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're continuing our Heart Stoppers Season 2 discussion by talking about Episode 2, Family. Are you ready to get this on the road, Caitlin? Yes, let's get to it. Let's do it. All right. Let's do it.
All right. So Episode 2 is called Family, and now we're in the thick of it. We open up with what I think is called what I think it's Parents Day. I don't know if that's what it's called in the UK, but it's like all the for some reason we're in the gym again, I think, and all the parents are like, it's like parents with their child meeting with the teachers and it's like going over their progress so far. I have never seen parents and the students together.
With teachers, I mean not in America. I feel like that would be ours technically back to school night, which is not going over our We haven't gone over our progress since like, elementary school, right? They don't give a shit about kids in America, they just don't care. So maybe they care more in the UK, I'm not sure. But this gives us an excuse to or a perfect setting to like meet all the families.
Because we at this point we've only seen Olivia Coleman and Charlie's parents and Tao's mom a little bit. So. So we get we'll start with Tao. So Tao's mom in this scene seems like genuinely supportive of Tao and their relationship seems right off the bat really cute and close. But this scene is probably my favorite. So it's with the art teacher and he, the art teacher is really concerned about how's art
progress so far and. You would think it was like the worst thing ever and or that is like very disturbed, but it's not OK. I'll let you continue though. OK, so we get evidence of why he's concerned in the form of cows fish drawings, which are not the best he's trying. Okay. Why do they look like pigs? Yeah, that's okay. So I think he drew some vanities or dolphins and they kind of look like pigs. And then he has, like, I'm trying to, like, see this better. He wrote stuff in.
We took screenshots. He like, wrote stuff in the margins. I'm trying to read. It, yeah, I'm trying to wrap it. So, thank you. OK, so the first one, he drew a picture of a lionfish and he's like very cross something out toxic. They have stingers that are deadly to the touch. I think the second one is my favorite though.
So he's just got on the left side of the page, all these fish with like it's one with like a devious looking smile, one that looks like it's on drugs and he's just like he wrote something about like he said it was. I think he was about to say poisonous and then he was like, oh shoot, it says toxic, not poisonous. OK, so I do have. I know what you're gonna say, and that's what I'm trying to find it.
Go ahead. He brought something on there about like I googled a bunch of fish or something. Yes, so I I wrote exactly what it said. Thank you. I looked up. He well, it's one of my favorite things on this page. I mean took pictures of fish for this page. He's just like, he worked hard on it. So, like, let's not. So there are many types of fish. Here are a variety of fish. It's like, it's elementary schools, like essay. That's what I'm thinking.
Like the fish he's drawing all kind of look the same and like they're not detailed. I'm sorry, that wasn't the end of the sentence. He just splits up the sentences. So here are a variety of fish. But then it goes to this side that live in the sea. I looked up pictures of fish online and then at the bottom for this page that's my favorite. This is what he's submitting to his art teacher. And like, I wonder if Tao should stick to film and not drawing because he is on the struggle
bus with this submission. And then there's types of deep sea fish, Unicorn fish. I do like his Unicorn fish. I think that one came out OK. But like the left side is just like, what are these drawings like? But The thing is. I have a bone to pick with this scene. Alright, do it. Because I for one, I mean, alright, they're not L OK, but clearly I don't know if I have it. I can't draw for shit. Same. That's How I Met Brie, actually is by putting things online that
I drew. For some competition thing. But anyway, I think these drawings are pretty good for someone who can't do art. And because isn't art subjective. Like maybe this was his depiction of someone who can't draw. Like there's somebody who, and I feel like he could explain this so well. Like he could just like improv the shit out of like, an explanation. I mean, he probably should have wrote better paragraphs on the pages to like explain, but his thesis is the struggle bus.
But like you could tell he put effort into it, like it wasn't just like a BLOB with like a little tail. Like he he has details in there and. Then I was wondering if he OK, this is where. Am I forgetting that they are in different schools again? So does he have to take art or is he just there to be close to Elle and then I'm just going to write read what I wrote?
