Here we go, it’s been a minute but we are going into the finale just a few episode recaps away and honestly I don’t really know WHAT is gonna go down. So let’s get into the black varsity blues that is McKay’s life.
I DON’T WANT YOUR LIFE
McKay had a tough father, we see him quoting Shakespeare on the football field while practicing with his father. It’s like a serious regimen and when they finish his dad is like okay have a good practice and THEN the rest of the team comes running in. This is little league, or pop warner or what they call football for little kids (obviously I am not your sports person). Point is they are like 10 years old or 11.
We see McKay’s dad giving McKay the talk, by that I mean the black man talk, like you gotta fight for what you want, persevere work harder than everyone else all that jazz. It seems like McKay’s dad is a stage mom and he is really training his son to make it to pro, I’m feeling like he’s doing it cuz he never got to go pro.
McKay makes it to college on a scholarship of course to state college just 30 miles away from home. Which is why I was like how come he can just keep driving down from college to see Cassie? He’s like 40 mins away tops.
At state college he gets the rude awakening that he is not the only one who worked hard his whole life to make it pro. There are players there just as good as him and better. So he does the math on his odds of making it to the big leagues. First of all this man is doing statistics on a napkin while in class! He OBVIOUSLY has other talents. The math doesn’t add up and he realizes there is no way he is going to make it to the NFL.
The only thing he felt sure about was his feelings for Cassie. He liked how she made him feel, liked how she dressed, and liked that when she would come into a room that other people were jealous of him, cuz he had her. He hated the pictures and videos that were out in the world of her, he somehow connected the fact that terrible dudes put very private videos and images of her out in the world to mean that she thought very little of herself… I’m gonna say, the is not how that works.
We come back to Rue who is slowly realizing how she trades one drug for another in her life, literally and figuratively – don’t be mistaken though, she has not taken opioids in a while so I am not discrediting her journey. BUT things with Jules are still off.
“Every time I feel good I think it’ll last forever” – Rue
It is Halloween and the poly crew (wishful thinking) Rue, Jules and Lexi are headed to a party. Rue gets to Jules’s to pick her up and Jules smells like alcohol and she doesn’t seem excited to hang out. The party is at Daniel’s house (the kid Cassie made out with on the carousel) I feel like the drama is sure to happen, not just because it’s high school but because the next thing we see is Cassie, being pseudo reprimanded by McKay, and you know she is going to that party. Cassie comes down the stairs like 90’s going to party style dressed as Patricia Arquette’s character “Alabama Whitman” in the film True Romance where she stares opposite Christian Slater. I will out myself, I had not hear of this movie, so I looked up and girl nailed it.
But instead of being like Babe! You look just like her – McKay is like you gotta change, if you come to this party dressed like that I’ll never hear the end of it. Man this show is spot on with teenage insecurities. Mckay’s insecurity he just projects on Cassie and then she internalizes and actually changes into the state college jersey that fits like a dress – that’t not even a costume! What is she doing? Pretending to be a fan? I cannot.
We also see Cassie at the high school party in her original get up and with great camera work we see Daniel’s sly interest, he obviously likes the original costume. We also get a glimpse of Cassie and Daniel at school first meeting him and seeing the attraction, to be real honest it looked purely sexual from the get go. We also see them after the carnival and Daniel really trying to pursue this. The way McKay has been acting, Cassie does not exactly pull away from Daniel.
48 MINUTES FOR THE NEXT 48 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE
So Kat’s parents were out of town so she is taking this opportunity to really expand her cam empire. She has 4 regulars now and increasingly more offers. She is playing it safe though, turning down a fair number of callers, being not of age that’s probably a good idea. But there is this one persistent Mofo who offers her $300, but she still declines. THEN he orders her lingerie, ummm what? First of all you do not know my proper size don’t just buy me things I didn’t ask for. This gives Kat pause of course.
Back at the party Jules is drinking mad tequila (Rue thinks something is off) Something isn’t right between them two, Rue feels it but is afraid of being right really.
