a hotel filled with security cameras. It would be easy to figure out if there was ever a moment that it would even seem like it was possible that they slept together.
Instead, he takes her word at face value. I have to give Ingrid credit for her meticulous research into Javi and his sex life to authenticate her story. The only problem is, what would she have done if Javi had started asking questions right away?
Ingrid: You called me Mamacita over and over all night long.
Javi: We totally had sex.
Ingrid's game can only last for so long. As Javi said, he himself does not have money. His dad is the one in control. There is no way a businessman like Santiago would agree to give money towards a child that he isn't 100% sure is related to him.
Hopefully, Ingrid has a plan b for when that time comes, because I for one would not be the one who has to deal with the wrath of Gigi.
Gigi standing up for herself to Santiago was a standout moment.
Related: Watch Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 1 Online
As I discussed last week in my review of Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 1, Gigi has spent her whole life being nothing more than a pretty face. The fact that she feels her husband sees her that way too is just the icing on the cake her of her.
Santiago: It's my hotel. My neck on the line. You don't know what it's like to make these hard decisions.
Gigi: 'Cause you don't let me. Beatriz and Alicia, those opinions you value, but you don't care what I think. How many more years, Santiago, before you see me as more than your trophy wife?
Gigi showed last week that she is the master manipulator. It only makes sense that she would take her keen talent of manipulation and turn it into something that could benefit the hotel in some way.
It will be interesting to see how the dynamic between Alicia and Gigi plays out now that Gigi is Alicia's boss.
Alicia has some clear unresolved issues regarding her mother's death. Gigi being married to her father is like a living embodiment of her mother's absence.
Regardless of who her father married, Alicia would have a difficult time coping with someone being in her mother's place. However, the fact that it was her mother's best friend who is, it makes matters so much worse.
It is hard for Alicia to not feel a sense of betrayal for her mother.
Maybe now that they will be spending more time together, they can finally start to see things from each other's perspectives.
I hated that Yoli forgave Carolina so easily. Even though I know it is what needed to happen given that they are sisters, I still wanted Carolina to have to sweat it out a bit more.
Gigi forcing Carolina to see things from Yoli's perspective as the ugly duckling was a crucial moment. Carolina seemed truly oblivious to how Yoli feels. Without someone telling her what she is doing wrong, how can Carolina change?
Yolanda: Mommy, please tell my hoe bag sister that I don't care what she thinks.
Gigi: I am getting a little tired of this. Her fiance just left her, be nice.
Yolanda: Her fiance left her because she's a nasty slut who banged El Rey the night before her wedding.
If only Carolina and Yoli's reconciliation could have lead to a Yoli and El Rey one.
Even if Yoli says she is not interested in El Rey, I don't think this is the last time we have seen the two of them. El Rey doesn't strike me as a man who gives up so easily, and I can say I am beyond ready for his pursuit of Yoli. He has truly met his match in her.
Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 2 was another solid outing for this new prime time soap. Which storyline are you most interested in so far? Comment below and make sure you watch Grand Hotel online at TV Fanatic.
Meaghan Frey was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in September 2020.