This is a stupid question because I now realize they don't even go to the same school, but maybe he's doing it so he can talk to Elle about it later and be like art was rough today. I couldn't get my gills where I wanted them. That's what I just pictured. He's like, I need to talk about art. So and he's like, like later he's into art, like he wants to go to the Art Museum. So like, absolutely. It's not like he doesn't care.
Like he looks at art. He likes it, probably because Elle loves it. But yeah, I just don't appreciate the way that they made him feel in this scene, because I think. They could have been more constructive with their criticism. I'm just saying, well, you should complain about that teacher. I'm. Really bad at art, but I know this is a side note. But we had to do like these clay leprechaun sculptures and they called mine a drunk leprechaun because it was so bad.
Actually, I don't think it was the school. I think it was my mom's ex-boyfriend, but he did look like a drunk leprechaun. I couldn't get the hair to stick on like nothing was like actually working. Art's rough. Art is rough. Struggle with art. Art is rough. So Tao's doing his best. We get to see Olivia Coleman be very supportive. Nick, which nothing has changed. He's doing extremely well in school, according to his teachers, which is the opposite of what's going on with Charlie,
apparently. But she's I love it when Olivia Coleman smiles at Nick, because it's just always so cute. It's like you can see the. Supportiveness and just like you feel free to just say anything because she's just so supportive. And even if Nick wasn't doing well, I feel like she'd be still probably like that's OK we can work on that. I feel like that's what she'd be like. Yeah, she's she's so sweet. I love his mom. I know they have a beautiful
relationship. One of the moms we don't we see but don't get a lot at all about is Isaac's mom. So you see, Isaac's mom is there, but we don't really get much. I'm again. I really want more of his story as well, because I really want to know what his home life is like. Same. I love that. I mean, we get to see his room. That's just books everywhere, but that's about it in the season.
Yeah, and I want to look more closely at his room too, cuz I feel like there has to be something in there that sounds like a challenge. I accept. Let's do it last parents before we get to Charlie. We do because it's why this character is the way they are.
So we get to see Ben with his mom and his dad, whether they're bio mom, bio dad, not sure, but he's got two parents and he's just sitting there really smugly getting nothing but praise from his teacher that he had the highest GCC grades, grade student, blah blah blah blah blah. And I will note that like Ben, his dad just looks like a sleaze ball of a person. He's just there with like open collar, no tie, smug expression that matches Ben.
So for me, I get the impression that his father is somebody that Ben is trying to emulate, and Ben's father looks like typical toxic masculinity type guy. So I think that this is where Ben's behavior really, really comes from. Is this specimen of a role model that Ben is living with. I feel like Ben's dad is probably an aggressive person who totally, like, forces himself onto his mom. So, like, I definitely understand.
Like how? Ben is probably like ohh my dad and like very oldfashioned like the man of the house is who you look up to. Yeah, I feel bad for his mom. Yeah. And that's and that's what I'm saying like this woman that's here stepmom bio mom. Not sure. But yeah, that is that is the. I get that impression too. Exactly. That is. Random woman he found on the street and forced to come pretend. The biggest I don't know. I hope there's no human trafficking involved in this parent's.
Day. That's So what I know. I didn't think of that. But OK, so let's get to the biggest family dynamic in the show, which is Charlie. So Charlie's there with both of his parents, mom and dad. And according to his teachers, Charlie is on the struggle bus and his grades have been slipping across all of his subjects, which was news to me. This just, like happened. And they're like, well, Charlie seems really distracted.
And of course, at that moment, Charlie looks over to Nick, who's having a good old time with Olivia Coleman, getting praised by his teachers and. I'm distracted by Olivia Coleman, too. I would do I how could any of the other people be having conversations right now? But they are somehow, they're strong people, I guess. But I think what this is highlighting and this is something that Alice really wrote into the Nick and Charlie
story, period. And what she's trying to show is that, you know at the beginning, you know in the first episode everything was great from Charlie's point of view. He finally has his boyfriend that he always wanted. He has the love he romantic love he always wanted. So now everything is perfect because I got that one thing that according to fairy tales solves all of my problems. If you have, you have the romantic love of your of your dreams that solves all your problems.
