Season 1, Episode 13:
Allan Strikes Back
Allan visits the local police station and bails Mark out from jail, after the latter was arrested after shoving Carrie in her apartment. Mark attempts to thank him for the help, but Allan says he's already up to his eyeballs in bad publicity and doesn't need his editor's husband getting into trouble.
Rachel is attempting to lead a story meeting when she is surprised by Stephanie, who has returned from the retreat up north. Carrie smiles when she sees Stephanie, who tells the shocked Rachel and the rest of the staff that she's pulled the latter's fashion-themed supplement and plans to go ahead with the original version of the magazine.
Allan visits the magazine and listens to both Stephanie and Rachel (who called him for a meeting) rant to him about each other's hatred of the other, then allows them to both go ahead with their respective issues to see which one is better. As he leaves, he convinces Carrie to drop the charges against Mark by giving her a stack of money.
Gil is at work when he receives a call to meet with a well-known media tycoon named Adam Brock. He goes to meet Adam, who tells him that he wants his help to buy shares of Rush Media (Allan's company) in preparation for a Hostile Takeover. Gil is understandably confused by the situation, but agrees to do it when he learns how much money he could stand to gain from the transaction. He also attempts to lobby Linda to sell her share of Rush Media to Adam, and she agrees to consider the matter after finding out how much it would be worth.
Alex calls Peter and asks to meet him at the Zinc Bar that night. When he arrives, she reveals that she's pregnant. He reels in shock from the revelation.
Nikki visits Gabriel to drop off his check from the gallery opening, and their discussion become romantic. Nikki eventually begins a relationship with him, but after she sleeps with him, she discovers that he has a gun and several clips of bullets in his backroom. It is eventually revealed that Gabriel is a hitman who has been contracted by Allan to kill Nikki, but he refuses to go along with the act and goes back to bed with her.
Stephanie goes back home and confronts Mark, who tells him that he never assaulted Carrie. She tells him that she believes him. He says that they should just leave New York for good and go back to Seattle.
Alex breaks the news of her pregnancy to Linda, while Peter discusses the matter with Carrie and wonders what he should do. Linda agrees to look after her and they hug before she leaves. Linda confronts him after and asks him what the hell he was thinking. Despite his attempts to argue how much he loves Robin, she tells him that he'll have to marry Alex. Afterwards, it's revealed that Alex is faking her pregnancy and is using the help of a fertility doctor to help her get artificial insemination...
A launch party is held for the new issue of Communique that night. Rachel is initially pleased that everyone will celebrate her fashion-themed supplement, but the mood is short-lived when she learns that Stephanie has produced an issue of the magazine with a "Fashion Sucks" cover photo. Stephanie gloats at her failure and Allan dismisses her complaints. Allan congratulates Stephanie on her work before he leaves.
At the same time, Linda tells Gil that she has put some thought into their prior conversation and is interested in selling her shares of Rush Media. Allan also gets a phone call and learns that Adam is the one who's been buying up his stock...
Stephanie goes back home and talks to Mark, who tells her that he's leaving to go back to Seattle. After some consideration, Stephanie agrees to go along with him and they pledge to make their marriage work...
Tropes:
- Face–Heel Turn: Alex.
- Hidden Depths: Gabriel is revealed to be working as a hitman who has been ordered by Allan to kill Nikki, although he refuses to go through with the act.
- It's All My Fault: Mark eventually tells Stephanie this in regards to his actions ever since coming to New York.
- Oh, Crap!: Rachel gets this when Stephanie returns to the office and confronts her about her short-lived reign.
- Put on a Bus: Stephanie, who leaves with Mark to go back to Seattle and repair their marriage.
- Relationship Upgrade: Nikki and Gabriel.
- Retool: Notably, this episode sees the introduction of a new character (Adam Brock), the departure of Stephanie and Mark and a shakeup within Communique, largely due in part to the failing ratings of the series.
- Sanity Slippage: Alex begins to lose her mind, and sets into motion her fake pregnancy scheme in order to win Peter back.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Stephanie and Mark decide to leave New York and go back to Seattle.
- Series Fauxnale: Had the series been canceled, the episode would have resolved most of the major plot threads (namely, Stephanie and Mark's storyline), although it introduces a story hook in the form of Adam Brock's media tycoon.
- Special Guest: Gerald McRaney is added to the opening credit scroll as a special star.
- Villainous Rescue: Allan shows up in the opening of the episode to spring Mark from jail, explaining that he only did it because he doesn't need more bad publicity.
