David’s Lie Exposed, Finding Carter “Half Baked” 

I’m just really disappointed in David and it’s been building for weeks. After watching “Half Baked,” I wasn’t quite sure how I wanted to talk about the episode. So instead of starting with my feelings, I thought I’d start with the facts. We knew Liz and Ryan were having an affair, but we had no idea it had been going on for three years. Prior to that, Ryan had been consumed by the loss of his wife to cancer. So when Ryan got a new partner – Liz – and came home laughing and willing to share stories with him, Gabe couldn’t see it as a bad thing.

If we didn’t know before, we know now that Ryan loves Liz. I think his actions have been pretty telling this whole time, though. Ryan told Liz he couldn’t keep having an affair with her. He wanted Liz to leave David and she said she was going to. But we find out she doesn’t love Ryan. While part of me is happy Liz wants to work on keeping her family together, part of me is a little confused and disappointed in her as well. I thought Liz was in love with Ryan. Why else would she be willing to leave her family for him after Carter’s return? Of course, that’s assuming Liz was telling Ryan the truth when she said she was leaving her husband. But that’s not even my biggest question about the episode. My biggest question is: when did David decide to play the long con on his entire family? And why didn’t he consider the possibility that it would blow up in his face?

So David been lying to Carter about the book since day one. We already knew that. She explicitly told him she didn’t want him writing about her, but David (and his agent) knew that the story of Carter’s return was the only story that was going to get him a huge advance. Considering he’s the one who put the family finances in such bad shape, I’m sure that was part of his motivation. And to finally have an idea that publishers were interested in had to be a major stroke to his damaged ego. Maybe a small (or large) part of all this was also the chance to get to know his daughter again.

Whatever motivated David to do what he did, I wonder when he decided to put this plan into action. He knew kicking Liz out of the house would result in some type of turmoil. But did he think it would make Carter offer up some sort of compromise? I guess I didn’t realize he knew Carter well enough to manipulate her like that. But he gets what he’s wanted since Carter’s return – permission to write about her. Maybe because he isn’t the best con man, he failed to tie up loose ends and that’s what exposed him in the end. No matter the motivation (or reward), I just don’t understand how he thought lying to every member of his family would end with him getting what he wanted in the long run. He’s either extremely naive or an incredibly skilled liar. Actually, it’s probably a bit of both.

We know he knew Lori before Carter was taken, but that seems to be a secret he keeps very close to the vest. But if this episode is any indication, that secret will come out eventually as well. And when it does I would imagine there will be fireworks. And Carter was worried about him meeting Lori for the first time. But, of course, David knew Lori wasn’t even going to show up. I wonder if that was the first part of his plan or if he just wanted to damage Lori and Carter’s relationship enough to put an end to Carter ever thinking about leaving with her again.

Even though David knows about Liz and Kyle’s affair, it’s Grant who starts the domino effect on the rest of the family – and some of their friends – finding out. He tells Taylor, who then tells Carter. After Gabe confirms it, Carter decides she and Taylor will confront Liz together. Although Carter wants to tell Liz what to do – something that Crash reminds Carter even she doesn’t like – Carter decides to just get it all out there and share her disappointment. And that confrontation is definitely uncomfortable. But Liz knows she needs to come clean with David, even though she doesn’t want to, and when she does, maybe David sees his opportunity.

But that is some quick thinking. His gears had to have been turning incredibly fast to come up with a plan that quickly. He couldn’t have known how things were going to turn out, so he took a big risk but the payoff was huge. For Carter to even consider letting David write her story is monumental. We already know how much she hates being the center of attention, so she must have really wanted Liz back in the house. While I love that bio mom and daughter have made that kind of progress, it was really unfair and dangerous for David to take advantage of that. I’m not even sure he can redeem himself with his family or with me. I feel like all of his actions should be questioned now and for him to break Carter’s trust in such a way? Such horrible parenting. But I guess it’s good that Carter’s currently getting along with one parent, but I wonder if something like this might have her running back to Lori.

And there’s still more truth to uncover. If you didn’t watch the preview, I’ll leave it at that. Next week’s episode should be really uncomfortable and oh so interesting.

Finding Carter airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on MTV.