And Alice, very consciously with them, is trying to show you that romantic love doesn't solve all your problems. Just because you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend or a partner, it doesn't automatic. That alone does not solve your
problems. And what's interesting is that in Charlie's case, it's actually causing new problems because he's so fixated on making Nick's life perfect that he's neglecting his own wellbeing and he's slipping into these selfdestructive behaviors, like not performing well, like forgetting about school. So you could just focus on Nick, which is the impression you get from the scene. So. He doesn't care about himself.
And because of some things that he goes through that we'll find out later on like that, back that up. But he then really messed him up. Getting publicly outed really messed him up. But yeah, to the bigger point here, it's a romantic love doesn't automatically solve all your problems. And so just because he's with Nick, everything's great. It's a lot of new ones, right? Yeah, it's creating new problems. And so his. And from this conversation, it's very clear that that's what's
happening. And there's obviously tension between like Charlie's parents, particularly his mom, who is a very overbearing and in like the books a kind of a colder person. He's not as like outwardly affectionate and he's obviously. Able to think about her, she's kind of an enigma character, but she's very much described in the books. And from Tori's point of view too, as like being very not affectionate, period. She's more of a detached person. Yeah. And so on the car ride home,
that tension kind of persist. And Charlie's parents are kind of like, well, maybe you should, you know, you have a new boyfriend. Maybe that's distracting you. And you guys obviously spent those last two months doing nothing but seeing each other. Perhaps you guys should put some distance between you 2 to like, so you can focus on school. And Charlie's mom is the one who's, like, really hammering that home. Like, needs to be a complete
man. You need to stay away from Nick entirely until you get your schoolwork done. Which I don't see where that's unreasonable to be honest. Like after school, you guys can't see each other until your assignments are all done. But no, She's like telling him that he's banned for months. Isn't that what it was? No, that's not where we're at now in the car ride, cuz in the conversation with the teachers, they're like you still have your history paper that you were assigned a while ago.
It's still not done. You're you're not caught up in your assignments, was the main crux of the conversation with the teacher. And so the mom is like, you need to complete ban from Nick until you finish your assignments. That's this conversation. They revisit the conversation in another episode because Charlie is not doing those things and at that point he was sneaking out and seeing Nick and breaking the rules. OK. Well, then that's fair. I understand that.
I thought it was just immediately banished from seeing him for until like after the semester or something. So, OK, that it escalates later because Carly does not still then. OK. I agree with them. I think this is just fair. It's like finish your home or for you, go out and play. That's exactly what this is. Yeah, I mean, like, he's to finish that freaking paper that takes Oh my God. 25 minutes to write. This is the weird. The paper is the one of the weirdest things ever.
But Charlie, of course doesn't take that well because he's not doing well mentally. And Nick being with Nick is the like. Alone in their own little bubble in their little fantasy fairy tale is the thing that makes Charlie feel better. So without that, he kind of is spiraling and he doesn't communicate that to any of his parents because Charlie's not somebody who communicates those deep, dark feelings really easily.
So it's just there's festering bad stuff happening with him that's getting exacerbated by this ultimatum his parents are basically giving him because they're like, you need to finish your school work. What are you doing? Because yes, Yeah. So I don't think it's unreasonable, honestly, like. No, no. Now that I understand. No, it's not. I did have other. I probably wrote him down too. But now that I know that, it wasn't what I thought. Damn, Nick. I'm Charlie.
Sorry, Speaking of Nick though, we'll just jump ahead Okay. So meanwhile next his brother David is home from uni. So we get to meet David and it's described having a brother before and he is described by Nick as a Dick. So already that's not a good relationship. And Nick, understandably because he knows what his brother's like, doesn't feel really comfortable having Charlie around anyway because his brother can be act like a bully.
