Life Of A VP – The show begins with Anna Delvey (Julia Garner) launching into her narration about herself. Anna describes herself as a legend and icon. A news segment states Anna scammed her victims out of thousands of dollars, private jet flights, and gourmet meals. Anna denies the allegations, calling them “bullshit.” Her accomplishments were earned by no other than herself. You can only dream about being smart like her.
On November 20, 2017, ADA Catherine McCaw (Rebecca Henderson announces the indictment of Anna Sorokin “Anna Delvey.” Sorokin who posed as a socialite is facing multiple counts of grand larceny. McCaw encourages anyone who believes they have been defrauded by Delvey to reach out to the financial fraud hotline.
Kacy Duke (Laverne Cox) asks Rachel (Katie Lowes) if she heard about Anna’s indictment. Rachel is in disbelieve, questioning how officials caught her. Kacy calls it “karma.”
Val (James Cusati-Moyer) is having a drink when Nora Radford (Kate Burton) approaches, asking if he wants to drink about Anna’s indictment. He reminds her they have never met Anna. She warns him Anna’s case could be a big thing. He assures her only a Post reporter reported on it. No one else would have any interest in “lowly Anna.”
Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky) arrives at Manhattan Magazine. Her co-workers talk about reporting on the Obamas and Melanie. Vivian has a story in mind. She asks the others if she should pitch it. They encourage her to do it. They all clap when she agrees to do it. Landon Bloom (Armand Schultz) reminds him a meeting is in progress. She says I just want to pitch a story about German or Russian heiress Anna Delvey who was recently extradited from Los Angeles. Paul (Tim Guinee) calls her back to ask why she isn’t reporting on the MeToo movement. She asks Landon to give her the okay for Anna’s story. He reminds her about Paul’s story. She explains Anna’s indictment is like a novel, with big banks, hedge funds, the New York society, and financial advisor involvement. He doesn’t budge.
Agitated, Vivian returns to her desk before heading over to the courthouse. ADA McCaw tells the judge they want Anna remanded. Anna’s attorney Todd Spodek (Arian Moayed) argues that his client has no intention of fleeing. He describes Anna as a nonviolent, vulnerable offender. He suggests a reasonable bail, so Anna can assist with the case. The judge (Debra Mooney) remands Anna to Rikers Island until her trial.
Vivian catches up with Todd to see if she can get some information out of him. He almost instantly refuses a comment She continues to pelt him with questions. He still refuses to give her a comment. She gives him a rundown of the indictment. Anna was involved with the Fortress and two big banks. Vivian is amazed at how much Anna was involved in at just 26. He says no comment. She says I would love a sitdown with Anna. He says that will never happen. She warns him, jurors read The Post stories that poke fun at Anna. She refuses to believe Anna is a “dumb socialite.” Todd stops walking and asks, “Who are you.” She identifies herself. He basically tells her to stop following him.
Vivian arrives home to a frustrated husband, Jack (Anders Holm). He describes how he was forced to sit alone in Dr. Harris’s waiting room filled with pregnant females. Even after she apologizes, he continues complaining about his experience. He felt like a “molesting pregnant fetish pervert.” She apologizes, utilizing the just got caught up excuse. She tells him Anna is remarkable. He reminds her Anna is behind bars. She missed her ultrasound appointment. She tells him about Anna’s ability to tap into Fortress and New York society. He says there is no reason to put up with Paul when she tells him about the Metoo story. She orders him to shut up.
Vivian writes Anna in an attempt to convince her to do an interview. Maud (Anna Deavere) comments about her description of Anna. Vivian describes her as “brilliant and interesting.” Maud says flattery will get her everywhere. Vivian asks for a meeting before ending the letter. She drops the letter into a mailbox.
Vivian isn’t happy about an early morning phone call. When she discovers it from Rikers Island, she is thrilled to accept it. Anna identifies herself, not looking thrilled. Anna hops a commuter bus to Rikers Island. After signing in, she is given another bus ticket. She questions if there is another bus. A female officer (Onika Day) says there are numerous buses. When she asks the Glitter Shadow Officer (Miche Braden) how long it takes, snarky, she says however long it takes. She takes a seat in the waiting room.
