S01.E09: Princess

[formerlyfreedom]

Quinn and Rachel question their future; the final three contestants return to Adam's vineyard.

[Primetimer]

And more smoldering questions about the season's penultimate episode of UnREAL.

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[TiffanyNichelle]

Hey the therapist finally has a point! I'm glad she's out for herself just like everyone else is.

 

Really disappointed by four major things: Madison isn't cold and calculating, just young and dumb. The drive had nothing on it more than Quinn's ideas. The sex tape wasn't a plan by either Rachel or Quinn, the sweater fell off the camera. Rachel ran back to Jeremy. Zzzzz.

 

I'm going to miss Faith and her friendship with Adam.

[xqueenfrostine]

Holy crap, that last scene between Adam and Rachel made the episode for me.  I was pretty bored for the first half,  because of boring Jeremy obviously.   That party scene was sooo dull.  Though the juxtaposition between Chet/Quinn and Jeremy/Rachel in the opening scenes was interesting, but the rest of the Jeremy/ Rachel scenes were like watching paint dry.   But the episode really picked up in the last half. The Adam/Rachel sex tape played out much better than people were speculating.  Quinn using it to blackmail Rachel into staying in the reality game makes much more sense than Rachel purposefully creating a sex tape to somehow trap Adam.  That was never going to work as a motivation for him. But I buy him considering going along with it for Rachel's sake, and I loved his speech at the end about Rachel deserving to be happy even if it isn't with him.  Though obviously Adam is hoping it's with him and not with Jeremy.

 

Also, despite how horribly things turned out between Quinn and Rachel, I actually found her original offer to Rachel to make her a partner in her new company almost sweet.  That was way more than Quinn had to give as her starting offer, and it was a surprisingly generous show of what Quinn considers to be Rachel's worth.  Too bad Rachel wasn't into it, and Quinn's not the type to take no for an answer.

 

And I loved that Adam turned down Faith.  It seems like he did it for pretty selfless reasons (given that she was offering to turn a blind eye while he cheated), and the moment between he and Faith at the elimination ceremony was very sweet.

 

Finally this episode really demonstrated how under-used Dr. Grace has been.  That was a power move going to Chet.  Too bad the writers haven't given her more to do!

 

Can't wait for next week!

[portfino]

I love the way that everyone is grabbing at their chance to move up the ladder. The psychiatrist's advice to the intern was so cold but so true. I also loved Adam's line to Rachel not to run off with Jeremy because she thinks he's the only one who'll ask. I also think they handled the camera in the room issue rather well.

 

So many moving parts for the finale. Quinn wants Chet's job, but Chet knows about Quinn now. Rachel is torn between Jeremy and Adam. Grace and Anna both want Adam. Adam's willing to tank the show. Almost anything could happen.

[Irlandesa]

My favorite part of this episode was probably Chet in the first five minutes. I thought it was hilarious how Quinn put her hand on his face to cover it.  And then his bug eyes when he saw Quinn talking to Chet.  I also adored the way he held the dog. 

 

I'm happy to see the psychiatrist make her move and I can't wait to see how Chet counters. 

 

I'm really bummed that Faith left.  She was the only one of the girls whose story interested me. 

 

It's interesting that Rachel is accusing Adam of things not being real because I did think his whole plan at the end felt very much like a fairy tale.  Run away?  Abandon their work--even if Rachel doesn't want to be a producer on UnREAL, it doesn't mean she wants to give up that career.  And what about the Everlasting Spa that Adam fucked his way to get?  Is he just going to leave that? 

 

I think I want Jeremy's house, though. 

[earlbny]

This episode was a mixed bag for me. I loved some of the episode and was bored with the rest of it. Unless I missed something how can Jeremy have a house like that on a Camera man salary? I hope Jeremy and Rachel don't end up together. He's no good for her. They are so boring together. Last I checked a tramp stamp is not in the front. it's about time they used Dr. Wagerstein.

[xqueenfrostine]

It's interesting that Rachel is accusing Adam of things not being real because I did think his whole plan at the end felt very much like a fairy tale.  Run away?  Abandon their work--even if Rachel doesn't want to be a producer on UnREAL, it doesn't mean she wants to give up that career.  And what about the Everlasting Spa that Adam fucked his way to get?  Is he just going to leave that? 

 

It is, but then so was Rachel's plan to run away with Jeremy.  I think Adam nailed it when he told Rachel not to run away with Jeremy just because she believes no one else would ask.  It seems like Rachel idealized Jeremy as someone who can take her away from the things she hates about her life, and more importantly about herself.  It doesn't seem like she's tried to come to a healthier place on her own or figure out a career path that might feed her better emotionally, but instead like she's told herself that if she could have someone like him maybe she'd become more like him and less like herself.  And that's a form of magical thinking too.

 

 

This episode was a mixed bag for me. I loved some of the episode and was bored with the rest of it. Unless I missed something how can Jeremy have a house like that on a Camera man salary?

