S05.E15: United in Grief

[jewel21]

Quote

Spencer comes face to face with his grief and those he loves are collateral damage as he spirals into a person almost unrecognizable. Jordan tries to step up as a leader but no one's following, JJ makes a shocking appearance, and Layla urges Patience to beware of her #1 fan.

Airdate: 03/27/23

[KWalkerInc]

I mostly liked this episode for how it handled Spencer's storyline, and I'm glad that he has been able to get some closure (when he kept saying he didn't get to say goodbye to Billy, it seemed kind of obvious he would end up "calling" him, but that's okay) and that he will continue to seek therapy.  But if the writers don't want Spencer and Olivia back together, can't they have them just talk about it and agree they are going through a lot and it wouldn't be good to be in a relationship right now?  (I guess they already did that with Spencer and Layla when Layla was dealing with her mental health problems.)  Instead, Olivia has to guilt-trip/bludgeon Alicia into getting back together with him and of course it happens right when it looks like he's had an epiphany and wants to get back together with Liv.  They are doing this deliberately to be annoying, and I feel bad for Alicia that she has to be stuck in the middle when neither she or Spencer seems to really want to be in this position.

I also don't like how they undermine the messages they send about the importance of mental health in some of the plots with their tacky "psycho stalker" storylines.  Layla even brought up Carrie to Patience, serving as a reminder that they've already had sort-of similar plot before (at least this one isn't basically a copy of something from Beverly Hills, 90210).  The fact that this one is about a "fan" and technology still doesn't make it seem too original.  It would be interesting if Miko overheard them really bashing her or something and ended up harming herself and then Patience learns of it (through a note or post or something) and feels bad even though she didn't do anything, but of course it will probably end up with Patience in mortal peril.

I was very surprised that they brought in Darnell, and also that I think they had Laura in the group scene at the end when she wasn't in the rest of the episode.  I guess they really do have more left in the budget with Taye gone.  I don't know what the point was of Grace "moving" when she was still in most episodes and I think listed as a regular, and now she is back.  Perhaps the show just had a change of heart and realized they needed her there for Spencer.  I can't tell if Asher's text to Jordan is supposed to signal a problem with J.J. (a relapse already or something), or just explaining that the two of them wouldn't be in that scene.  With as much of a mess as J.J. was lately, I never would have guessed that his "shocking" appearance would be him being sober and responsible, so the press release got that right.

[mojoween]

“I don’t have time for games Baker.”  So, no football then?

Watching Jordan attempt to throw physically pains me.  

I hope Dr. Edison doesn’t charge by the hour because he walked around LA for a long ass time (I know that’s not his name on the show, but Eugene Byrd will always be Dr. Clark Thomas Edison to me).

“She wrote a ‘Dear Spencer’ letter and bounced” could only sound charming coming from one person, and that is my Bre.  I don’t love her in a creepy Micko way, though.  And for real, Patience, how dumb are you?

Is Chris dead or what?  I hate how he was dropped after being part of the vortex once upon a time.  It was nice to see Darnell, though.

Spencer said he got to say good-bye to Corey, but didn’t Corey die in his sleep?

[Artsda]

Really great seeing Darnell back.

They need to just put Spencer & Liv back together.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Glad Spencer was finally able to speak about Billy's final moments.  He's still a fool for deciding to return.  If anything, we saw GAU's program in even worse shape than previously depicted.  Wow.  On the one hand, it is very much on point to show a brand new head coach being clueless in some manner.  However, his dressing down Jordan was just silly.  

Fame is a powerful drug, isn't it, Patience?  If Layla had any real juice as a producer, she would handle Mika and that would be that.

Props to TPTB for doing a fabulous soap opera inflexion point with the Spencer romantic triangle.  You gave the fans a moment of joy and satisfaction and then you swiped it away in seconds.  Well done.

It's nice to see J.J. being serious about sobriety.  It's awful that he insists on maintaining his football life.  It will most certainly cost him his early recovery.  Folks in his predicament must simplify, in order to handle the drastic changes they are experiencing.  Where is his Sponsor????  Coach is right.  He struck a near-perfect stance with J.J. in the locker area.

It seems the show is in need of a major reset.  Who should be dropped?  What different aspect of their world needs examination?  Most importantly, the show needs new villains.