Hello and welcome to Big Gay Energy. I'm Bree. I'm Theora. And I'm Caitlin. Come along with us while we dive into the fun and nuances of queer media. Representation matters, and we're here to talk about it. Cheers, queers. What's on the big gay agenda today, Theora? Today we were finally gonna talk about hard stopper season. 2 Yay Woo Hoo. Been a long time coming. Had quite a break from season one, but now we're ready to get into all the fun.
The fun that was honestly hard stopper season 2. I love this season. I thought it was so great. It's very rare that, like, it just gets gayer and so much fun. Boy, did it get. I know. Here I would say it did so. There's so many fun things to talk about. There really is and new characters and just so much happened. And at this point I have now officially read all of the hard stopper books except Winter's Coming or This Winter. Winter is coming. Game of Thrones, No.
And this winter? Sorry, but I read them all, including Solitaire, the one that started all. So now you talk about book stuff. So Are you ready to get into Season 2? Yes. All right, let's do it. So Season 2 episode one is out, and it picks up immediately after the season one finale. Like, immediately. It's the next day Charlie and Nick are officially boyfriends and already being stupidly cute. Like Charlie is trying to get ready for school while like putting on his sweater and
texting Nick at the same time. Because it's just like, I feel like for Charlie, he finally got what he wants, which is like a boyfriend who pays attention to him and somebody he can actually call boyfriend, which he does. He texts Good Morning Boyfriend to Nick. I feel like that's so huge for Charlie. He finally has someone who cares about him. Yeah, and will let him call him his boyfriend, because Ben would not do that at all. He was just like, we're not boyfriends.
Like, I don't even like, like, really know you or want to know you. So, I mean, we don't call him misery for nothing. No. So all right, off the bat, Charlie is beyond himself because he finally got what he wanted. And at school, of course, I like the beginning because it it very much parallels like the first time they meet where Charlie walks into the classroom. But instead of seeing Nick sitting in his seat, he's just it's just like, where is Nick?
And then Nick does the hands over the eyes, he's like I am. So it's a really cute, like parallel twist. The way they start this episode, it's very cute. But of course, that's not enough of a greeting for your boyfriend for your first day at school. So Nick takes Charlie into an abandoned supply closet, which the irony of immediately running
to a closet. But Nick has has reasons, so he's like Charlie. I came out to my mom last night because remember, we picked up immediately after season one. So which is like a big deal. So Nick's riding high because that obviously went well, because he told Olivia Coleman and. And Olivia Coleman just cried at this news because he was so amazing. I know he was amazing and he has the best mom and so it went
really well. The first person he ever told that wasn't Charlie, so riding high on that. So as a reward, Charlie kisses him because that's what you do. And but I like about this whole scene and then they just keep kissing in the closet, which is cute. And what I like about this whole opening is that off the bat things are going really, really well for Nick with coming out on his own terms. Because telling his mom was his
choice. He wasn't out into his mother the way Charlie was basically out into the world by just homophobes. So that's going really well. And Charlie is very pleased to hear this because he obviously doesn't want a big theme of the season and just in general. It's just that Charlie doesn't want Nick to experience what he did because what he went through was just awful. And so Nick has control of his narrative coming out. Charlie had zero control and he has some residual feelings and
trauma from that. So. So Charlie is clearly like very invested in Nick staying in control of this narrative throughout this entire process. But off the bat, it seems to be going well based on him telling his mom. We're starting off on a great note. We are. But how long can it stay like that? But we're still in the greatness. We start with the cuteness. It's honestly, it is cute the whole time, but we gotta deal with real life because real life
is not a fairy tale. Unfortunately, unfortunately. But the good vibes stay for about. I mean, I don't know. The good vibes stay for like at least two months. So then we get a bunch of montages of them in the honeymoon stage of their relationship where it's just they let them kiss so much in the show, they do like, so much. It's really great. Like, we never get this in queer shows, ever. Like, you get one kiss, That's it. Yes, if. That or they just you just, they
brush a cheek. So like they will caress. They use a caress and it's like what? I waited seven seasons for this. Caress, but you hold on to that. Savor it, you savor it, and then write fan fiction that you were. But in in heart stopping there's no robbing and this isn't like this isn't just like ATV show choice to like make it clearer like the in the books they kiss a lot like it's just that was heart stopper period. Like that's just what it is.