 

I thought it was implied that he built that place or at least did a lot of remodeling on it.  Which would still be expensive on a cameraman's budget (property prices in the bay area aren't cheap!), but him building from scratch or rebuilding a major fixer-upper is more believable than him just having that nice of a house.

Edited July 28, 2015 by xqueenfrostine

[rabidchipmnk]

I realize that now we're supposed to be seeing Jeremy as "the safe choice," but 1) dude is more boring than a bag of sand, and 2) I read their relationship up until now as being entirely sexual (that super boring aborted sex on the table; grief sex after Mary's death) without any real person-level connection behind it. Contrasted of course with Rachel and Adam. I was certain they were going to go with Faith though... that win-win-win option seemed discarded far too quickly. Plus I would totally have fake-watched that version of the fake-renovation show.

[earlbny]

It is, but then so was Rachel's plan to run away with Jeremy.  I think Adam nailed it when he told Rachel not to run away with Jeremy just because she believes no one else would ask.  It seems like Rachel idealized Jeremy as someone who can take her away from the things she hates about her life, and more importantly about herself.  It doesn't seem like she's tried to come to a healthier place on her own or figure out a career path that might feed her better emotionally, but instead like she's told herself that if she could have someone like him maybe she'd become more like him and less like herself.  And that's a form of magical thinking too.

 

 

 

I thought it was implied that he built that place or at least did a lot of remodeling on it.  Which would still be expensive on a cameraman's budget (property prices in the bay area aren't cheap!), but him building from scratch or rebuilding a major fixer-upper is more believable than him just having that nice of a house.

Thanks for the info. That makes sense about the house.

 

Everyone is out to get everyone. It's every man/woman for themselves. Everyone is going to get burned. Jeremy makes me yawn.

 

I want Rachel to run away with me.

Edited July 28, 2015 by earlbny

[scruffy73]

Jeremy sucks. Rachel with Jeremy sucks. Maybe that is why I think Jeremy sucks bc there is no other point to him besides being Rachel's something-to-do. Running away with Adam would make this show worth every minute I've spent watching, even though I have no regrets anyway.

Oh and Quinn is a bitch. The good kind of fuck-everybody-who-ain't-me kind of bitch that I like. I hope she stays winning over Chet. I hope she does make Rachel partner even in this blackmail scheme. If not,

I hope Rachel finds a way to screw her.

Man I love this show.

[vali]

Rachel's hair suddenly looks way longer this ep. Extensions?

I thought that there was real romance lost that Rachel was pining for with Jeremy in the previous eps, with the home movie from last year of them on the beach, etc., and I was rooting for that. But I do think they're kind of boring together. Not sure how I feel about her with Adam, though.

Can't wait for next week.

[basically]

It was boring because we all know Rachel is bullsh*ting herself and Jeremy. She's clearly in denial and trying to convince herself that whatever she had with Jeremy is still what she wants even though we can all see that ship has sailed. She's forcing something that just not there anymore or not as there as what she currently feels for Adam. I had A feeling she would run away from Adam by running back to Jeremy.

Jeremy - finally not scowling in an episode And all I could think is why couldn't I have seen this Jeremy earlier - I might've liked him.

Love that I was wrong on the way the sex tape came to be. Surprised that Madison wasn't really up to something devious as I thought she was in the previous episode.

Shocked that they got rid of Faith as I think that would have been the easier arrangement if Adam really doesn't want to hurt anyone and she was super down for it, But I guess he reasons that it would ultimately end up hurting Faith And he does consider her a friend.

Edited July 28, 2015 by basically

[dbell1]

Quinn is so brittle these days I expected her to shatter like glass. I expected her to choke Chet. A smarter woman would marry him, get his will changed, and then kill him during sex. (Yep, this show would go there.)

We need to know what's on the flash drive.

Jeremy is the safe choice, but he's not the one for Rachel. I don't think Adam is either.

Best line of the show goes to Faith " if I drew a vagina on a poster, you'd go after it". Gold.

Madison the intern will be roadkill soon.

[Irlandesa]

It is, but then so was Rachel's plan to run away with Jeremy.  I think Adam nailed it when he told Rachel not to run away with Jeremy just because she believes no one else would ask.

I don't think Adam is right in what he sees behind Rachel's decision.  There may be an aspect of safety, goodness and familiarity that draws Rachel to Jeremy and it may be magical thinking that her life would sort itself out with him but I don't think it's because she feels like he's the only one who will ask. While we haven't seen much of it, we have seen video moments where being with him did make her extremely happy.  I think it's more about wanting to recapture that than feelings of self-worth.

 

And I don't think running away to L.A. is a fantasy in quite the same way that Adam's proposal was a fantasy.  Adam's proposal was total escape from their lives.  At least Jeremy's suggestion was grounded a bit in who they are as professionals and represented next steps.  If you're in TV/film, L.A. or NY makes sense. 

 

But when it comes to her and her romantic choice, this will be the most needed "I choose me" in TV history.  I like both of the guys but she's in no place for any kind of an attempt at happily ever after.

