Creator Darren Star talks to ET ahead of Wednesday's return about the new season.
As Younger enters its fourth season, the TV Land comedy's main female relationship is in jeopardy.
The half-hour series left off with Liza Miller (Sutton Foster) spilling the tea about her real age (40-something) to her Millennial publishing colleague, Kelsey Peters (Hilary Duff), in the season three finale -- leaving a dumpster fire of consequences yet to be fully realized. When Younger returns on Wednesday, Liza and Kelsey's professional partnership-turned-friendship remains on life support, but there is reason to be hopeful.
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"It was painful for all of us in the writers' room to think about Liza and Kelsey not getting along," Younger creator Darren Star tells ET ahead of the premiere, which reunites him with GCB star Kristin Chenoweth. "We were thinking, 'OK, how can we repair the relationship and bring them to a place of understanding in a way that honors how hurt Kelsey would be but also come to a place where she would feel understanding and acceptance.'"
The results are a gradual attempt to mend whatever's left of their relationship, which leads to unexpected twists and turns.
"I think they create a new kind of friendship. I think Kelsey comes to realize that who Liza is and what she likes about Liza is still there," Star hints. "It's about understanding why Liza perpetuated this lie. When she comes to that realization, that relationship flourishes again."
For one thing, Kelsey finds solace in Liza's ex-boyfriend, Josh (Nico Tortorella), whom she starts leaning on more and more, as they bond and connect over Liza's betrayals.
"That is definitely something you need to watch the show for," Star teases of the potential blossoming romance. "That's an evolving, interesting relationship."
"I don't think it was about wanting to put these characters together, it was about what we organically felt -- that they suddenly had something in common. Organically, they have a reason to be together," he says, adding, "There's no question there's going to be sexual tension there. Unavoidable."
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As for that near-engagement Josh had planned for Liza (before catching her kissing her boss, Charles), Star reveals that there won't be a wedding this season but was noticeably coy about a do-over proposal.
"All the characters are right and wrong for each other to equal measure. I'm not sure they're getting married by the end of the season. I'm not sure there's a wedding in store for either of them," he says.
Later this season, the Younger cast will go to Europe, and Star shared more details about the big trip abroad.
"We're filming in Ireland," Star reveals, sharing that it will be for the season four finale, which they start production on "next week." "It was where the story was taking us in a bit of a surprising way. I'll say that it wasn't about, like, 'Let's take a vacation in Ireland' -- that wasn't what was driving the idea. It's organically embedded in the story."
"Everything that's happened in the first three episodes absolutely has nothing to do with the end of the season. The first three episodes, in a way, are the tip of the iceberg for the rest of the season," he previews.
Younger premieres Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET on TV Land, followed by a Facebook Live after-show on the show's official page.