They just get to be cute and and let me never heard stop. How do you think they're hard stuff? They're too busy kissing each other that they forget to breathe. Exactly. Charlie actually don't say that about Nick. He forgets to breathe around him. So yeah, but the montage is really cute again, they have like the Four Pains, so it feels like the graphic novel and it I thought that was a good way to show the passage of time to kind of merge those two things. And it's just them being cute
and hanging out constantly. So they seem to spend those two months very much around each other a lot. So that was also really being implied by this and just kissing every chance they get and we get a bunch of high highs from them. So it's just like nothing has really changed but the two of them. It's just hard stopper. If no one says hi and no one says it back at least twice in a row. Like 10 times, Yeah. No. Then it's not hard stopper.
Those two months are the cutest. But unfortunately when they go back to I guess two months later, I don't know if there's a break. I don't know if that was the school break or not, but when we're two months later, from the beginning, it's like exam prep time for the year elevens. The GCSE is, which Nick is a year 11, so he's got his big exams to prep for. So that's a big focus for him.
And he comes into the auditor, the gym, I guess, because it's big enough to hold all the year, elevens and looks at a seating chart and it's like cool. And then goes to find his seat in this giant gym. And of course he's slated to sit next to Ben, because drama. But I have a qualm with this whole thing because we get to meet Mr. Farouk in this scene. He's in charge because he's of course he is. And he's like, listen, my rules for this are you shut the fuck
up and sit here and study. Because this is like dedicated study time for these big exams that like determine your where you're going to go next or what's going to happen to you, or if you retake them or whatever. So like, this is dedicated study time for everybody. No talking aloud. But then the school sits them in pairs, which I don't understand. If this is independent study and no one's supposed to talk or work together, why are they sitting next to each other? It is odd because.
Then during the exam, they do pull them apart, right? Why is it that set up like the actual exam then it's entirely in A room. Like why can't they just be in there like normal? I don't understand like I guess it the form. Is that what it is? They're homerooms. Can I just say that? Yes, because why aren't they separated by their years then? Because that would be so much easier.
Just have them study there. I wonder if the school, the population of the school is not big enough, so you need like 20 teachers. Yeah, that that's do that versus like. Bigger schools. So I'm not, yeah, that's what I I think. And also, I'm not super clear on how this actually works in the one of the books, One of the books Alice had somebody else who's like an American that lived in England like write a Q&A of like for the American version to be like some of the
stuff is probably confusing. Let me answer some of these questions. And they kind of explained the form in the years and stuff. So like I understood it better, but I'm still kind of fuzzy on it. But like that is normal for like multiple years to kind of be together. In the I meant to look. Into the Gcse's more but I didn't so so it's basically like I think I explained so if you don't know what the GCSE is I forget what the acronym stands for.
But generally what it is, it's it's it's not like the Sat's which is the American version of like when you're in high school you basically take that to go to the next level of education, which we call college. But is it's called that's the equivalent of university in the UK. So we in America interchange words that have distinct meetings in the UK/OR might just be England. I'll just stick with England for the purpose of this.
But the way this goes is like they're when they're in their grade school, which is what they're doing right now. I think it goes up to year 13 in total, but year 11 is when you take essentially your exams and they take a total of 3 exams and the student gets to pick what subject they want to take these three exams in. So like the SAT is for us, it's just the SA T's is what it is and everybody takes the same
test. Here it's these tests you you take a total of three but you get to pick the subjects. So Nick picks math, chemistry and something else. But Ben could be taking like literature, art or something else. Like it's up to you to pick the exams, but you have to pass all three of them to like move on to the next level. So if like you fail chemistry, but you pass the other two, you have to retake all of them again
to pass. So it's like that's why they're so stressed out about it. And then so the reason they do that is because then year 12 and 13 they get to focus more on those subjects. So it's kind of like up to year 11 you have to kind of figure out what do I want to do career wise or like what do I want to study next. And so this is the entrance exam to like go focus in the start focusing in those subjects and for year 12 and 13 students can
either stay where they are. So like, Nick could either stay at true him or he can go to a different school to finish 12 and 13. And if you go to a different school for 12 and 13, they call that college. So in Elle's case, she's trying to focus on art and go to art college for year 12 and 13. Does that make sense? Yes, all but the college like being called college because no, I understand that we're very American so. But if Elle stays at Higgs, it's not called college anymore.