Jules is drunk and Rue looks quite uncomfortable. I feel like bringing a recovering who is really trying to fly straight, no, not straight, fly right to a high school party where she usually does cocaine, not the best idea. She is feeling bothered (rightfully so) and asks for Lexi – OH!
Now Lexi is a true halloween fan, I don’t mean that she is dressed like Michael Meyers but takes the holiday seriously and is in a spot on Bob Ross costume, I’m like who does your wigs cuz that fro beard combo is legit!
We’re probably wondering where Nate is in all of this – actually no, no I am not because he is a sadistic wanna be killer, but the story unfolds. He was temporarily suspended as the investigation continues on Maddy’s assailant. Kyle (Nate’s father) says “If you are innocent act innocent” the wise loving advice of a parent who knows what acting innocent is for a professional. We see them heading out to family dinner at his usual restaurant, remember Kyle is the town developer so the town owes him their livelihoods. BUT NOT TODAY!
The Maitre d’ is all like “let me check on that” and Kyle’s eyes follow with that deadpan creepy silver fox face of his because he’s like wtf. The manager is all like, people are talking and says “If you want to wait in the car, I’ll get your order to go!” Oh HELL no you cannot tell boujie people these words especially the white entitled type! Kyle is all like – with that deep psycho stare “I’ll remember this.” That is never good when a white man says that. Nate knew this would happen and looks bothered, you know he has got to be cooking up some very elaborate plan. While he is temporary suspension he spend a lot of time in bed, cut to – he is printing something as we saw him do in the last episode. I just throw my hands up like please don’t let it be Jules.
He also spends time driving around aimlessly, checking on Maddy, lightly stalking of course – you know his favorite past time. Then sometimes checking on Jules, driving by in the day as she gets home, watching her house at night – just legit stalking now.
Cut to – HE IS PRINTING NUDES OF JULES. I feel like my life is over.
Nate continues to meet Maddy at that Motel his father frequents. He meets her every Friday in secret as this whole thing is going down.
THERE GOES MY HERO
Back at the Halloween party Lexi and Rue are on the couch. Lexi points out how it must suck for Rue to be a teenager and not able to do the teenager things. I think the problem is Rue’s situation had her skip the whole teenage thing and went straight to the adult stuff, so that’s what really sucks.
We then see Gia at the party! With that same young McKay twin, I think their names of Roy and Troy? These kids are really pricks in training, someone has got to bring the pain on them. Oh WAIT that is what Rue is for. She grabs her good cop Lexi and she takes her bad cops self over to Roy or Troy and brings him to, what I believe is the garage? OR it’s a strange freezer looking place where someone could hide dead bodies. Rue starts asking Troy – or Roy if he knows what happens when you go to rehab. Then proceeds to talk about the dangerous druggies she made friends with and just rattles off the cast of the Wire and this kid is like wide eyed soaking up every word. Lexi is pacing back and forth like uh huh! What you know about that? She tries to tag in and I’m like oh wait..is Lexi the bad cop? But nah, Rue’s got this. They scare him into telling Gia she’s beautiful and all this nice stuff.
Across the room, Cassie is drunk texting. I love how the subtitles are literally in drunk text, I’m reading it like, oh girl we been there before. McKay is all like “you sound drunk”, but does not respond to the content, or ask if she is ok? Or anything…so this doesn’t help Cassie’s mood.
The boy from science class who likes Kat comes over of course, because he is not giving up on her! Kat is dressed like actor zoë Lunds character in the 1981 thriller Ms. 45 a deep cut actually but great costume. Kat is just real disturbed that this kid genuinely wants to hang out with her. He was wondering what happened at the carnival and she lets him have it! Saying if you wanna get your D sucked or hook up then do it – cuz it’s not like they are gonna be together. I just thought about that episode of the Simpsons when Lisa tells Ralph off and Bart keeps replaying in slomo the moment his heart breaks… OH!