[ketose]

It may be unpopular, but I'm glad Faith is gone. She was just spinning her wheels the last couple of weeks. Anna and Grace are crazy, which makes them hilariously unpredictable.

 

Quinn has snapped, which is making her really erratic. She may end up with Rachel's job next season.

[basically]

^ so agreed. I love Adam for Rachel but at this point she needs to choose herself.

[TiffanyNichelle]

Forgot to mention the fake horse riding. It never occurred to me that they would fake all of it. Adam on the stuffed horse was hilarious.

 

The party with the crew scene was interesting because it was weird to see Rachel so soft and just chilling with everyone. It was a look at Jeremy and Rachel that they should have showed us earlier in the season. By this time it felt like a persona she was trying on to act like she was just like them but it wasn't real.

 

BTW does Jeremy's ex-fiance no longer work on the show? Not that I wanted scenes of her glaring at Rachel and Jeremy but it did seem odd that there was no mention of her. Jeremy was moving Rachel into his house the day after he broke up with the fiance. There wasn't even a shot of some of her stuff scattered around the house to make things awkward.

Edited July 28, 2015 by TiffanyNichelle

[xqueenfrostine]

Quinn is so brittle these days I expected her to shatter like glass. I expected her to choke Chet. A smarter woman would marry him, get his will changed, and then kill him during sex. (Yep, this show would go there.)

We need to know what's on the flash drive.on.

 

We do know what was on the flash drive.  It was all of Quinn's TV ideas which she plans to use to start her own company.

 

 

I don't think Adam is right in what he sees behind Rachel's decision.  There may be an aspect of safety, goodness and familiarity that draws Rachel to Jeremy and it may be magical thinking that her life would sort itself out with him but I don't think it's because she feels like he's the only one who will ask. While we haven't seen much of it, we have seen video moments where being with him did make her extremely happy.  I think it's more about wanting to recapture that than feelings of self-worth.

 

That video of her happy happened right before her breakdown on the show last season, and if Rachel is to be believed, she freaked out because she couldn't handle what was going on between her and Jeremy.  So that begs the question, was she really ever happy?  For that fleeting moment maybe, but nothing between them was enough to help move Rachel towards real happiness, the kind you can only find when you have emotional stability.  

[Ms Blue Jay]

There's only one thing to do in my head, if Rachel does not pick what Adam says, then she is a moron, and I see no other possible avenue.  Not: 'choosing herself'; how would you not want to have fun all over the world with that money; it is a fantasy and a half.  Sorry for the vodka talking.   Freddie Stroma is finally somewhat making me a fan with that last scene.

Edited July 28, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Irlandesa]

Forgot to mention the fake horse riding. It never occurred to me that they would fake all of it. Adam on the stuffed horse was hilarious.

 

The party with the crew scene was interesting because it was weird to see Rachel so soft and just chilling with everyone.

First, I agree about the horse riding scene.  It feels like it has been a long time since we got a little "this is what it's really like behind the scenes" moment that felt like something that really happened so I appreciated it. 

 

That party wasn't with the crew.  It was with Jeremy's friends. 

[portfino]

Let's be clear there's no way Rachel's running off with Adam. It would be a terrible decision. I don't think either of them is ready for a real relationship and Adam was spinning a fantasy. There's no way that's going to work right now. That said, Adam would be a much better match for the show going forward and it would be foolish to waste their chemistry. Plus, I'm always annoyed when someone pulls a Kelly Taylor. Stories need stakes. 

[wayne67]

Wouldn't Rachel be on hook for the damages she did last nervous breakdown ?

 

Didn't Adam sign a contract to be the meat puppet for this studio. Didn't he do all this for his vineyard which he ended up selling to the studio or something.

 

What makes them think they can just run away without consequences?

 

SMH

[xqueenfrostine]

Didn't Adam sign a contract to be the meat puppet for this studio. Didn't he do all this for his vineyard which he ended up selling to the studio or something.

 

Possibly not.  One of the very first things we learned in the pilot is that Adam hadn't sign a contract at the time filming began and was threatening to walk.  That was the basis of the very first interaction between Rachel and Adam, and while we did see (obviously) that Rachel was able to get him to return to the show, we never hear about a contract again.  Logically, we should be able assume that he signed one afterward, but by that same logic we'd also assume that the show would never begin filming without a signed star, so who knows what happened to that.  And he didn't sell the vineyard to the show.  He secured an investor for his vineyard with the condition that the vineyard bear the Everlasting brand.  

 

As for Rachel, that's an unresolved issue no matter how (or with whom) she chooses to leave the show.  That hasn't come up in several episodes, and I have no idea why the writers haven't addressed that.  

[cooksdelight]

Everyone looked really old during this episode. I don't know if it was the lighting or what, but Quinn looked 60.

And I am so relieved to finally figure out that the consuleor/doctor Asian woman was Frank Costanza's love affair when he was in Korea.