She's just staying. College is physically going somewhere else for your last two years. That's what it means. It was in the sixth form. Sixth form is separate from. OK, that and then after they finish year 13th, then they go to university, which is what we call college or university depending on who you're talking to or what the school is. Yeah, depending on how big the school is. Yeah, we've butchered that word. But beyond graduate year, do you go into undergraduate studies?
What we call here is what they call university, and that's you cannot do that at True. And you like have to go to a specific place called the university to study. Yeah, so that's what's happening here. They're prepping for potential college or they're prepping for college is basically what they're doing, which is year 1312 and 13 if you go to a different school, basically. Yeah, I understand more now. It helped during watching Dairy Girls. Yeah.
I understood some things, yeah. So that's the gist of what's happening here. So they have to take basically they have to take 3 exams. And so because it's so important and the school actually cares, they give them independent time to prep for their. That's why they can't do group study I guess in the setting because everybody's setting for different exams. So but apparently have to sit next to somebody and Ben is sitting next to Nick. And of course Ben has to start in with Nick.
He can't just leave anything alone And he's like why won't you talk to me, Nick, I didn't do anything to you. So, like, I love that he's trying to guess like Nick because Nick watched him assault Charlie and literally pulled him off of Charlie and was like, what the fuck are you doing? And then he's like, why did you do? Anything to you, Ben. I mean, if you hurt Charlie, you hurt Nick. There one person, right?
But what Ben? But also Ben asked Nick if he's going to ignore him for two weeks. Which, like, OK, they're sitting next to each other, but they're literally told not to talk. So yeah, he's supposed to ignore you. I know this. Conversation is weird. OK, so this doesn't happen in the book at all. This is here specifically for drama in the show. So yeah, it's weird. All of it is weird, but I guess Nick has been ignoring him for like 2 months, which like were they ever really friends?
I feel like Ben. It's like they're in the same year and I feel like Ben kind of hung out ish with the rugby guys, which is where Nick really is. Ben's not in rugby, right? No, he's not. But like, I guess it makes even less sense.
Popular guys kind of hung out with each other, but like Ben really wasn't a huge part of like Nick's social circle before Charlie. So, like, why is I feel like this is he's upset and he just, Ben has this drive for people to see him as a good guy and he knows that Nick doesn't. So he's like, why are you mad at me? I didn't do anything to you. You shouldn't thematic like hate me or anything, but Nick is not having any of this, which is the bottom line and so there's tension there.
Speaking of rugby, we when we left things out last season, Charlie was trying to like make Nick's life better and he's like I need to leave rugby because what am I even doing here? So it starts with Charlie rejoining the rugby team and part of his motivation there is not because he loves rugby, but it's because he's noticed that Nick and his rugby friends aren't as close anymore because like assumption is that Nick is like once is afraid to come out to them.
So he's just been distancing himself and we saw the two months Charlie, you guys were joined at the hip the whole time, so not a lot of time to see the rugby lads if you're just making out constantly and play Mario Kart. So also your fault. But Carly rejoins the rugby team to try to like get Nick comfortable with his friends again. And the rugby team really just welcomes him back. Like, we're really excited that he's there. Yeah, so.
Because remember, they're very. Different from like season one, you mean? Yeah, yeah, because. I feel like flipped. I feel like Charlie proved himself to be a decent rugby player and they're like I. Think he is? Well, Charlie's self esteem is in the toilet and it has been since he was outed. So yeah, you see a lot of hints throughout the season of just how Charlie views himself versus how other people view Charlie.
Like everybody he's surrounding, he chooses to surround himself with now views him very positively. But Charlie does has low self worth and that is a direct result of the PTSD of being outed and then Ben treated like doing his power play with Charlie. To be like you're not worth anything. I won't talk to you in the halls like Charlie Got some trauma. Yeah, poor. I relate Charlie. I feel Charlie. Yeah, totally.
It's it's totally understandable, like given what he went through and now why and why he's so protective or driven to make sure that Nick doesn't have that experience. It's because he was so messed up and just hurt by it, you know? And Nick is like this pure little puppy dog. You know anything bad to happen to the puppy dog? No, don't protect a puppy dog. Yeah, I mean, look at the face. Look at your face. And Nick, to his credit, like Nick, you know he wants to come out.