So Charlie spirals more because he's like, my parents are forcing me to stay away from you and I just really want to come see you. Can I sneak out and come see you? And Nick's like, yeah, my brother's here who's an asshole. Do not come over here because it's going to put you in a worse mood and so that doesn't go well. But meanwhile, at Nick's house, he he gets bullied immediately by his brother because right off the bat David is pastoring Nick. He's like, do you have a
girlfriend yet? Do you have a girlfriend yet? And like poor living Commons background, like, just leave him alone, David, leave him alone. There are two. Types of older siblings, one who's very supportive and you're very close to and then one like this. I I have one more like this one and it it sucks. It really sucks to have an older sibling Who is? You'd hate being around. Yeah, and so why on earth would Nick want to OfferUp that information?
Like, even if Nick had a girlfriend, why would he tell David? Yeah, cause like you're an asshole. Why would I tell you this? I'm not going to share anything with you. And Nick's mom collaborates that, where she's like, listen, you don't owe him anything. You don't owe him any personal information about your life. So I love that. And it's so true. And that's kind of like one of
the themes in this season also. It's just like part of what makes coming like coming out is really for other people. And like, you don't owe people personal information about your life. You owe them nothing. You It is up to you to share what you want to share. Like you don't owe people any information. So I do love that she says that to him. I know it's it's later. I just want to mention real quick. But she does this with his dad too, and I just love it. Yes, because like, it's so
important to know. Like, they don't deserve. Like, especially if they're people that are not in your life and don't care about you, they don't deserve to know anything about you. Yeah, exactly. You don't. And and in this context too, because they're dad, brother blood relations, you don't owe your family that information either. It is OK to set boundaries with family members. Like, that is OK, yeah. Which luckily, media is portraying more and I'm really happy about it.
Yeah, exactly. Like, I like all the mental health kind of things that are sprinkled throughout this show. It's it's it's important to see it portrayed in such a positive way and to like give those lessons to people. Mental health's done so nicely on in front and behind the scenes. Like, I love that they took mental health to heart and to really, really make sure everyone was OK and their representation there.
Yeah, learning that from Pierre was really cool and we talked to him that like from before they even started anything like this show was like we wanna have this service and like they're proactive about it cuz they deal with like part of the plot lines. It's becoming more apparent in Season 2, but a big, big, big heavy plot line is like the dark mental stuff that totally goes through.
So I think it was really smart that they did that, even when they didn't know they were getting those seasons that were gonna discuss those. Yeah, I was. Like, they had it since the very beginning. I thought it was because they kept talking about that it was darker, so that they brought it in. But no, exactly. It was. And that's that's amazing. Yeah, agreed. But when Charlie is texting Nick that he isn't allowed to see him, he erased it. He's about to text that.
I'm sorry, yes. And then he erases it and says I am so angry. So he is finally, even though he has issues like with his own feelings, like he really takes on other people's emotions, which is why he was going to say I'm sorry, he said. I am so angry, so he's acknowledging what he feels instead of just trying to apologize for everything. So he's really starting to be assertive for himself. Yeah, that is such a good point.
Yeah, I I love that part too. It it might have been easier for him to do that in a text, you know, where like Nick's not really directly in front of him and you and you do get that opportunity to like, like you said, the reflex for Charlie is always, I'm sorry, which like if he was in person, he would have just said it versus like, I can erase that and say what I really mean. So I do love that scene. So now we have to go back to Imogen and Ben because they are
a thing. At Theora, Wrote I I concur. But the very first time we see them together at the school, Ben isn't even looking at Imogen. No, it just shows how little he cares about her. He's always staring at Charlie. Always. Always like Nick with like hatred. Yeah, but usually they're together. Usually, yeah. So I feel like it's just like he likes Charlie so much. He doesn't know how to contain himself. And it's just like, how does no one else?