[wayne67]

Possibly not.  One of the very first things we learned in the pilot is that Adam hadn't sign a contract at the time filming began and was threatening to walk.  That was the basis of the very first interaction between Rachel and Adam, and while we did see (obviously) that Rachel was able to get him to return to the show, we never hear about a contract again.  Logically, we should be able assume that he signed one afterward, but by that same logic we'd also assume that the show would never begin filming without a signed star, so who knows what happened to that.  And he didn't sell the vineyard to the show.  He secured an investor for his vineyard with the condition that the vineyard bear the Everlasting brand.  

 

As for Rachel, that's an unresolved issue no matter how (or with whom) she chooses to leave the show.  That hasn't come up in several episodes, and I have no idea why the writers haven't addressed that.  

 

I didn't mean he was under contract for the current season though presumably he'd have to sign one for them to start shooting and for them to continue with the show. My original post was in reference to him presumably signing a contract for the spin off. Hence that meeting with Grace.

 

Wasn't that part of Rachel's power play to get promoted for the next season ? Getting him to sign up for another year of this manipulative exploitative nonsense.

 

Unless we're supposed to assume that the studio is promoting a spin off featuring Adam without getting him in an iron clad contract which would be a stretch considering that he balked at signing the first contract. They'd be super eager to lock him down.

 

I don't think they mentioned the particulars of the contract but I assume they own some part of the vineyard. I doubt they'd shell out millions of dollars just so they could slap their name on something they didn't have at least a 50% controlling interest in.

 

Then again I may be overthinking this plot point. Theoretically I'm supposed to care that Rachel has been watching Adam's every move for weeks and manipulating his actions and sabotaging him at random for her own selfish reasons and is now suffering some consequences for having sex with a contestant at her place of work.

 

I don't care about Rachel and Adam being in LURVe. I think they're both being stupid and there's a really strange undercurrent of psychological manipulation at play for their entire relationship, since she lied to him about a back up guy and convinced him to participate in this farce through all the weird cohabitations of shower and beds and being all hot and cold about him. At this point I want them both to crash and burn and go away.  Not even touching the fact that they're both shagging other people from time to time during their 'quasi romantic bullshit' / fairy tale romance.

[xqueenfrostine]

I don't think they mentioned the particulars of the contract but I assume they own some part of the vineyard. I doubt they'd shell out millions of dollars just so they could slap their name on something they didn't have at least a 50% controlling interest in.

 

We never saw a deal being signed on that one.  It was a verbal agreement that ended in sex, and had yet to go to the lawyers on either side.  In all likelihood the deal still hasn't been finalized.  

 

As for a contract for the spin-off, I doubt that contract is done either, despite the host of Everlasting mentioning it on camera.  The events of tonight's episode began immediately after the end of last week's episode, which means it probably hasn't even been 24 hours since Adam agreed to do the spin-off.  It's unlikely that contract would have been drawn up yet, let alone signed, especially since Adam rejected Chet and Quinn's original idea.  Adam's not dumb, he wouldn't sign something that would involve a year of his life without sending it to his lawyers first and there hasn't been time for that yet.

[wayne67]

We never saw a deal being signed on that one.  It was a verbal agreement that ended in sex, and had yet to go to the lawyers on either side.  In all likelihood the deal still hasn't been finalized.  

 

As for a contract for the spin-off, I doubt that contract is done either, despite the host of Everlasting mentioning it on camera.  The events of tonight's episode began immediately after the end of last week's episode, which means it probably hasn't even been 24 hours since Adam agreed to do the spin-off.  It's unlikely that contract would have been drawn up yet, let alone signed, especially since Adam rejected Chet and Quinn's original idea.  Adam's not dumb, he wouldn't sign something that would involve a year of his life without sending it to his lawyers first and there hasn't been time for that yet.

 

At this point I'm assuming there's some sort of contract for both Everlasting Winery and the Royal Renovations show simply because they were plot points from previous episodes but at this point you may be right and those plots may have as much resonance as Mary's medications being tampered with and her committing suicide.

 

I guess we'll find out one way or another if Quinn or Chet catch up to them at the airport and tell them to get their asses back to work already.

 

On another point if Rachel doesn't want to date Jeremy any more what leverage does Quinn have over her? At this point I don't see what another sex tape would do for Adam's reputation since he was shagging Anna in this episode on TAPE!

 

I guess that's going to be next week's bumper episode. Sexy times on a special late night episode. It wouldn't be the first time a reality show sunk that low.

[mrsbagnet]

I'm applauding because they finally gave the doctor something to do, and she ended up with the best line of the series. That line about pumping Madison's stomach stopped Chet cold. I kinda wish she hadn't spilled the beans, though. I want to see Chet go down in flames. [Though, IRL, I would never condone lying about sexual assualt.] Still don't see how Madison was eager to fellate Chet. He looks...unbathed.

 

 

That party wasn't with the crew.  It was with Jeremy's friends

 

I thought it was with his friends on the crew. Otherwise, why would they all have cheered when Rachel ignored Chet's call?

 

Adam's line about Rachel picking Jeremy because she thought no one else would ask was the only sincere, romantic thing he's said. It made me like him a lot more.