He made the first step. He did it with his mom, which is like the safest environment ever, like in his life where he could actually do that. But he's he's had, he's finding a really hard time to like tell other people aside from like, you know, his mom. And that's because. Olivia Coleman's amazing and so accepting of him and you had to come out to anybody. You come out to her. So like, yeah, he had like the best case scenario for his first
first thing about you. And while it's it's really clear that Nick is not just saying this to appease Charlie, because I feel like very easily a Ben, Charlie dynamic would have been like, yeah, I'm going to come out. I'm going to come out. And they never does or even tries to do it. But Nick clearly, like, wants to. But the person who's most stressed out about Nick coming out is Charlie. It's got a lot of anxiety for Nick. So much anxiety. And it's clear that he's trying
to like, forget all of that. And he keeps using the word perfect. It's going to be perfect. This is perfect. It's going to be perfect. Like, almost like he's trying to convince himself that, like, everything's fine when it's. But it's not like, yeah. But he's so worried. About Nick getting outed, yet they kiss in public so many times. Like how was that not how he was outed? I don't get it. I'm going to hydrate to lesbian Jesus for all their kissing because it's adorable and super
gay. I mean, quite a few people do find out that he's gay because they catch them kissing, OK? But like, I think the one in this particular episode that was the diociest is when they're in the boys locker room, there are still people in that locker room. Were there still people there? Yes, because the kids and then people leave and they break apart like boys. Oh my gosh. Oh, no one had the brain cell there. No, but I mean to be fair, and
they could just. It speaks to the level of their feelings, obviously, and just how comfortable they are with each other that like, the world goes away. Even when they're in dicey situations. But yeah, you are correct. Like, if they were so worried about this, these things wouldn't. But they make for funny moments. Yeah, they do. But let's go to the opposite side of that spectrum and go talk about Tau and L because while they both realized in
season one that they have. Romantic feelings for each other. They are still in the will. They won't. They phase because they are our slow burn ship, which is very different from normal shows because oh, it's it's not the the poor gays struggling to tell this they. Like each other, Yeah. I feel like for Tao and L I'm waiting seven seasons for that cheek caress. Oh my gosh. And so. We get to their thing, which is apple juice. That is just their thing.
I think at this point it's safe to say, yeah, I mean, the show makes me want apple juice. I don't even drink apple juice. I haven't drank apple juice in so long and I'm just like, really? That looks so good. Like the the label that they have on it too. It's just, yeah, it's perfect. It's appealing, it's perfect. Everything is perfect. It's perfect. So perfect. But Tao and L basically fight
over the last apple juice. But they don't fight it because they want it. They want the other person to have it. And while I was like thinking about it, I'm like, is this for their version of olive juice? I think it is. That's so good, Caitlyn. Oh, that's so good. So if you don't know what Caitlin was talking about, green girls like girls by lesbian Jesus was like, yeah, no, dude, like apple juice. I'll. Live juice. I think it is because the apple juice comes up a lot for them.
So I like that. Yeah. So this is, this is their way that the apple juice is their feelings and they're trying to give it to the other person. They're like, I don't want these feelings. You take feelings. But this is cute. I love this scene too. It's really cute because they're in the convenience store like before school to buy snacks. And so, like, they're not alone. Like, I think and Charlie are watching this. Like, can they just kiss already? Like what?
No, Charlie's too busy looking at a candy bar that reminds him of Nick. True. Isaac is watching these two being like, I think just watches everybody. It's like these, these just just let's put them together. These idiots in love. They're all in. Love and I hate it. That's because they won't just tell each other. But it seems fitting that this is the first place we see Tao
freak out about his feelings. Because Tao ends up just running out of the convenience story because he's so in love with this poor dude. He just, he can't handle his feelings. So he's just like, I gotta get out of here. They're. Too big. But I believe it's the next episode where he comes back and then emits his feelings. So it's just really cute that everything happens in this convenience store. In that aisle corner store, it's the same aisle. Well, yes, the candy aisle.
Or where else are they supposed to go? Let's see candy and apple juice aisle. Duh. Yeah, it's really cute. So they're they're still obviously in their feelings. And no one will take the apple juice. So there it's just one apple juice. It's just. One Yeah, that's right. You should have mentioned it's a single apple juice container. So they had to fight over it and then be like, you take it, No, you take it. You take it.
It's so lonely on the shelf. That is, I just wanted love like like Tau and ow my God it's such a good metaphor. Damn it. Now I have 4 feelings about them. The more we talk about this apple juice, the more like this apple juice is amazing. This is the greatest actor of the entire show. It it just it it had layers is what I'm saying. I think we've. I think we've. Proved that. Don't worry, there's more apple juice in in other scenes. We'll get back to that.