Catherine meets Todd who warns her about prosecuting Anna. She absolutely does want to try the case, describing Anna as a criminal who stole from hotels and banks. He reminds her of how everyone detests banks and believes hotels charge way too much. She rebuts his comment, calling it bull. Immediately interjecting, he says shorts to finish off the phrase to protect his daughter. Catherine says Anna’s victims would have her head if she dropped the charges. He believes people see Anna as a folk hero. Catherine starts to call her a bitch but remembers the young girl. As he prepares to leave, she stops him to ask if he has thought about Anna getting a different attorney. He says no, “Flake you, Catherine.” She reminds him about the 11,000 pages of discovery. She suggests a plea agreement to avoid a “flaking trial.”
Vivian is asleep in the waiting room at Rikers Island when a guard calls her in. She takes a seat and waits for Anna to do the same. Anna was told a media visit could take months. Vivian explains her visit is not media-related it is personal. She suggests they talk to give her time to decide if she wants to do an interview. Anna doesn’t like how Catherine is portraying her as money-hungry, shallow, and superficial. She denies being a party girl and utilizing an alias as Delvey is her mother’s maiden name. Vivian believes the best place to start is with witnesses, people who can validate her story. Anna asks for clarification of their meeting to ensure it is off the record. Vivian tells her the contacts could validate her fund claims. Anna immediately lets her know that money is not an issue. She recommends Catherine test her by granting bail.
When Anna wakes up, she feels like it is just a bad dream until an odor or noise brings her back to reality. Vivian asks if she is okay with being in prison. She denies being spoiled but some of the female inmates are very dangerous. She disputes the criminal charges before admitting she is having a difficult time adjusting. Vivian tries to encourage her, saying everything will be okay. A guard scolds her for reaching over the plexiglass partition. Anna asks if she is fat or pregnant. Confused, she says pregnant.
When Vivian arrives at work, with a huge stack of folders, Barry (Terry Kinney) questions what she is up to. She immediately says nothing. Lou (Jerry Perry) asks why she didn’t come into the office yesterday. She lies about a doctor’s appointment and MeToo affiliate interviews. No one believes her. Maud accuses her of visiting Anna at Rikers. Barry says you went rogue, good girl. Maud encourages her to fight the power. She tells them to keep quiet. Lou warns that Paul will grind her bones into bread. Maud questions what she is hiding. Vivian slams the folders on her desk. She explains Anna’s court records provide no details about her friends who she needs to talk to.
Paul asks Fatima Shadid (Olivia Khoshatefeh) what the reporters are doing as they huddle around Anna’s case files. Fatima says they are writing. Lou suggests she start with Catherine.
Vivian meets with Catherine who absolutely refuses to give her names.
Barry believes the elite will never talk, so they will need to smoke them out. Lou recommends talking to the banks’ asset managers who he believes will crack. Every time she contacts the bank, the phone line is disconnected. She informs Maud that Anna has yet to agree to do an interview.
Todd returns home to Margaret “Mags” Vanderburn-Porter (Caitlin FitzGerald) getting dressed for the opening night at Ailee, which Todd has no idea. He tells her about Catherine’s plea deal for Anna. He believes it is a great deal. She asks if Anna has agreed to take the deal. He admits to not saying anything to Anna about the plea deal that he received Saturday. She warns him about potential malpractice for withholding information from a client. He knows the laws and claims to bef tired. She immediately kicks off her shoes and takes a seat beside him. He asks what she is doing. She says we got a lot of shit to figure out.
He reminds her about working at a big firm. She adds, “I work for my father’s firm.” He is an attorney at WeWork. His biggest client was a lady who claimed to be a president’s love child. He tells her Anna’s case is complicated, with only him and Alexi to work on it. He believes Anna will take the plea deal because it is good. She questions why he doesn’t want her to accept the plea. He feels like a valet, even though he is wearing a tux, with a price tag higher than what many workers earn in a month.
Paul runs into Vivian at the elevator. He comments on the amount of time she is spending out of the office. She claims to be chasing a Wall Street lead. As she turns to leave, Fatima alerts her about Catherine contacting Landon regarding Anna’s case. Landon was out of the office when she called. Catherine refuses to release any information on the case. She promises to take care of it, turning around to see Paul standing by the elevator.