 

 

On another point if Rachel doesn't want to date Jeremy any more what leverage does Quinn have over her? At this point I don't see what another sex tape would do for Adam's reputation since he was shagging Anna in this episode on TAPE!

 

I agree. I was certain they would tell her to shove it because Adam doesn't care, and Rachel doesn't really want to be with Jeremy anyway. I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out next week.

Edited July 28, 2015 by mrsbagnet

[absnow54]

Quinn's got to have something more hidden up her sleeve, because right now she's revealing way too many of her cards in her plot to destroy Chet. I was really surprised when she confronted Madison. I can only assume that she wanted Chet to know that she knew, because there was no way that girl wasn't going to spill the beans to at least somebody.

 

And speaking of Madison, I guess she was just projecting in her scene with Chet last week where she said something conniving? I didn't get the impression this week that she was playing anyone, but I can definitely see her character evolving into more of a foe for Quinn.

 

Lastly, why is everyone treating Jeremy like he's some prized saint? Dude just cheated on then dumped his rebound fiance, only to hook up with Rachel again the next day. All of these people are a-holes, and he's no exception, yet he's treated like he's better than the rest. I loved Josh Kelly on One Life to Live, but he is boring as dirt on this show, and so is the coupling of him and Rachel. I don't think Rachel and Adam are by any means "true love" but their relationship is interesting. They're on the same level. They're honest with one another. They play the same game. Adam flaunting Anna and promising her all of Rachel's dreams was evil, but damn, was it fun to watch. So, no, I don't think Adam and Rachel should run away together for a "happily ever after" but if I had to pick a bed mate to complicate Rachel's love life season after season, I'd pick Adam all the way.

[Sparger Springs]

Why would Quinn blackmail someone into working for her. That seriously can't be a good idea. We know Adam and Rachel aren't running off together. They have to do Royal Love next year. A show that for some reason this fictional network thinks will be a ratings juggernaut because they had great ratings the one episode after Mary killed herself.  I guess they made Everlasting in real time to give in some stakes it just seems stupid and quite unrealistic to me.

 

I don't think I will be back next year to watch Adam screw over the dull Anna or slutty but also dull Grace.  Episode after episode will be Adam trying to win the love of Rachel and failing until she gives in and then runs away again. I can imagine some teary scenes of dull wife crying when she finds out Adam is screwing Rachel behind her back. Also Jeremy will probably be back next year and at some point punch out Adam.

[editorgrrl]

Faith was the magicalest thinker of them all: "I'll whisk Amy away to San Francisco, where we'll live happily ever after." What about what Amy wants? What about Faith's Memaw?

Dr. Exposition finally has agency, but Lizzie disappears from Jeremy's house (and the show) in a puff of smoke.

[earlbny]

This show has done some things that have me scratching my head. 

[joanne3482]

Quinn's got to have something more hidden up her sleeve, because right now she's revealing way too many of her cards in her plot to destroy Chet. I was really surprised when she confronted Madison. I can only assume that she wanted Chet to know that she knew, because there was no way that girl wasn't going to spill the beans to at least somebody.

 

I hope so. 

 

When Quinn was proposing the partnership to Rachel she kept going on about making TV that matters. I wonder if she was serious about that and why Rachel wouldn't jump at that. It seems like if they could pull it off it would be just what she wants to do. "Feel good" reality TV is starting to become hot right now with that show on Fox where they're renovating a house and giving it to deserving people and that Ryan Sechrist one where he knocks on people's doors and "changes their lives." And that extreme home makeover show with Ty Pennington was on for years and people LOVED it. Not all reality TV has to be soul crushing. 

[Knuckles]

Actually, I am liking the fact that the writers have Rachel all over the place emotionally. She's a great manipulator, but as for running her own life, it's a traffic wreck. Makes sense that she would be back with Jeremy and still working Adam.

I use "working" deliberately, since it is clear that despite her interest in making a connection with Adam, it is heavily influenced by her need to succeed as a producer...work is the one thing she is sure of, other humans not so much.

And for the posters last week who thought I was too cynical about Quinn...I feel vindicated. Having an 8 year affair with the guy was one way to ensure her job security. Any real attachment to Chet? ...no way. Everything she did in this episode demonstrated once again, that this is about her work, and her desire to be Chet, not be with him.

[Wings]

Rachael is not going to end up with Adam.  Her life with him would be lonely and dull.  England does not appeal to me nor does a life of constant travel. AND, more importantly where would this series go with Rachael, gone.   I have a close friend who lives there; she is British born and raised.  She hates it.  She believes there was some huge cosmic mistake because she feels American and comes here every chance she gets.  

 

I liked this episode though it did move a little slower, I did not object.  

 

I find it hard to consider Rachael turning Quinn down if her show is accepted.  They are the lead characters along with Chet and Jeremy.  

 

I am looking forward to the finale, big time!  I love this show.  

[Irlandesa]

I thought it was with his friends on the crew. Otherwise, why would they all have cheered when Rachel ignored Chet's call?

Because they were drunk and susceptible.  If they were crew, why would it seem like they didn't know Rachel and she didn't know them?