But other things that's going on with Tau and in the Tau and L plot line is that kind of like I mentioned earlier, we're talking about the Gcc's. Well, is also a year 11 like Nick, and she's taking her GCSE's this year and is considering leaving Higgs to go to a prestigious art college called Lambart. And so to do that she has to like physically leave. And these? The school is not near where they live, so it's like a couple hours away by whatever mode of transport they use which.
Obviously would be a big deal because it's really a hard transition when you see somebody every single day to like not even being able to do that. If you wanted to go see them, that obviously would be a big change for Elle and Tao, who has abandonment issues. Yes, he does. Yeah. Which totally understandable based on what happened with him and his, you know, his dad. And I get it. He's a little, he's a little traumatized. I'm going to interrupt real
quick. I don't know why my head cannot wrap around the fact that the girls and the boys are separate because I'm like, but we never see why is an L in the group for the GCSE's. I'm like she's at a different school and this is not the first time like I do this. Every time I'm like, oh, she's not there. The I'm like, oh, that's because she's not in that school to. Confuse you more. So in Solitaire.
So Solitaire's the first book. It follows Tori who goes to Higgs at Tori's, who is Charlie's sister apparently for for like college. Like year 12 and 13 boys can go to Higgs for year 12 and 13 and girls can go to Truro. Yeah, I was like, what? Why do we have? Two different schools then? That makes no sense. And also, is it common for the boys and girls to be separated in this country or is it just like are these private schools?
Please answer the comments. We don't want Americans that do not know. I've never felt more like a stupid American than I do like trying to learn this world. It's not only that is just England, it's real life and I can't understand it. And I I could probably get lost for a week in research. I'm trying to learn. Caitlin is really perplexed by Alice's world building.
Don't get it. Truly though, like I don't, I don't understand gender segregating school to begin with as somebody who did not grow up in that environment. I understand it less when they're like, well, for 12 and 13 you go to the other school. I find that strange. That makes it really weird. I don't understand. It confusing that is even part of the school though. Like if it's just it doesn't make sense.
Yeah, it hurts my brain. So yeah, if you if you can answer any of that for us, please do. I've tried looking it up. I'm still confused. But anyway, Speaking of confusing, Tao's behavior starts confusing L because she's being told by her friends to like, hey, go for it. He probably likes you. He's just shy. Look at him. And she does. But like Tao.
Instead of like one is so afraid of like ruining their friendship and like fucking it up. Basically that he's like it's better if we don't cross that line, even if I like you. And so he's trying to, like, avoid those situations, evade them, almost avoids LA little bit where she's getting really confused because he's like, I don't want her to get the impression that I'm into her because I don't want to ruin our friendship because it means everything to me.
But in the process of avoiding these feelings, he makes Elle feel like he is avoiding her. Yeah. Like think about like, my your best friend that you have feelings for. They're just avoiding you and you don't know what you did. Yeah. And because she like, I wonder if because she came out as trans and had to go through all of that and I people definitely was
probably avoiding her. And definitely being standoffish like that has to be even harder because she's just thinking like, what did I do, even though Tal's just got lots of going on up here? Yeah, and and it would have been nice. I understand that L is not the main focus of Hard Stop or like. To be fair, in the show they flesh out the friends a lot more than they than the books do. But I really want. An L book that taught that really showed her journey and all of that stuff, because
that's an excellent point. Caitlin. Like, does L have residual like PTSD slash defense mechanisms from her experience of being trans, which we don't know much about? I think there's an episode later where Tao just mentions like it wasn't really bad. Like she had a bad experience, like when she first, you know, transitioned or came out, you know, as trans. Right now it's it looks like it didn't affect her at all, which
we know is not true. Like totally, totally those experiences go into who she is right now. So I would definitely love to know more of her back story and. See it more? Yes, but this point you bring up is so good I didn't even think about it. Thank you. Because to have that behavior from Tao must be devastating because. He has been her constant this whole time.
Like he's like, he even mentioned like I think in episode 5. He's like I was there for her through all that stuff, you know, when they were just he's fiercely protective of all of his friends. So like to have how acting weird. Yeah, that must be very scary for her and, like, not feel good, you know? Yeah, I mean my best friend, like say like you just started avoiding me for no reason. And like, no, I'm not really. Sorry, no, that would that would feel. Awful.
