'A to Z' Season 1, Episode 7: 'H is for Hostile Takeover' Recap

Andrew and Stu are watching "Wall Street," their favorite movie, which Zelda notes wouldn't pass the Bechdel Test. Stu gets annoyed that Andrew agrees with her, and that he's wearing a sweater Zelda got him.

His frustration grows when Andrew drinks tea at work the next morning, something Zelda got him into.

Lydia for once is happy with how the company is doing, and wants to continue promoting hook ups. That night Andrew writes her an angry email about the direction of the company, which he does not intend to send, but Zelda talks him into it.

The next morning Lydia strips Andrew of his title and demotes him from Assistant Director of Marketing.

Zelda encourages him to go back and speak from the heart. Stu argues with Zelda about how she is controlling Andrew. Later he confronts Andrew about how much Zelda is changing him. Andrew notes this is normal in relationships, but Stu points out none of Andrew seems to be rubbing off on Zelda.

Andrew decides he needs to take a night for himself.

Zelda asks Stephie if she is too controlling, and Stephie admits that Zelda is a bit of a control freak. She pulls up pictures of the last three guys Zelda dated, all wearing similar sweaters.

Stu has settled Andrew into a guy's night. It suddenly dawns on Andrew that all of his "favorite" things are things that Stu decided Andrew should like. He wonders how he got to that point.

Zelda gives Andrew a store gift card so he can buy whatever he wants as an apology for controlling him, but she and Stu again argue about running Andrew's life, and who has a better influence over him.

On a break from work, Andrew holds up a huge line, unable to make a decision on coffee. Stephie steps in and orders for them. She tells him he just needs to find something to call his own, and asks what he's good at. Nothing that could really be a hobby - parallel parking, climbing stairs...

The barista chimes in and says that competitive stair climbing is actually a thing. Andrew decides to try a vertical marathon.

Zelda and Stu go to support him, although they find it pretty odd. Andrew didn't train, and halfway through the race he's starting to fail, and question who he is. Clearly not a competitive stair climber.

At home, Andrew is in crisis. He can't make any decisions, or even do the things he is usually good at (like opening jars). At work, his new "boss" is intolerable, and tells him that Wall Flower is going to do away with that matchmaking portion of the site. Furious, Andrew tracks down Lydia and tells her they're making a mistake. She's reluctant to listen to him until he shows her numbers, which he has ready.  She gives him his job back.

He tells Zelda about it, and then is reminded that Zelda had told him to do this very thing. He wonders if he has any original thoughts anymore, and Zelda comforts him that the idea was his own, she just pushes him here and there - and is that so bad if good things come of it?

She uses one of his favorite phrases with the barista, and Andrew realizes he IS rubbing off on her as well, and is placated.