Rue sees Fez at the party, he is all chill of course – I love Fez!!!
She apologizes for the things she said to him that last time she came by. She was fiending in the worst way. He says, “I don’t take nothing a drug addict says personally cuz I don’t believe anything a drug addict says.” So sweet lol. He says “I love you too kid…” Rue tells him not to sell her drugs and he as the perfect conscience he is, “As your friend I got you.”
As Rue is clear headed looking around at her situation while being at this party, she’s starting to understand this thing called life. “Being sober kinda feels like a new drug – the highs are high but the lows are low” – Rue
Meanwhile…
(I just wanted to do that like it was a comic book panel)
Cassie is just feelin herself on this dance floor
Daniel carousel guy is creepy looking at her dressed as Ted Bundy nonetheless. This is not a good time, or it’s a perfect storm because Cassie and McKay are in a weird place.
After the party at McKay’s campus, Cassie and him head back to his dorm room, as they are starting to get it in, about 6 or 7 dudes in their underwear and masks storm in pull McKay off the bed and start beating on him (cuz McKay is being hazed). It is a very traumatizing experience, him and Cassie were naked, they’re chanting and filming, it’s ridiculous and embarrassing which is i”m sure what they wanted. Cassie is all screaming for them to stop. McKay is on the floor and Cassie is so concerned. He runs to the bathroom to collect himself and you see all his training as a kid come flooding back.
You can just hear his father in his head saying use it! Use that energy, use that anger! (there’s no voiceover or anything, you can just see it in his eye. I’m like yea! Bring it to the football field. But umm, no he brings it back to the room with him, asking Cassie why she has clothes on. I’m here talking to the TV like UMMM because like 6 dudes just broke in all terrifying and ish.” Then Cassie basically says the same thing, and is asking if he is ok, and he’s all like “so you don’t want to have sex anymore?” I’m like who does after that!? Like I said this show does a great job of showing insecurities. He has to take a minute to get it back up, because there was nothing sexy about what just happened and really the logical next step is therapy or at least a touching conversation and then bedtime. Maybe that’s the 30s in me talking… But they have a very strange sexual interaction afterwards that just leaves you pained in your heart. Cassie is then crying while cleaning up in the bathroom.
No wonder Cassie is letting loose at this Halloween party, after all that uggggh, the emotional struggle is real. She’s just blowing off steam, AAAnd some other things – she goes off with Daniel Carousel guy to an upstairs room. At this same time McKay shows up at the party?? Waahahaaat! He decides to be that good boyfriend and check on her, now is not a good time. Lexi tries to text Cassie asking where she at? That text is delivered but not read. Ask Daniel and Cassie are making out, Lexi gets to McKay just in time and tells him, Cassie wasn’t feeling well and she went home. Good save Lexi, but – Cassie has got to get out of there. I feel like Bob Ross is the protector at this party! First Gia now saving Cassie lol!
THE ONLY PAIN THAT MATTERS IN THE PAIN YOU INFLICT
Jules is so drunk and it feels so out of character, not for teen drinking that seems on par, but for Jules. She then falls drunk in the pool and Rue is just having the most anxious kid in the corner moment and trying to get her drunk friend under control, but instead she gets pulled into the pool with Jules. They kiss and it’s all straight out of Romeo and Juliet cuz well Jules and Rue are in a couples costume with Jules dressed as Clare Danes Juliet while she is quoting Shakespeare. Lotta Shakespeare this episode, I’m pretty sure this episode is titled “Next Episode” (Dr Dre) not the Taming of the Shrew.
Now something has happened the night before this to have Jules drinking like this. Flashback, we see Nate roll up on Jules getting home one night, startles the F out of her. He asks her to do something for him, Jules the angel that she really is, is like why would I ever do something for you. He holds up the envelope with the nudes saying, cuz he’ll send her to jail. Blackmail Nate, I hope you get whatever is coming to you. I know he has experienced trauma too and this is what makes him this way, but damn – I just wanna see him fail miserably and be separated far far away from people.
