Your Friends and Neighbors season 2 started with a bang as a new neighbor moved in to shake things up. Ashe (new cast member James Marsden) quickly asserted his dominance with the biggest house in Westmont Village and by befriending Sam, a social outcast after her arrest. Coop also got a surprise when Barney came to him with the request to join in on his robbery scheme.
The second episode begins with Coop in the city and heading into his office. He unboxes a special edition of Texas Chainsaw Massacre before going to see a movie, killing time during the day before his night shift begins. He walks through the city while listening to a podcast then meets with Elena and Barney in his office. Naturally, Barney has a lot of questions about their process.
He also has ideas, including going bigger in order to make more money. However, Coop explains that their business plan is stealing things that won't be missed so no one even knows they were robbed. Barney's stressed about how Coop has been leaving a paper trail and attending to his business. He wants to wash the money to make it look like a legitimate revenue source, but Elena isn't on board.
But there's no choice but for Barney to get involved. Coop's his biggest client and this is his job now. Back at the Cooper house, Mel wakes up sweating as Hunter and Tori rush off to school. Like Coop, Mel's feeling the pressure of being lonely while unemployed and going through perimenopause. She receives a package full of Princeton merch before Tori's even gotten her acceptance. Foreshadowing!
Barney's idea to help Coop and Elena strikes out
Later that night, Sam answers a knock at her door, and it's Ashe brining her a bouquet of roses to thank her for landing him his house. But before he can even ask, she turns down dating him. It's clear that he's not going to take no for an answer. While at the pool the next day, Hunter works up the nerve, thanks to Tori, to introduce himself to Ashe's daughter Delilah (Erin Robinson). She had been drawing him in her sketchbook. They talk about her old school in Austria and seem to hit it off.
As Hunter chats with Delilah, Coop approaches Tori to get her on the court to play tennis, but she convinces him to join her to lounge by the pool and do "nothing with intention." In the sauna, Mel's friends push her to date Ashe since he's single, but she wants nothing do to with their pushing. When most of the women head to lunch, Mel stays behind to chat with a friend about her perimenopause symptoms. She recommends different procedures that help ease the process.
Coop and Ashe have another chat, and Ashe seems to think he has Coop all figured out. They are nice to each other, but it's clear that they will never be best friends. Still, Ashe offers to join Ashe in the city to be his wingman. Coop tries to sneak away to rejoin his family, but Ashe invites himself to join. Later that night, Coop and Barney have a meeting with Brett Sutter to help launder Coop's "unexpected windfall" through crypto. It's too risky of a proposition and they're back to square one.
Coop and Mel learn the truth about Tori's Princeton acceptance
On her way home, Sam drives by a children's birthday party with the whole town in attendance. Instead of driving all the way by, she turns around and pokes her head in on the party. She's hurt that her son was the only kid in his class not invited to the party. Sam understand why she's being cast out, but she angry that the town's also taking it out on her kids. While in her backyard, Mel's shocked to discover the loose dog that's been pooping on her property.
She drops by her neighbor Brienne's (Arienne Mandi) house to ask about the dog, but she's not not particularly apologetic about her dog roaming the neighborhood and using other yards for the bathroom. Still furious over the party situation, Sam appears to reconsider Ashe's date proposal. She texts him and sets up dinner for Friday, clearly seeing dating him as an opportunity to find her way back into the community. Honestly? She's making the right move.
Hunter runs into Ali, who's the new music teacher at Mayfield, and she also meets Delilah. When Ali walks away, Delilah invites Hunter to see The Walkmen in concert. It's awkward when Hunter's friend Morgan joins the conversation. He might have a love triangle on his hands. When she gets home from school, Tori's surprised with a party from her family for getting into Princeton. She's upset and has to admit that she already declined her acceptance to Princeton.
Ashe confronts Coop with an incriminating video
Mel doesn't react well to Tori's confession, but the revelation that she doesn't want to go to college makes the situation more tense. Coop's actually handling the conversation well and mediating the tension between Mel and Tori. When Mel asks if Tori's pregnant, storms out up the stairs. Mel follows her and accidentally pulls her down, falling to the ground. The family turns its sights to Ali, and the drama continues from every angle. Tori bites back that her parents' lives didn't work out.
Reflecting on what happened, Mel first attempts to blame Coop. But he's continuing to be the cooler head and suggests allowing Tori to forge her own path. Mel and Coop are stunned when Ashe's stretch limo arrives to take Hunter to the concert. Still, Mel and Coop can't agree on how to proceed with Tori, whether it's giving her space (Coop's idea) or getting to the bottom of it (Mel's idea). Coop's dad gives him some excellent advice and Mel steps in it (literally) before approaching Tori.
While Ashe is out of his house at the concert without a staff on board yet, Coop takes advantage of the opportunity to break in. As he pokes through the house, he and Elena chat about Barney joining the team and what it would mean for the future. Coop swipes a first edition of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton from Ashe's place, and while looking to turn it over, Barney calls him with a solution to their problem: Nick's gym. Coop finds Ashe sitting in his office. He has video of him stealing the book!
Your Friends and Neighbors airs Fridays on Apple TV.