And just and to have someone like, I believe they've been friends since they were little, right? I I guess that's the other thing. I know you was friends with Charlie. When they were younger. I don't know, but presumably a long time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Such a such a hard situation when you fall in love with your friend. I presume it's. It feels, it feels impossible, you know, for the two of them, because you think about it. It's like you're damned if you
do, damned if you don't. Because these feelings are, they're messing things up, even when you're trying to have them not mess things up, you know? Yeah. Yeah, it's really hard. I love them. Yeah. Alice, please write books by Elle. I would like to see more about everybody, everybody. Everybody has their own back story, but. That'd be so great because we like pick up in a place with all of them where it's so much has happened in their lives. I just.
I really want to know more about everybody grow up. Yeah, I totally agree. We need one of those like fan fiction books where like they start as like children and like you see their lives grow up, cuz that'd be. Great. And one exists. Please send it to us, I'm sure something exists. I hope so, okay. But Speaking of growing up, apparently in this world you're never too old to have sleepovers with your friends. Which I found strange. Like giant sleepovers because Charlie is hosting.
In his efforts to make things perfect for Nick, he's hosting a giant sleepover at his house while his parents are out. And Tory's there, I guess is supervised. And he's concocting this plan because Nick wants to come out to people who matter to him. That's kind of where we left off with things on the beach. And so who matters to Nick, who is a good person, not a Dick, doesn't play rugby? Enter Imaging who? They've been friends for a long time, which they keep mentioning.
And so everybody's gathering, They've got all the snacks in the world. We're getting ready for imaging to come over, but no, I'm sorry, I still mix up Charlie and Nick, and I don't understand why. I know who is who, but like when I say stuff, it's just they're one person, so they're changeable in my brain. So Nick comes over for the 1st and they hug and Tori has this little smile while she's drinking her drink of course when she sees them together.
And I just we love a supportive sister we. OK, listen after watching Solitaire waiting it. I wish I could watch it. She's stupidly protective of Charlie. So you're reading that absolutely correctly. Like new respect for Tori. I definitely wanna read like her story. It's good we have her story. We need everybody has to have their story. Apparently okay somebody in our
YouTube comments. I will shout you out in another episode with the Tori theory, but mention that there is a. Book that focuses on the character Isaac was based off of as well. Like a standalone. Oh yeah, I did. I. Get it? I think it's called I think it's Radio Silence is that book. I don't know how to get that but that the person who commented that thank you for all your
comments. Because it helped me understand more as well, and it was just great to see someone take the time to respond to our episode like that. It's it makes us very happy. It's so shout out to you. I will shout out your name. Your name is in our notes for another episode. I will shout out for real, yeah. When we get to that, it will praise you how much? Even more. But I love how when they find
out. I don't know if they know what the sleepover is for, but when they all find out that Imogen's coming to and Nick wants to come out to her and Darcy's like, it'll be fine because she's an ally. Oh my God. One of the best lines. Remember that she's an ally in air quotes. OK, can we air quote the ally? Oh, they did do air quotes. I'm air quoting it. She's an ally quote. She is an ally. And then and then they're dancing and. Literally every spontaneous
Darcy dance party. Everyone's telling Nick to tell her and like she not noticed that everyone next to her is saying tell. Her. Yeah, they're like straight up stage whispering. The music's not that loud, This whole sleepover, I I love it. Well, I guess Imogen's. Being a good quote UN quote Ally and not assuming what they're telling you She really she doesn't like to assume I feel likely, which I feel that good
for imaging. Sometimes it just makes it really oblivious, but I don't think she's really as oblivious because of the. Stuff she's not. She knows the stuff. She knows the stuff for sure. She's not enough. She's not enough, but it's okay. Nick gets there. So Nick feels the peer pressure. He's ready to go and. Imogen is like, I gotta use the
bathroom. So the next like perfect, I'll take you up the stairs to the bathroom and then before you can go to the bathroom I have to tell you something really important real quick. And I'm like Nick buddy, can she pee 1st? And then tell her after. It's already weird enough that you're taking her to the bathroom, Correct? Yeah. This was already weird, like the poor woman probably has to pee, but it doesn't matter. So he finally tells he's.
