Mild spoilers are ahead. Several episodes into the seventh and final season of Younger, you might have a few questions. Are Liza (Sutton Foster) and Charles (Peter Hermann) done for good? Does Quinn (Laura Benanti) have any ulterior motives? None of these matter as much as Where. Is. Diana Trout?
Diana, played expertly by Miriam Shor, is the unexpected heart and frequent voice of reason on the dramedy. But season 7 picks up right where season 6 left off — and, unfortunately, season 6 left off with Diana and her new husband Enzo (Chris Tardio) on their way out of the country. But then they just never return.
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Diana’s absence can be chalked up to “scheduling and COVID-related matters,” said creator Darren Star in a statement back in March. It’s the same reason Zane (Charles Michael Davis), Kelsey’s (Hilary Duff) rival with benefits, is also nowhere to be found. “They will always be a much loved and integral part of the Younger family and have added so much heart and soul to the series,” Star told TVLine.
We do get one life update from Diana, though, about halfway through the season. It's a very brief scene, but it's very Diana. While having her around all season would have been better, the final season doesn't forget the bond between Liza and her former boss.
Season 7 has all the rom-com goodness, feel-good friendship, and publishing drama we’ve come to expect from the show — that, and a dubious Greta Thunberg stand-in. PR pro Lauren (Molly Bernard) takes over some of Diana’s duties, which does add a little bit of hilarity and chaos to the world of Empirical Publishing. But without Diana Trout’s comedic perfection, sage wisdom, and collection of statement necklaces, Younger just isn’t the same.
At least she leaves with a well-deserved happy ending. “I think a lot of the characters all have really complete stories by the end of this season,” Star told Refinery29 in early April. “Seeing Diana get married and go off on her honeymoon is something I would have never, ever, ever imagined at the beginning of season 1 of Younger. It’s not something you ever thought you would see, that character sort of finding love in the way she did.”
Time to rewatch Diana’s scenes with Enzo and hope for another spin-off in the Darren Star Extended Universe. Or maybe an Emily in Paris crossover would be more appropriate — from what we can tell, it does look like she’s enjoying Europe, and a meeting between Diana and Parisian boss Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) would be nothing short of iconic.
Younger season 7 is now streaming on Paramount+ and Hulu, with new episodes dropping every Thursday.