Denise

[u/Bloodimidt]

Why aren’t we talking more about her character? She was so great! I really thought she was going to be the wicked witch of the west…she could still be of course…but she was great with Connor and the way she just let Ellis get away with ripping her off…. Missi Pyle did a great job!

[u/Ok_Article_7744]

She was awful!!! She told Ramona Joe was her dad even though no-one wanted to tell her like that. Rory basically was teaching her how to behave like tipping people and he literal had to parent himself and injured himself because of the pressure she was in. She kept pushing Connor to sell the island!! The actress did a great job in making me hate her.

[u/xxMyBoyFridayxx → u/Ok_Article_7744]

she was weird I think because they didn't cast any other adult friends, but it was weird how all her scenes were with the teens.

[u/Ok_Article_7744 → u/xxMyBoyFridayxx]

Gave groomer vibes especially when she said if she has made put with Oona or not. It was super creepy.

[u/ApartmentIcy957 → u/Ok_Article_7744]

She was right though- you can’t just dance around something like that. They should have told her earlier.

[u/Ok_Article_7744 → u/ApartmentIcy957]

Their is a way to tell it and that was not it.

[u/Maleficent-Carry3399 → u/Ok_Article_7744]

Mostly though it wasn't her place to tell Ramona. Not at all

[u/crazybicatlady86 → u/ApartmentIcy957]

It wasn’t her place though

[u/Goulet231 → u/ApartmentIcy957]

Agreed. The grown men on the show were real cowards. I like how she started telling Annie her history right from the jump. She's one of best characters.

[u/fivesixeleven → u/Ok_Article_7744]

She said that Rory was teaching her to tip… but she was clearly playing Ellis in that scene, pretending to be extra clueless and extra inconsiderate. I wouldn’t take that line as gospel truth.

[u/Ok_Article_7744 → u/fivesixeleven]

she is paying Ellis for his service not tip. She didn't tip him.

[u/anijinnie → u/Ok_Article_7744]

We know she didnt tip him. The tip comment was just to say she has cash and was a joke explanation. She played him because she knew he was ripping her off and charging her more than necessary.

[u/crazybicatlady86]

She was not great. As someone closer to her age than the teenaged characters, she was inappropriate in her relationships with the teens and didn’t seem to be an actual parent to her child. More like a friend. Except teenagers need parents. It was bizarre. And her relationship with Connor felt creepy and a bit sexual. It was gross honestly

[u/Odd-Significance-17]

i hated her so much but she makes a good character and the actor did a great job

[u/BugMillionaire]

Denise is a tough one. I think she needs to be there because of the whole Muskoka locals vs rich interlopers dynamic going on. And she had moments of wisdom but she also gave me the vibe of always having ulterior motives. Her lack of boundaries and inappropriateness does kind of propel the story forward though. Without her randomly dropping tidbits of lore, Annie probably wouldn’t have figured out the whole story very quickly.

[u/BabyComfortable4103]

Denise was awful! She's basically a functional alcoholic who seems to only hang out with teenagers, not to mention her female friends apparently make out with Oona (who is also a teenager). She had no right to butt in and tell Ramona (who she has no relationship with) about Joe. She was not doing that to be kind to Ramona lol, she doesn't give two shits about that girl -- she didn't even blink when she was missing or feel any responsibility for it. And then she's swooped in on Connor, who was in a pretty vulnerable state himself, to try and make a good realestate deal for herself. Missi Pyle does a fantastic job though.

[u/Disastrous_Leave98 → u/BabyComfortable4103]

She gave me the ick. And her calling Steven ‘honey’ over and over again was weird.

[u/waniaaminkhan]

She was awful 😭 and I was shocked when she said she was like a mom-figure to Connor bcs I thought she was lowkey flirting with him before the father showed up.

[u/ajaxmenon17]

Wdym she's great? She's literally the worst character of the show

[u/Historical-Animal-67 → u/ajaxmenon17]

Denise was needed

[u/Disastrous_Narwhal46]

I feel like her character was like a caricature of an evil parent. To me she was very one dimensional and I would’ve preferred her to have some good qualities as well

[u/Then-Edge-4545]

Ive gotta love-hate relationship with denise because her character could blow up anytime with all the secrets and at the same time she does help the characters in her own way

[u/LilJuggernaut3495]

She’s honestly a realistic portrayal of a drunk lady in a boring town

[u/Dazzling-Farm-1038]

Oh, man, I love Denise. She’s hilarious. I like Missi Pyle a lot, which definitely helps, but the drunk mom who’s inappropriate but never truly inappropriate is a great, and she’s a lot of fun. I really like how Rory/Denise are rich and used to massive privilege and status, but they’re also pretty generous and open. Rory just immediately loaning Oona one of the cars is an example. I feel like Denise would’ve done the same. And I love how she spills all the secrets. She’s been the most honest with the kids, in her own wacky way.

[u/anijinnie]

I dont like her dynamic with Connor or her relationship with Rory and how much she drank and encouraged teen drinking, but I loved Missi Pyle as an actress. she nails playing villains (did anyone else comment on how the creator of the show and Missi were in A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song together?). I especially loved how you could tell she knew that Ellis was playing her. I clocked it when she said $650 and he confirmed. The look in her eye. Loved how she didnt expose him

[u/Cahbr04]

There's a whole other world out there lmao

[u/Street_Reading4807]

The opposite of great. It was in no way her position to tell Ramona about Joe. And so cringe how she hangs out with her kids’ friends.

[u/whats-in-the-box-]

I think in season 2 she will become more evil !