I mean, we do see, like people do start like kind of noticing stuff, which is great, but yeah. Anyway, but like, it's it's obvious immediately that like Imogen's his beard. Yes, I mean, he used to serve as a beard. They're both beards. Let's be real. Yep. Just one UN quote but to your point he is staring at Nick at the scene and or not staring at Nick, but Nick witnesses this and is as uncomfortable as we are. Watching Imogen and Ben be a thing. I I just don't see them
together. Like, even if we didn't, we liked Ben. Even if we liked I just Yeah. I don't see it. Imogen deserves better. Oh my God, I don't know. I I've screamed that so many times at the TV watching this. Imogen deserves better. I just. What if I can fix you screaming this, then like, Julie's just in the kitchen cooking. Like, what the hell, I'm just Imogen, not Julie saying it.
But yeah, like for Nick, it's uncomfortable because it's Ben and he knows what Ben did to Charlie, which is be a predator. And then Emma Jen's one of his closest friends, like, hence the whole sleepover that was focused on Nick telling his closest friend. So it's like uncomfortable on a lot of levels for Nick, you know? Yeah, I mean, it's uncomfortable just being in Ben's presence.
Well, yes. And Emma Jen's plot line for me really highlights Found Family, which is like another big plot or big theme in in in Heart stopper. Because, you know, especially it's centered around mostly Charlie's friend group that just keeps expanding. But Imogen is like the perfect victim for Ben because she's very much by herself, you know, She doesn't seem to have close friends aside from Nick. You know she's.
I wouldn't say she's lonely, but like every time you see her, she is just so on the out with everybody. And I feel like she's just trying to find where she fits. And it's so you know, what girl, you need to go to theater because I feel like that's where, like if you can't figure out where you fit in, just try theater because you be good. All the misfits you find yourself there. I say with no personal experience whatsoever. No, not whatsoever. But I think I don't.
I could see her. I could see her doing that. I could do and and I feel like that part of her plotline is so relatable to me. I always felt like that, like I never had like a Charlie group of friends since I was a small child that were like fiercely loyal to each other. Like I felt very on the outskirts of other people for a
lot of like my youth. So I I do feel Emmegen's journey like it. It is really hard to do and to her credit she's very much she's not on the level of Charlie where she like has a lot of self hatred. It's very much the opposite with Emmagen. She clearly respects herself and is actively trying to find her place like you said. And for her, it almost is starting with who do I date? And it maybe it's because they're at that age where like. That's the next step is who do I
date? I think I believe I say this later, but they Ben and Imogen, I feel like they're just like it's expected to have to be meeting someone. So this is the expectation of a for teenagers. So and I totally understand that because I was like, I mean I was not confident at all. So I was like very against it. But it's just like you think that that's what you're supposed to be doing. If you're not, you're a loser or something like that. Totally.
And especially because like everyone's in a relation and poor Isaac, this is what he's witnessing as well. So I feel like Isaac and Imogen really need to talk more. I think those two could both of them, he he would do well in theater too. Like, I feel like he'd just be like that. Like he feels like Director I. Or you know what? I wouldn't say stage manager, but like the crew, like the technician, yeah, I feel like he would do really well with that. He'd be good there.
But yeah, they should. Alice, listen 2-3. Let them talk to each other. I think they should, yeah. It's bringing this back full. They should put on a show and not not like a big plot point because that like, that's not the show really, but like just as like a background thing. I feel like it'd be funny if they were, like, required to put on a show. For like, one episode, just the chaos. I would ensue with this old friend group instead of prom. It's like the spring play or
whatever. Of course it's at Truro because everything's at prom, yes. They get the budget, they do, but Truro isn't the only school, so let's go over to Haggs and see what's going on. So this year it's prom in this night Year. But this season, big pop point is prom. The Higgs Girls are planning the Prom and through this we meet Sahar, which is our other new character. We've basically talked about
this whole time. We have covertly been talking about her cuz we ship her with Evigen and she is a character from the from the books and does show up around this time. So she she is cannon. Imogen is a new character, which is why I love where this goes so much cuz unplanned. Is she in the books? I think so. I think so. I mean, everyone's queer, everyone's queer, and that's the way it should be.