Trying to like get the words on Imogen's like is this bigger with Charlie, Like can we just. Can we just cut to the chase here? And so it starts up going, well, she's like, listen, I'm not surprised I had eyes. And then Imogen is like, now this all makes sense to me, why you didn't want to go out with me. It's cuz you're gay and you're into Charlie. That makes sense. Now I understand why her brain went there, but I like that they threw these.
Interactions and through some thoughts that Nick has, they really show the extra barriers people have like as bisexuals cuz like the assumptions that get put on you. So as a because he's dating Charlie who's out as gay, the assumption is you're gay and you didn't want to date me. Not like you just weren't into me. So confident she has it herself, though, because like, that's the only reason he could possibly not want to date me. Right. So like. Yeah. So like, again, that's an
assumption that gets put on him. And he's like, it's because I'm bisexual. And then her poor face, she's like, oh, so you just didn't like me? I've been so bad for her. But, like, I don't think she meant it maliciously. It was just like, oh, that. I get it now, but he's like, no, dear, I have to hurt you again. I'm sorry. But I I totally love her
reaction to all of this. Is that she just even though she she kind of knew that that's what was happening with them, she still didn't have the words to like, comfort Nick. So she just hugged him. She's just like, I don't know how to react to this. I'm just going to hug you. I really love that. That's how it goes. She didn't let him say it. She she like out of into herself. She didn't do that.
She was excited, like, oh shit, I should have let you say it, but she's this is this one relationship. She was not oblivious. No, not at all. And she may not know how how to react to the news that she's the one who said, but she found out that he's bisexual, so that was the big news for her. But hugs are always great and reassuring, as long as you like hugs. True which? Nick does he hugs everybody all the time? Yes, because he is a puppy. He's a puppy. So they earlier in the episode
were kind of doing this. Who do you like? Who do you like stuff? And and Imogen's like, I have a secret crush. I'm not going to tell you. So at this point, Nick's like, listen, I told you my crush. I mean, you knew it and it's a cast out of the bag. Now that's nice to tell me yours. And so of course, her answer is Ben, because of course. It is freaking Ben Misery. My second note is I wish we didn't know who it was. I know. I wish it was another character that she hasn't met yet and
we'll get to that later. Yes, I was like, wait, who? And then I was like, oh wait, no, the person that we want. The person that we want are, I wouldn't even call it a crack ship. I think we're going. I think we're going on that there, yeah. I mean this will that'll be in the last episode, I believe, but like, go. All about that, yes. Oh, there's there's some stuff. We'll fangirl about that later. So hard not to do it now. But let's fangirl about TAR and
Darcy instead, OK? Because we love that. So we kind of catch up with them a little bit. It seems like nothing really has changed in the two months time job. They're still going strong, but at this party there's some dialogue in here that's important. That I think, starts off their overarching plotline throughout Season 2 because they're having a sleepover and. Tara mentions that her mom lets her and Darcy have sleepovers. Which what? What? I'm pretty sure Tara's out to
her parents. So weird, but good on you, good on you. Equality or whatever. But there's the mention that Darcy parents never let people over. That's how Tara puts it. So already starting the suspicious. What is going on with Darcy's home life thing kind of starts here, yeah, and it's also Darcy's first instance of quickly changing the subject so it doesn't stay on her and her family. Yeah, cuz she's very good at avoiding shit. So more on that the rest of the
season. We haven't caught up with Isaac yet. So what's going on with Isaac? So Isaac is still his lovely King Isaac self and he in this sleepover. Party seems like really, genuinely happy for Nick and Harley, who you know they're finally boyfriends and doing their thing, and happy for Darcy and Tara, who are always really happy, and Ellen Tao, who are like being cutesy still, even though they're trying not to like be cutesy, but he he is clearly like, can they just get
it to get this over with? I'm tired of this. Well, they won't be nonsense, but there are a lot of long shots of Isaac during this sleepover. Kind of like when they're all together of him just like staring at these couples and like pondering to himself. Almost like he is questioning himself a little bit because he is like, aside from imaging, he's the only single person that really in that room or in his friend group.
And so I think everybody's at the age where they're having crushes and starting to date for the first time. And Isaac is still like by himself with his book. So I think he's starting that this is the sort of him kind of questioning like. Who am I? What's my sexuality kind of thing? Just by like observing his friends being happy in their little pairs, if that makes sense. Yeah, I was thinking about, like how he always had a book.
