The Hills - Season 3, Episode 18

Heidi wears her saddest of sad faces as she puts the brakes on wedding planning

"When One Door Closes"
Original airdate: 12/10/2007

Episode summary: Whitney and Lauren learn they're being sent by Teen Vogue to Paris to attend the Crillon Ball. Heidi opts for space in her relationship with Spencer and heads to Colorado for some contemplative family time.

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Recap: Lisa Love summons Whitney into her office, where she and Kimball (a humorless senior editor at Teen Vogue) are waiting to give her some exciting news: she's being dispatched to Paris to help out with the Crillon Ball. Whitney's all, "Yippee!" and asks if Lauren too will be invited to go, but Lisa coolly replies, "I think Lauren had her chance to go to Paris."

Over at Bolthouse, Heidi tells Kimberly that she got into yet another [contrived] argument with Spencer about wedding planning...and because Stephanie was directed by the producers to stick her nose in their bidness, Spencer is under the impression that she now has cold feet and may no longer even want to marry a malevolent Chucky doll lookalike. Heidi says she thinks they should devote their energy to strengthening their relationship as opposed to wedding planning, and Kimberly concurs and suggests they also try to get to the root of the problem. Heidi scrunches her face in frustration as she says, "I feel like I'm in a relationship with a five year old", complains that she gave up everything to be with her man-child of a fiancé, and pronounces that she really needs some breathing room, pronto.

In the Teen Vogue closet office, Whitney informs Lauren that she's being sent to Paris...and when a startled Lauren's all, "Wuh? Again?", Whitney explains that she's being tasked with helping Kimball carry out various trivial assignments during the Crillon Ball. A hopeful looking Lauren asks if, by chance, they're planning to send anyone else (e.g. her) - but Whitney says she doesn't think so, then adds that it sucks 'cause she'd looooooove for them to share a Paris experience. Lauren regrets passing on the opportunity to go to Paris in Season 1 and wonders aloud when she'll ever have the chance to go again - despite her, by this time, being rich enough from her Hills' pay checks to book a European vacation whenever she can get a break from filming - and murmurs, "Stoopid Jason." 

"Teen Vogue is sending me to Paris!"

"Are there plans to also send a faux, part-time intern?"

Spencer is glumly sitting in an outdoor cafe when Stephanie joins him for a chat regarding the latest wedding planning argument he had with Heidi. Stephanie just shakes her head incredulously and advises him to get in touch with his fiancée asap and do his best to at least give her the impression that he's still interested in being in a relationship with her.

Audrina returns home, finds Lauren cutting stuff out of magazines for a college assignment, and asks whassup with her downbeat aura...so Lauren tells her that Teen Vogue is sending Whitney - and not her - to Paris for the Crillon Ball. She adds that she's not resentful, 'cause in Season 1 she turned down the offer to jet to Paris for a very frivolous reason and therefore can't expect Lisa Love to ever make her a second offer. Audrina clucks sympathetically and says it sucks, regardless.

Spencer arrives at Bolthouse to talk to Heidi - but he's intercepted by Kimberley, who can't keep herself from smiling as she informs him that Heidi left...and that she has no idea where she went or even if she's coming back today. As Spencer digests that troubling tidbit, Kimberley urges him to call Heidi...and he mulls that over before asking Kimberly to pass along the message that he stopped by. As he dejectedly shuffles off, the camera pans over to Heidi, who's in her office at Bolthouse with an expression of contemplative glumness etched across her face.

"Heidi told me to tell you that she's currently in an undisclosed location."

"I can pretend to buy that."

In the Teen Vogue closet office, Whitney gets a call asking her to send Lauren up to Lisa Love's office asap. 

Lisa Love informs Lauren that since Kimball is suddenly [pretend] overwhelmed with everything that needs doing for the Crillon Ball, it's been decreed that both she and Whitney need to be jetted to Paris to film a special, hour-long The Hills Goes to Paris! extravaganza for when the second half of Season 3 begins airing. Lauren beams happily as Lisa Love waxes on about how Paris is the most magical, sophisticated city in the world...and a few seconds later, Lauren skips back to the closet office to announce the good news to Whitney, who woots happily at this [mostly predictable] turn of events.

"We're sending you to Paris, despite you snubbing the offer in Season 1."

"Hurray!"

While dining with Brody at The Foundry, Lauren gabbles about her upcoming trip to Paris...and that despite how excited she is about the trip, she's going to miss him. Brody says he's a bit sad that she's leaving, so she reminds him that she's really nothing more than his single friend leaving town for a week and that there are lots of single people in L.A. Brody points out that Paris too has lots of single people, then blurts out, "So, you really want to find a boyfriend, is that what it is?", and Lauren contorts her face into a the fuck? expression and snaps, "Where did that come from?" Brody just kind of shrugs and says he has a long and painful track record when it comes to breakups, so Lauren points out that many relationships come to an end - but that he should aspire to find someone he enjoys being with, and who he's proud to officially label his girlfriend.

Heidi is packing a suitcase when Spencer finally returns home. She informs him that she's off to Colorado to visit her family, primarily 'cause she needs time and space to think about whether or not their wedding should move forward any time soon. Spencer insists that he already knows what he wants, but she tears up and croaks, "I don't know what else to do." He throws in the towel on further half-heartedly convincing her to stay, and gives her a goodbye hug before sadly exiting the apartment.

Lauren is packing two large suitcases - filled with many, many pairs of shoes - for her Paris trip while practicing her limited French on Audrina, who reminds her to not forget her passport (!). Lauren eventually zips up her suitcases and heads out, where Brody is waiting in front of her building to bid her adieu. He puts her luggage into the trunk of her limo, then hugs her goodbye and gives her a full on lip kiss before wishing her a safe flight. Lauren climbs into the car...and as it drives off, he stares wistfully after her.

"Est-ce que tu parles français?"

"Oui et non."

As the episode wraps, we get the following montage of scenes:

• Heidi pensively glancing around her apartment before departing
• Whitney hitching a ride with Lauren to LAX
• Audrina sitting alone in her Hillside Villas apartment
• Heidi in her convertible, driving to Colorado
• Spencer in their apartment, staring despondently into space
• Lauren and Whitney boarding their Air France flight

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