 

Why would Quinn blackmail someone into working for her.

Because that's essentially why Rachel is working for Quinn right now.  It's not necessarily because she's 100% on board but because she owes UnREAL for the damage she caused.  It's not blackmail but it is employment based on leverage more than anything else.

 

Faith was the magicalest thinker of them all: "I'll whisk Amy away to San Francisco, where we'll live happily ever after." What about what Amy wants? What about Faith's Memaw?

Faith didn't want to run away to San Francisco.  She wanted to stay with Adam for a year, invite Amy to visit and take her to San Fran to show her gay and lesbian people/couples who live their lives openly with relatively little judgment.  It's not unusual for people who are gay to move elsewhere so they can be more accepted than they are in their little town.  Maybe the end result would be Amy and Faith choosing to move away.  Or maybe it would just make them feel more comfortable with who they are which would give them more strength to be who they are. 

 

Faith may have wanted to put off confronting everything but I don't think her expectations were unrealistic of what the year would be like.

[cooksdelight]

Rachel is deluding herself if she thinks she'll be happy with Jeremy. Quinn is looking pretty haggard as she prevents a supposed pregnancy. The assistant with the pigtails will somehow wind up with Shia and the doctor in a lawsuit, it's all too convenient, in my opinion.

Adam, you had the perfect out with Faith and you blew it.

[Sparger Springs]

 

 

Because that's essentially why Rachel is working for Quinn right now.  It's not necessarily because she's 100% on board but because she owes UnREAL for the damage she caused.  It's not blackmail but it is employment based on leverage more than anything else.

 

 

That's why she is working for her now. Why would Quinn pull out that stupid sex tape and demand Rachel continue working for her in the future and force Adam into a fake tv marriage with thing 1 or thing 2? I don't understand why they think that show would be a big hit. All those couple shows have really low ratings and there would be nothing special about this one. 

[DeLurker]

Rachel is deluding herself if she thinks she'll be happy with Jeremy.

I think part of her wants that security of being with a decent person (compared to the rest of the crew), but another layer is it could also mirror Mom & Dad's relationship (Mom seemed to call all the shots there).  I don't think she consciously wants to recreate that but on some level is drawn into it out of familiarity.

 

Jeremy is a bit of a dullard, but given the extreme nature of the other personalities on the show I don't think it would do to have him come across in a bold manner.  He's been undeveloped though so I don't think he's the end pairing for Rachel.

 

Adam and Rachel may get each other on a level that Rachel and Jeremy never will, but I really see nothing healthy between them.  Both sporadically have decent moments, but neither seems to be vested in staying there long term.  Rachel, at least in the earlier episodes, seemed to be struggling with her ethics and job as a manipulator.

 

To me, Quinn is the most compelling character on the show.  She's gloriously awful at times, a bit of Alexis Carrington without the shoulder pads, but since she's swimming in shark infested waters I don't mind,

[Athena]

I think Adam is right in that Rachel does have low self-worth and she sees Jeremy as safe. I think Rachel was happy with Jeremy when they hooked up in Mexico. She does like him and find him attractive, but they've never been a real couple until now and she looked bored during that party. She wants to like him and their life more than she actually does. I do like his house though, but it must have taken a lot of work since he couldn't have afforded to buy most of that outright.

 

I find it funny how Prince Charming Adam is the side piece in all this. It goes against standard tropes. I like that.

 

It's too bad Faith left, but I can see why Adam in a weird way would think he was doing her a favour. Everyone on this show is living in some sort of delusion (except maybe Quinn) and Faith's plan to run away with Amy was over the top.

 

Rachael is not going to end up with Adam.  Her life with him would be lonely and dull.  England does not appeal to me nor does a life of constant travel. AND, more importantly where would this series go with Rachael, gone.   I have a close friend who lives there; she is British born and raised.  She hates it.  She believes there was some huge cosmic mistake because she feels American and comes here every chance she gets. 

 

Rachel and Adam will probably not run a way together and if they do, it won't be for long or until after the show is over since the series would be done. However, Adam was offering Rachel a new life that did seem to appeal to her. I do think Rachel likes travel and new experiences. I'm sorry that your friend hates where she is, but there are a plenty of Brits and Non-Brits who do like England or even a life of travel.

[phoenics]

I love this show.

I don't think this show is about a true fairytale romance ever happening. For anyone. It doesn't exist - that's the whole point of UnREAL.

Rachel is more akin to Olivia Pope on Scandal than Cinderella. I don't know that she's ever supposed to actually end up happy. I do think she and Adam have something real - but it's complicated and messy - NOT a fairytale.

I'm not even rooting for them - I want Rachel to choose herself - oh and let Jeremy go though - bring in another hottie to rival Adam. Jeremy just looks bored half the time and cranky the next. But back to Rachel - being a Shiri fan - I love the portrayal and Rachel is just such a mess and such a manipulator that I sometimes find her hard to watch, but I cannot look away! Rachel fits Shiri's laid back acting style so well - she plays "messed up" so well. That emotionless face that somehow manages to convey emotion? Well done Shiri.

