Heather Vandeven

This episode is directed by Kenny Golde and written by Charles Kline…and I’m just noticing and think it’s a little odd that there’s no consistent writer for this series, there’s often a different writer from one episode to the next. In these first 10 episodes, we’ve had 4 different writers. Jess Roman wrote episode 2, episode 6, and episode 8, Joey Savage wrote episode 5 and episode 9,  and James Micheals wrote episode 3, and before this Charles Kline had written episode 1, episode 4, and episode 7. I guess it’s a credit to those writers that they all managed to keep the characterizations consistent, as I wouldn’t have even noticed if I wasn’t checking the credits. But then they all are following the storylines from Clara Darling’s original novel.

But I digress.

So the title of this episode is Birthday Suit because its main plot is preparing for the birthday of Heather Vandeven’s character Bella. And yes we get to see Vandeven in her birthday suit a lot here.

The episode opens with Bella in the sauna with Sophie (Mary LeGault), Maya (Krista Ayene), and Cassia (Mia Presley), and they’re all naked. Bella is feeling a little down about turning 28, which is old in “professional model years.” Sophie makes a plan to arrange a surprise birthday party for her.

Later at Cassia’s restaurant, Bella runs into Andre (Adrian Quinonez), who apologizes for the way he broke things off with her (back in episode 7). They go back to his place for one last fling. After they have hot sex, Bella stops by Cassie’s place, waking her up at 3am. The two of them end up in bed having hot lesbian sex, with the help of a strategically placed vibrator.

Maya makes up with D (Clayton Cannon) back at the gym.  They both admit that they love each other, fully with no qualifiers, and D agrees to resume training Maya to box. And then they go back to his place (or maybe it was hers, I’m not sure) to have sex.

Sophie gets an unexpected text from Avi (Daniel Messier), asking her to come in, saying it’s “strictly business.” When she arrives in the office, he apologizes to her, and tells her that he’s now in trouble with his superiors because of how he tried to get her to sleep with a client (also back in episode 7…I just realized that Charles Kline wrote that episode and now is writing this one where two plot lines from it are being revisited), and this could be fixed if she agrees to come back to work for him. He even offers her a bribe in a secret bank account to come back. She says she’ll think about it and leaves.

Back at her apartment Sophie has sex with Tai (Tim Fellingham), but afterward, she tells him about Avi’s offer and that she’s actually considering it, which makes him made, because why would she want to go back to work for a man who seduced her and used her like that? They fight and he storms out. When Sophie tells Bella, Bella tells her to take the job back, even if it means losing Tai because “when you’re 22 (Sophie’s age), boys are like the subway. If you miss one, another rolls up in 5 minutes.” 

Manuela Ciucur and Mircea Stoian play Sophie and Bella’s parents, who came to town at Sophie’s invitation to help her get Bella out of the apartment. The four of them go out to dinner and then return afterward, where Vincent (Danny Crawford), Regina (Brandin Rackley), and their friend Bernardo (Calin Puia) are waiting with Maya and Cassia for the surprise party. And…I’m not going to spoil the ending, but it’s quite a surprise for everyone.

Another solid episode, the various subplots move forward nicely. And the customary 4 sex scenes are all good. While Vandeven is always a highlight, I’d say my favorite in this episode is the scene between Krista Ayne and Clayton Cannon, as it’s got a bit of a femdom vibe to it. She ties him blindfolded to a bed, drips hot candlewax on his chest, and then rides him cowgirl style. It’s hot.

Chacebook rating: FIVE STARS

Jason Majercik is selling Life on Top SEASON 1 & SEASON 2 (FULL SERIES: 26 Episodes) (7 DISCS) for $89.99. Email him at quinn_nash@hotmail.com for his softcore inventory list