But besides her being a bike queen in this episode, she's in charge with planning prom and feels in over her head. So she goes to the gaze, Ian Higgs, and she's like, can you guys help? And of course Tara is like typing. And she's like, yes, I would love to And my girlfriend's like, you know, got her head in the clouds. So this would be perfect. Let's do it. But Tara's not only excited about helping, she's really excited about the prospect of
Darcy in a suit. And I'm gonna hydrate the lesbian Jesus because, yeah, girl, women in suits. Yes, cheers on that. I would also like to see you 2 together with Darcy and a suit. That would be really cute, but of course that doesn't appease Darcy. She wants it more extravagant and she's like, let's make it pirate. Themed OK, I love Darcy and all of her suggestions. I'm with her for this suggestion because of what Sahara says, because it's the gayest thing
possible. And she's like, if I can bring a sword to prom, I'm totally up for it. Because women with swords like. I can't drink anymore right now, but we if you've watched previous episodes for swords, that's all it takes. It doesn't have to. There doesn't need to be context. It doesn't need to make any sense. The aesthetic alone, the sword. That's it. There is a scene with a woman with a sword in the show that I've been watching that you know of. And I thought about you immediately.
I literally cannot wait. Send me all the detail. Okay. But we have been talking about this prom thing since the reaction video that we did of this episode because. I remembered that prom is like an American thing. And I remember when hearing that it was like one of the first things where I'm like, oh, America's really different and America just only knows America because of course we do. So I this I did read up on and I have some info about the USA versus England prom debate that
I had with myself. So prom did start in the US. Prior to the 2000s, the UK had school discos and summer balls, but nothing was as huge as a US prom. Now Proms, Obviously America goes way too hard on it's in every TV show and movie. It's ridiculous and I hate prom in itself, but as somebody who went to a prom, they're not that big of a deal, I don't understand why it is the focus point. For high school, they're not
that great. I don't know if we all talked about our prom experience, but I know I talked about it with brief No. Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, Sapphire. And because you were watching the prom. Yeah. When we watched the prom. And yeah, so go watch that if you want to know about my Prom experience, because also a good movie. Yeah, great movie.
Yes, music, anyway. So the US media made Proms become a thing in the UK because I I guess our media is very apparent in other countries, whereas it's not the same the other way around, which is why I'm learning about England right now, because it doesn't go both ways, unfortunately. But we're going to change that. But according to this article that I read from 2004, parents weren't too thrilled about it,
mostly because of the cost. And that there it was, because their kids are watching TV and movies, and that's why it's a thing now. They hated that. They were like getting it from Americans. And another thing that like, really confused the shit out of me was that it was in July. And so in the US, prompts are usually in May, sometimes June, but usually May before the end of school. And exams like you're not even done school, you're go and you go to prom.
But in the UK, it's after the GCS E's are finished in June and July. See, to me that makes more sense because it's like a celebration that everything's over versus America. It's like, let's celebrate now. I meant suffer after. I get why they would do, yes. I know. I was like, everybody's so focused on prom that they're not studying, right? That's what I mean. Like it seems silly.
At the same point like school's over and it's a school sanctioned event so I don't really understand why they would put on an event after school's out. Also, I don't think their breaks are like our breaks where our breaks are like 3 months, like they're usually off for like a shorter period of time and then they come back to school. So school's almost like more like year round because the breaks are divided and shorter too.
Really. Mm HM So someone not from America or who's lived there needs to explain everything. Little one for us. We're trying really hard.
But the problem. With research like I'm trying to learn, the prom thing is really interesting because the same thing happened with Halloween. So that was an American thing that only happened in America. And then it became popular in other parts of the world because of media and the way it like spread around and other places do Halloween the way we do it with like dressing up and getting candy. So that wasn't. My point that I have always said that media has the power to change the world.