And like, yeah, I know people like to read, but I feel like maybe Isaac, when he was younger or something, started using books as a way to avoid situations. Because he's like always surrounded by couples and stuff. And like, he doesn't connect to these people. So he's like, well, I'll find books and connect to them to a way to escape into a different world. Oh my God, that's so good. And I want and I like that.
It's almost like the way Darcy uses humor to like, avoid deep conversations, avoid her feelings and stuff. Maybe that, Yeah, Isaac, his books is his defense mechanism. Yeah, that's really good. I love that. He just he just loves his, yeah, but yeah. In my books, cuz he always does that too, where he's like, I'm just gonna go back to my book, forget about this, I'm just gonna. It's his escapism in a way, too. He got more lines this season. Though he did, his storyline is
one of my favorites. I love him. Other first that we get in this season in this episode to kind of wrap it up is Nick and Charlie kiss in front of their friends for the first time as like the sleepover, it's next morning sleepovers wrapping up. Everybody's outside. Charlie's like, hey, bye everybody. And then Nick's like, yeah, I'm just gonna kiss you.
And then like, it's one of those kisses where he like forgets the friends are there until the friends are like, so the friends are being their friends and definitely have to cause attention to it and say how whoever thought that you weren't gay or something like. That that was Darcy. She's like, who who thought you were doing Darcy?
But this is the first time like I tried to like think about the leaves and so. Just the funny dungeons, because I've always gotten excited about the leaves because it went right from the other show where there was a tree.
But anyway, the leaves were a big thing for us, like we got a lot of things with leaves and trees, but the leaves and I'm just looking at the outside and then that the leaves flowing around them, that it made me realize that like maybe that's like whenever they feel free is when the the leaves can finally be free to fly around. Oh, I love that. Yeah. Versus like attached to the tree and they're like. Still pretending or they have their walls up. Yeah, I like that.
I think that that makes perfect sense. It reminds me of like the fall, like how it is right now. And it's like beautiful and it's just like you feel the breeze on you and then you just feel like anything is possible. I don't know if that's just me, but that's how I feel in the fall and that's why it's my favorite season. Mine too. But yeah, I like that that's that's the moment then, because that makes sense.
Like based on that kiss and the fact that they lost, clearly lost track of time and where they were. Like they were just being themselves in that moment. Yeah, like free. Like a falling leaf. Damn, Kayla, that's so good. I didn't think about that. I don't the leaves are just like they they they're in the comic books like as little transitions.
But I like that interpretation of them way better because like the animations a lot of times will like depict a feeling like you said like when they're like there's like hearts or there's like Tau and else thing is butterflies. Yeah, I think the leaves for them. Yeah, like that interpretation. Although the animations are like stay constant, they're they make it slightly different in ways to
like portray different things. So once like because of seeing the butterflies throughout the season and note noticing those things, cuz you brought that up since it was like so drastic. I was like something. I'm just gonna start looking at these things. Yeah, no, totally. It's very like Easter eggy like with with the the animation either itself or like that symbol being in. The background or on people's clothing or phone cases or things like that, it's yeah, and I think you're right.
I think it depicts state of mind or a feeling that's happening in that scene. Yeah, that's a good feeling. All right. What a good thing. I love when you say that, right? That damn, that's good. I'm like yes, I succeeded. No, your interpretations are great. I didn't. This is why we have these discussions, because like, that makes me want to go rewatch this and like watch all the Leaf scenes again and just be like they're free. I feel like there's like a leaf compilation.
I'm sure there is. Oh. My gosh, So what did you think of this episode? Honestly, I thought this is a really strong way to start the season. I love the continuity between the end of season one and the start of season 2. The fact that they picked it up immediately to kind of be like have Nick and Charlie be like I came out my mom and that kind of stuff, and then have a two-month really quick time explanation with the montage. I love that instead of just being like it's two months later.
I love that that aspect of this episode. And overall, it was great. Like it really we got to catch up with everybody and set up the season like kind of set it up a little bit. So I loved it. That's so good. It was a strong opening. It really was the episode just keep getting better and better in my opinion, and so we're off to a great start. I can't wait to keep and we have so much more to talk about and we have to, we're getting to it now.
But I mean, you'll see. You'll see it in a week or two. Just keep watching, keep watching, review the things. But yeah, until next time. I drink for lesbian Jesus. I'm gay enough all over the place. Bye. And with that, we've been big gay energy. If you like this episode, check out all our other episodes on whatever you're using to listen right now. If you're listening on Apple, we'd really appreciate it if you left us a review.
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