Paul tells Landon about Vivian disobeyed his orders. When she tries to talk, he snaps his fingers in her face. He accuses her of bragging about the case. She denies his allegations. He demands to know what she is holding against the women proclaiming the MeToo movement. She believes the women of Wall Street are not proclaiming MeToo, they are too busy worrying about losing their jobs. She accuses him of trying to bully the women going public with their stories. He tells Landon Vivian believes she doesn’t have to heed the rules. Vivian believes Landon is asking her to leave but he is actually asking Paul to leave.
With Paul out of the room, Landon points for Vivian to take a seat. Refusing to do MeToo, she wants a real story. She tells him about Anna’s interview. He is shocked Anna agreed to a story before her trial. He reminds her about Paul being in charge of delving out the stories. She says Paul moved her to Scriberia, an area specifically for old writers. Landon claims to know nothing of Scriberia. He believes Paul is erring on the side of caution because of her history. She pleads with him to give her a month to work on Anna’s story. He agrees to give her two weeks to give him a well-sourced story or Paul will have the authority to reassign her. Paul walks in as Vivian leaves. He says you caved. Landon reminds him of Vivian’s upcoming maternity leave.
Jack recommends she take a year off work to have the baby and find a job with another newspaper. She reminds him about Google, which never forgets. Snarky, she says I’m going to do an interview.
Maud asks about the hotels that Anna was affiliated with. Vivian says they are filing charges against Anna for nonpayment. Anna didn’t stay in the hotels long enough for anyone to get to know her. Maud rephrases her question, suggesting she look into the 12 George Hotel, which didn’t file charges against Anna. The indictment claims Anna stayed in the 12 George Hotel for several months.
Vivian heads over to the 12 George Hotel, where she speaks to Neff (Alexis Floyd). Before opening the door to Anna’s former hotel room, Neff warns Vivian she could get fired. Vivian gives her money, but she still refuses to unlock the door. She must give her more money to entice her to do it. Neff stuffs the money into her shirt. Vivian comments on the size of the hotel room, which is larger than her apartment. Neff says the daily fee is $1,700. She suggests Vivian take a selfie, which is what Anna did all over the hotel.
Vivian is alone at work, surfing Anna’s social media profile. She prints some of Anna’s social media images.
Vivian meets Nora to discuss Anna. Nora claims the Delvey family has a trust fund. They are German and delve into antiques. Kacy says the Delvey family is Russian. Her rich father has something to do with solar. Aggie (Francesca Sweeney) says the Delvey family sold a painting when Anna was 25 for $42 million. She claims to have seen the painting with her own eyes but recants because she wasn’t totally positive. Val comments on Anna’s expensive wardrobe. Kacy reiterates what Val said about Anna’s wardrobe.
A lady claims to have made out with Anna. Kacy says Anna didn’t have any use for sex because she was from another planet. Brian (Luca Sweeney) explains how Anna did a number two in his bathroom. He describes the poo odor as being so bad that Anna surely had something seriously wrong with her.
Vivian enters her apartment and immediately asks Jack how much of the nursery he painted. She creates an investigation board out of Anna’s social media images. She points to multiple pictures of Anna in different disguises. Jack is amazed when she tells him the images were taken over the past five years.
Vivian heads back to Rikers Island. Anna asks if she is on a media visit or regular visit. Vivian reminds her regular visits don’t require as many procedures. Anna says media visits get a private room. Vivian doesn’t think that is necessary, with so few visitors and inmates in the room. She tells her about talking to her well-accomplished associates and friends. Anna appears to not have any interest in what Vivian has to say. She asks her if she road the Rikers bus. Vivian says yes, rolling her eyes. Anna suggests media visits get VP treatment that bypasses the bus. Vivian explains everyone she spoke with provided a unique description of her. She says what did they say. When Vivian admits to not having her notes, Anna says media visits permit notebooks.
Anna refuses to answer her questions but has a question about something she read about her. Vivian goes on a tyrant about a job offer from Bloomberg, which was later withdrawn. She bluntly asks why she dresses poorly, suggesting she get Chanel, Dior, Valentino, and Herrera. Vivian reminds her she is wearing a prison uniform. She isn’t fazed by the insult, instead, she says I still accessorize and press my uniform. Anna tells her Catherine has offered a plea deal, which she is considering before walking away.