It does not. The women want to change the world, but. Yeah, so now everyone has to beg for candy every October and you have to spend like $400.00 for prom. Yeah, notice it's always things that cost money. That's why I was like, fuck you, America. Capitalism, I was about to say. Communism. I'm like, that's not it. Fine. I mean, is there anything more communism than Halloween? It's just, you just share candy with people, regardless of who you are. I. Was like, that's not the right C
word. I have no transition out of C words, so let's just go back to Ellen Town. I got nothing and we'll get through them. So they're still at this point on the outs with their feelings, but Ella's talking about it more with her friends, and she's still she's getting conflicting advice. Like Darcy is like, go for it. Hara's like, no, no girl, keep your distance. And so Hara's like there's a. Boy, she's just entering this friend group, so I find that.
Exchange really funny. Oh my God, to enter this friend group. They just like, it has to be so difficult because they tighten it. Yeah, but which makes it more of the more amazing the way Tara and Darcy kind of jumped in because like, think about it, they've only known Elle for like a few months and they're already like very in the group. So yeah, so I was going to fit a great, but I just love that exchange.
I found it really funny. But ultimately, Elle is really trying to figure out what to do, like trying to figure out her college situation, and she wants to go after Lambart art school and is really focusing her attention there, even though she knows it's gonna. It's gonna put her distance between her and Tao, but if she's trying to shut these feelings off, maybe that'll be a good thing. So she's kind of, like, grappling with all of that, and it's not of her. For not changing her dreams.
For a guy? Yeah, totally. Which she easily could have done. And for Tao, he can see that Elle is really slipping away into this art college world and it's making him sad. And how's mom can see that too? She is their ship captain by the way. She ships the two of them so hard since season one. Yes, she's so cute about.
She's so cute. But right before Theor and I had like a slight little break and we were talking about subtitles in watching it. So this is if you have the subtitles on. I don't think you can really hear it. But you can read it if the subset is on. So while L and tower texting, the group is talking about a photo booth, but there's no budget for it. So they're trying to figure out, they're like, we could just have a box, but I didn't hear that,
Something like that. You can hear that in there. But this is the line. So Darcy says, well, we could make L paint everyone instead of photos. Then it's free. Poor Elle. Having to sit there painting everyone, she just becomes the like prom caricature artist. And it's like it's. I couldn't figure out who actually says it, but I think it was Darcy. Because it makes sense. No, that's definitely a Darcy line. Sahara doesn't know these people.
She doesn't know Elle can draw. And Darcy's already offering uppers free labor to replace an actual photo. That's a Darcy line. It's free. Yeah. No, that's such a Darcy line. The girl you gotta pay for the paint. What are you talking about? Is that free? I gotta pay L. My God. So the prom Planning is off to a fantastic start for that line. But unfortunately we have to leave prom planning and we head over to what's going on with the Gcse's.
So we're back to silent study hall with Nick and Ben. Pair it up because of course they are. And because of these Gcse's, Charlie is Charlie and Nick can't see each other as much because Nick is really has to focus on these big exams. Also Charlie has a has a band. So like they're not meeting inform anymore. So like in school they see each other less than they normally would have. So it's like kind of exacerbating to that condition? Which makes us struggling with.
True, Definitely. Struggling with Nick is just like, all right, we have to do what we have to do, right? Yeah. And Nick is in a better mental place than Charlie. So Charlie is like, all of these factors are making Charlie spiral. And So what Charlie does in this episode is he's like, OK, let me devise a clever way to see Nick somehow. So he manages to get this is ridiculous. He manages to get stupid. And so stupid he managed to get
into this. Jesus, he study all like someone convincing Mr. Farooq that he has Nick's only pen and has to return it to him. Meanwhile, I'm sure that Nick has something in his hand. Yeah, Nick is already in study hall. It's like day two of this. He has a pen with him. Like what is this? Also, you cannot convince me that Mr. Farooq would not just be like all right, I will give it to him because it's a freaking pen. Why does Charlie have to deliver it to Nick? And then they proceed to have
like a 3 minute conversation. Like it doesn't take 3 minutes to give somebody a pen? No. And to your point, in what universe is Mr. Farook gonna let this happen? Like Mr. Farook is the most strict teacher we've met at the school. Yeah. What is this? They don't understand this concept. We're showing that Charlie's so desperate to see big. But how does this the scenario doesn't actually play out based
on these characters? Better thing would be to do there is an emergency for Charlie Nick. My God, Nick, Like, and I, he needs a phone to take, a phone call to pull him out of the study hall thingy. Yeah. Not give him a pen. Pen yeah. And then to have a conversation. So but sure that happens. I get that it's cute and they want to see each other but sure suspend the disbelief for how that actually went down. He I think there's two reasons
this had to happen. One, because cute stuff and then two, because Ben sees it. I think that's the the big thing here. So of course once Nick has his only pen back and he goes and sits down. With two pens now he has to yeah, he has to hide the other pen he was already using. Then of course has to immediately cannot help himself and starts taking digs at Nick and so because he's like, Oh yeah, stop being so gay, maybe in public and people won't think you're dating or whatever.