Quinn is my Queen B. I love her! I want her to get everything she wants and then some.

Adam - he's complicated - just like Rachel. I'm still messed up over that scene where he did the investor's wife (with him and Chet watching) to get them to invest in the spa/vineyard. I mean - the expression on his face while he did that was a mixture of determination mixed with horrible shame and humiliation. It was extremely hard to watch.

Anna and Grace both seem dull to me. I like Anna - but she is totally an ice princess and there just isn't much else there. I'd feel better about seeing Grace screwed over than Anna, but I think Anna is better for Adam - but then there's Rachel... ugh!

"Did they have to pump Madison's stomach to get the sample?" -- Ha ha, classic.

In the finale - are they going to have both Anna and Grace doing the whole wedding prep thing without knowing which one Adam will choose? Ugh that's awful. You can't even enjoy it.

Adam is selling a dream to Rachel at the end, but Jeremy is too. But I wanted Adam's version to be real. And he's right - he and Rachel are the same. Man I love this show. So not a fairytale - just messy as heck and juicy!!

[VartanFan]

I laughed right out loud at "How long until you're folding his laundry and wishing him dead?".

 

Jeremy doesn't know how to slow his roll....and that's why he deserves what he gets.  He knows how skittish Rachel is and tells her in one breath that he's just asking her to spend the night and not move in (or live like she's a homeless person).  The next minute he's saying let's quit our jobs together and that he loves her?  Has he learned nothing?  Geez. 

 

I thought it would be funny if maybe Adam couldn't get it up for Anna...but looks like no problems there!

[Pepper Mostly]

We do know what was on the flash drive.  It was all of Quinn's TV ideas which she plans to use to start her own company.

 

 

 

That video of her happy happened right before her breakdown on the show last season, and if Rachel is to be believed, she freaked out because she couldn't handle what was going on between her and Jeremy.  So that begs the question, was she really ever happy?  For that fleeting moment maybe, but nothing between them was enough to help move Rachel towards real happiness, the kind you can only find when you have emotional stability.  

 

My theory is that Rachel went to pieces because she couldn't reconcile being a normal, happy person with what she does for a living. How can she be a good partner to someone and still be brilliant at manipulating people and treating them like soulless props? She was ok with being a badass producer and being great at her work, accepted herself as a successor to Quinn--ruthless, successful, absolutely cynical. Bam, along comes love. How can she be all that and be a loving person?

There's only one thing to do in my head, if Rachel does not pick what Adam says, then she is a moron, and I see no other possible avenue.  Not: 'choosing herself'; how would you not want to have fun all over the world with that money; it is a fantasy and a half.  Sorry for the vodka talking.   Freddie Stroma is finally somewhat making me a fan with that last scene.

I ship Rachel and Adam and I love their scenes together. They both know at some level they're full of shit but they can't deny that they belong together. (one of my son's friends lives with us, and he was watching this with me--after Adam's "let's lie on the beach neck deep in Bellinis" speech, he looked at me and said "I want to run away with this guy!" He's a completely straight 25 year old man) Adam was absolutely right about how bored she'd be, folding Jeremy's underwear, marooned out in the country.

 

I loved how everyone made his or her bid for what they really wanted. Faith, Anna, Grace, Adam, Jeremy, Quinn, even the doctor. Awesome. Rachel's the only one who doesn't know what she wants. Two weeks ago Quinn's offer would have been it. Domestic bliss with Jeremy isn't it. San Tropez is calling but that's not it. Rachel needs to work, I think.

 

I want Quinn to emerge victorious. I just love how focused she is on her vengeance. Chet gave up 50 million to his ex wife, and Quinn is going to leave him and take all her ideas (and future millions) with her. He'll have nothing. He'll regret that bj for the rest of his life.

 

The horseback riding scene was everything.

[Wings]

 

 

Rachel and Adam will probably not run a way together and if they do, it won't be for long or until after the show is over since the series would be done. However, Adam was offering Rachel a new life that did seem to appeal to her. I do think Rachel likes travel and new experiences. I'm sorry that your friend hates where she is, but there are a plenty of Brits and Non-Brits who do like England or even a life of travel.

 

 

Well, of course!  I was just tossing in a tid bit from my life.  

 

If Adam remains in the story line he would probably have to have a reason to be here in some capacity. 

 

The creator is a feminist and was horrified she landed on the Bach.  She had signed a contract with a company that also owns The Bachelor or the right to hire at any rate. She expected another show and could not get out of the contract.  Given this stance in her own life I suspect that the life Adam offers will not appeal to Rachael even though she is taken with him at the moment.  We see a slice of his life in the finale and she will run like the wind!  

[truthaboutluv]

And the show just lost me. Just to be clear, I don't need everyone on the show to be evil and have ulterior motives for everything they do. Like I thought the therapist blackmailing Chet because even she wants her own show was annoying and stupid, even though I know the old saying that everyone in the entertainment business is out for their 15 minutes of fame. That said, I am not here for this great love story they're trying to sell with Adam and Rachel. 