Todd tells Mags he explained the plea to Anna. She asks what he would like Anna to do. He says the plea is the safer option because if they go to court, there is a chance he could lose. She says it is like their daughter, Aggie who doesn’t know what color popsicle she wants.
Barry believes “psycho bitch” Anna is screwing with Vivian. Lou has the same belief. Maud calls Barry their “woke friend” before reading his mind that Anna may be mentally ill. Vivian refuses to let Paul win. She will return to Rikers Island to try to convince Anna to give her an interview. Barry suggests Anna not take the plea deal. Maud scolds Barry for being unethical before admitting she agrees with him. Lou also agrees. Maud says you can’t continue driving long distances to and from Rikers to see Anna. She disagrees with her. Barry reminds her of the baby in her stomach.
Vivian speaks with Todd about Anna’s case. He tells her Anna has agreed to the DA’s plea deal. Anna no longer wants to be interviewed because she didn’t like the direction Vivian was going. Frustrated, Vivian tells Todd Anna is out of her fu**ing mind. She denies having a direction.
Vivian is undergoing an ultrasound. Jack asks Dr. Harris (Montego Glover) about the baby’s gender. She says it is a girl. Jack is elated while Vivian is suddenly irate. She repeatedly says “fu**” and “fu**ing.” Dr. Harris excuses herself. He explains how she is ruining one of the best experiences of his life. She wants their daughter but assumed her career would be repaired. She points at the ultrasound image and says she is real.
Vivian starts to disassemble her makeshift investigation board but decides to add more images. She notices a woman in one of Anna’s social media images. She heads back to the 12 George Hotel to speak with Neff who tells her to wait at the loading dock. Neff claims she and Anna became friends while she was living at the hotel. Vivian asks why she lied about their friendship. She says I wasn’t sharing, not lying. When Vivian asks her to identify some people in a photo, she says goodbye and walks away. Vivian hurriedly tells her about the plea deal. Neff believes Vivian just cares about her story, not about Anna. Vivian believes Anna’s story may be linked to the mistreatment of women in financial institutions. Neff explains how everyone is running a game, they all want something. Vivian admits to wanting the interview to save her career.
A Rikers’ media liaison worker, Beth (Mle Chester) picks Vivian up at a bus stop. When Anna enters the private media room, Vivian pours her some tea. She reminds Vivian she refused to do the interview. The DA’s plea deal lets her go free in four years. If she goes to court and loses, she could be imprisoned for 15 years. She asks Vivian why she wouldn’t take the deal. Vivian tells her what everyone is calling her. She says the trial is her chance to save her reputation. Anna says so you care about her now. Vivian says not, I’m a journalist.
During the plea hearing, Todd tells the judge Anna accepts the plea. She refuses the plea because no one is going to get away with calling her a dumb socialite. She wants to tell her story in court. Todd is thrilled with Anna’s decision. Vivian promises to make her famous by telling the world her story.
Val meets Nora to discuss Anna’s refusal to take the plea. They both claim to have refused Vivian’s interview offer as the episode comes to an end.
Inventing Anna Review
Let me start by saying I am not familiar with the true story of Anna Delvey. This review specifically targets the show, not the court case. Now, as far as the acting goes, it was nothing short of dreadful. I’m not one to bash actors. In this circumstance, most people will agree because it is so blatant. By the end of the first episode, I knew the acting would not be a standout element in the show.
The Russian accent is horrendous.
The continuous claims of Wall Street’s mistreatment of women are unfounded. In my own opinion, Shonda Rhimes should have stuck on topic. The writing is unbelievably bad and unfunny. The comment about feeling like a “molesting pregnant fetish pervert” was ridiculous. Men oftentimes accompany their pregnant wives to OB-GYN appointments. It would not be unusual for a man to wait alone for his pregnant wife to arrive. I’m sure, no one would become hysterical if a lone man was seen waiting in an OB-GYN doctor’s office.
While I know little to nothing about Anna’s story, I am pretty sure it didn’t revolve around the MeTo movement.
Watch it and let me know what you think. I am open to listening to what our viewers have to say. The show deserves a 6.5. Get more Inventing Anna recaps here. Support ReelMockery by clicking the link.
Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