So the guy who likes Kat, whose name is Ethan played by Austin Abrams (Ben, Paper Hearts) grabs Kat to another room, like I said, he is not giving up on her. He pseudo admits to being a virgin and Kat says she doesn’t F virgins – Yo! Kat you were a virgin like 6 months ago.
Ethan instead goes down on her – something Kat has never felt before! But also he jizzs in his pants because, he is a virgin. He quickly excuses himself to use the bathroom, without her noticing so he can wipe down his pants. When he comes back, she’s gone. I’m just sad, cuz being powerful doesn’t mean you have to be a D, that just gives D’s more power in the end!
Back in the other bedroom the Daniel guy is ready to go spelunking and Cassie is like we can’t. He doesn’t understand why. She says she’d feel guilty, and he is all like “I wouldn’t” Mahfuka no one cares what you would feel. I’m immediately like damn Cassie be in these terrible situations, when does she get a break! As someone who was very busty in high school it is tough to get people to understand it isn’t all about sex.
Daniel starts to pressure Cassie in the worst way. He is being a real ass!! He tells her anyone who likes her is pretending they are interested in anything other than sex. Cassie is crying and it is really not been her couple of weeks for sure. I’m just waiting for Bob Ross to bust in and save the day! But alas he does not come in paint brush waiving.
After this Cassie gets outta there and Daniel (pissed) returns to the party, at this same time Kat has returned as well, she catches Daniels eye – oh god…
Back at McKay’s he is confiding in his dad about not being the best and his thoughts of not being drafted. His dad trying to fight the good fight says it’s all in his head, and don’t let doubt creep in. But this is math man! He already calculated the odds.
THE HARD WORK OF SO MANY, SACRIFICED BY THE DISRESPECT OF FEW
Flash back to Nate going to meet Maddy. The plan is underway I know it – whatever it is. But I am pretty sure from the moment the episode began that Nate is gonna blame the choking on that kid who Maddy slept with in the pool on that first episode.
Cut to:
Nate has shown up at that kid’s house again that he beat up (the one with Maddy in the pool like I said!) This guy is terrified he is still healing from the first altercation and is already begging for his life. Nate, is like I’m not gonna hit you, you’re wearing a neck brace. WTH! This kid better wear that neck brace for the rest of his life. Instead Nate explains how this kid is gonna go down to the precinct and admit to a crime. He’s like the hell I am! First of all, you were just begging for your life, you know damn well you are gonna do whatever this psycho says. Nate tells him, he is either going to be punished for the choking or for rape… it was his choice. Oh My Word.
We then see a timid Jules walking into the same precinct to report witnessing a crime. Yup, of course, we can’t just have the guy confess to choking Maddy, we ALSO need an eye witness. Nate just can’t help but be thorough. Jules is even asked to identify the kid behind a two way mirror, and she does! As does Maddy identify her attacker, she doesn’t know how much power she had that night picking this random guy to sleep with in the pool – jeez.
So now off the hook, Nate and Maddy arrive to the party together as Bonnie and Clyde – I am terrified. Jules sees him and is affected, I’m pretty sure Rue puts two and two together at that point. And after the fully clothed pool dip, Rue gets out and runs to the bathroom, just keep it together Rue! She comes back and wants to leave, so Lexi goes with her to leave as Jules is drunk and all over the place. Rue feels like a burden, and just wants to go, Lexi tries to let Jules know and Jules is going through it really.
In a quick flashback we see Nate coming home, and his father saying to him “I don’t know how you got out of it, but I just hope you learned the right lesson.” WHAT is that your parenting? Yea he learned the exact lesson you wanted to teach him, if you are powerful and know how to cover things up you are golden. He even brought something new to the table for the family tree by throwing in a little assault and he’s good to go. He shoulder bumps his dad as he walks by, warranted cuz what a punk comment. In the end Nate is a sadistic mess and this is basically season 2 of Manhunters.
Up next just two episodes left, we get Cassie’s story!
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