 

And just to be clear, goodness knows I give no fucks about Jeremy and Adam and Rachel definitely have chemistry and I believe the attraction is real. But I don't buy this deep love that Adam supposedly has for Rachel or even her supposed deep feelings for him that they were trying to sell this episode. This week's episode felt a bit forced with that storyline and like the writers were really pushing the "it's real love between them", I assume to lead to some explosive season finale.

 

But I realized that I kind of don't care about Adam and Rachel as a couple. Like I can acknowledge their chemistry and they certainly are more interesting than her and Jeremy but I'm not here for all this relationship/"I'm the only one who really sees you" nonsense. I don't buy Adam has developed this deep love for Rachel in that space of time to the point of saying she's the only he would want to give a ring. I think Adam has his decent qualities but I do think he's shallow and more importantly, has a childish reckless to him.

 

So he's probably built this romantic notion in his head of what he and Rachel are and could be and is convincing himself it's real versus all the fake with the other women. But I don't believe what's between them is any more real. So the evil side of me is kind of looking forward to it falling it apart and blowing up spectacularly. Maybe I've been watching this show too much and becoming as cynical as Quinn. 

 

Speaking of Quinn, I like how she's being systematic and calculated in her approach to screwing over Chet. Unfortunately, I see it totally backfiring on her. Madison's already run to the therapist who used the information to blackmail Chet so he now knows Quinn told Madison to sue him for sexual harassment. And I don't trust that network guy for one second. It's not just that he and Chet are friends but also he seems incredibly sexist so he's already predisposed to ignore a woman's idea and he loathes Quinn. I don't doubt for a second that he'll tell Chet what she's up to. 

 

I will say, I thought it was decent of Adam to eliminate Faith, because he was right, she wanted to do the fake engagement thing to keep the lie going about her and Amy and who she really is and that wasn't fair to her or to Amy really. I did laugh though at Faith's pitch - first acting grossed out at the mere idea that Adam thought she meant them physically together as a couple and then her essentially calling him a man-whore.

Edited July 28, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[earlbny]

Is the creator of UnREAL the real life Rachel? Being that this show is kind of centered around Rachel I say she picks nobody and continues to work. She's good at what she does.

Edited July 28, 2015 by earlbny

[editorgrrl]

I thought the therapist blackmailing Chet because even she wants her own show was annoying and stupid, even though I know the old saying that everyone in the entertainment business is out for their 15 minutes of fame.

Maybe I've been watching this show too much and becoming as cynical as Quinn.

I was pleasantly surprised when Dr. Exposition finally had an agenda of her own. And Chet seemed pleasantly surprised, too.

I'm as bitter and jaded as Quinn, but I still can't figure Madison out. I thought she was a scheming conniver á la All About Eve, but she was pretty convincing with both Quinn & Dr. Wagerstein. "He seemed so grateful."

[phoenics]

My theory is that Rachel went to pieces because she couldn't reconcile being a normal, happy person with what she does for a living. How can she be a good partner to someone and still be brilliant at manipulating people and treating them like soulless props? She was ok with being a badass producer and being great at her work, accepted herself as a successor to Quinn--ruthless, successful, absolutely cynical. Bam, along comes love. How can she be all that and be a loving person?

Oh holy poo on toast this is so exactly it! THAT is why Adam's comments about how Rachel still deserves to be happy feel so right to me and why I like them over Jeremy/Rachel. Adam GETS Rachel AND he still believes she's deserving of love - because he's like her and he believes in love. For them.

Awww.

*slaps hand* This show still isn't a fairytale though...

I think that is the central conflict of the show. Can Rachel stay her demanding/manipulative self who destroys lives and get a happily ever after? It almost parallels the chat many women have with themselves about work - can they have the career and the family life? Especially when it's hard to "turn off" the work life once you get home? And in Rachel's case, her work life led to her love life?

Juicy stuff!

[Pepper Mostly]

I was pleasantly surprised when Dr. Exposition finally had an agenda of her own. And Chet seemed pleasantly surprised, too.

I'm as bitter and jaded as Quinn, but I still can't figure Madison out. I thought she was a scheming conniver á la All About Eve, but she was pretty convincing with both Quinn & Dr. Wagerstein. "He seemed so grateful."

Oh, I think Madison is more Eve than Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. She's exercising her budding producer chops. (Remember Rachel with Brittany, the first girl cut? She was utterly convincing. All the times she was working with girls or Adam, she is utterly convincing.) Madison is very far from there yet, but I think she is nowhere near as naive as she's letting on. She's ambitious and she is keeping her eyes open. She knows how to take advantage of an opportunity. And speaking of opportunities, Chet. I'm willing to bet five American dollars that he no more thought he was cheating on Quinn than he thought he was going to the moon. It was just an opportunity to get his rocks off, no thought at all. He has no interest in Madison, personally or professionally. She was just close by and willing.

 

And second to the horseback riding sequence, Chet lugging that dog around was also everything. So funny.