Like snide bullshit like that because Ben cannot help himself because like you said, he keeps staring at Charlie. He obviously has some residual feelings. He handled that like a dumpster fire and he's pissed off that Nick has what he wants and it has the courage to like be somewhat open about it and at least talk to Charlie in public. The audacity. And so Nick is not having any of this bullshit from Ben and basically calls him a predator.
Which, yeah, like he basically calls him out and he's like, you assaulted him, I watched you and you're just a predator. Like, fuck off. And while that is all valid, Mr. Farooq overhears them because they're talking in the silent study hall. And he remembers who he is. Yeah, yeah. He's like, oh, yeah, that's right. I mean, strict rules that nobody should be talking. So you guys keep breaking those rules. So here's what we're going to do
now. Now you're going to leave and everybody can silence study for this big exam. And I'm going to put you two in a locked room together, sitting next to each other. Kill each other, don't kill each other, whatever. Anyway. I You said they sit next to each other. There are at least three desks in this room. Yeah. With dividers, Yeah. Okay. So Nick sits at the very furthest one. It's closest to the door. Which means that Ben is the one who chooses to sit next to him.
Yeah, I'm assuming to just piss him off because he doesn't want anyone to be happy since he will never be allowed to come out. Yeah, he's just. He is just, again, he's one of those guys. This seems to be common with men in particular, but it's not limited to men who just don't know how to process. I'm just that's who Ben is, who can't process his own feelings. It's because he cannot process his feelings. He puts it on to other people, points it out, and then makes fun of them.
He wants them to feel what he's feeling. So I think he's trying to make Nick feel like shit when it comes to Charlie the way he does. So your point is absolutely correct. You chose to sit next to Nick to piss off Nick like he was doing that completely on purpose. I need. I just want Ben. I wanna like Ben, but we can't. He's the misery. I I feel like he's the. He's a tragic character. To me he is. I mean, you explain him more to me later in the series and.
I understand more, but his behavior is highly unlikable. Yeah, so he got the Misery name. So then we get a Nick and Misery comparison when they start talking to each other because Ben cannot. Throughout, very consistently, throughout the whole show, Ben cannot own up to his bad deeds like he just can't. He can't own the fact that he was wrong. He verbalizes many other excuses of what's going on rather than looking inward to be like, it's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me.
He does not do that at all. So his what part of the conversation he's like, oh, because Ben, Nick's like, oh, so you just moved on to imaging real quick. And I'm afraid that you're with imaging because she's my friend and Ben's like, oh, I'm not allowed to like girls and boys. Like he thinks that that's the problem versus like you were a predator to Charlie and I'm afraid you're going to do that to Imogen. And you're already treating her like shit. Totally.
Like, again, Ben doesn't take any of the responsibility. He's just like what? It's because I can't be like bisexual too. It was like, I'm just reframing it. But like and like for Nick, I think that these lines that Ben's giving in this conversation are a little bit triggering because I think the comparison has always been there, at least for Nick.
Maybe Charlie too, between himself and Ben, because they're, you know, both like Charlie, but they're both having these secret relationships with Charlie. To Nick's credit, he doesn't want this to be a secret to because he's ashamed and wants to hide Charlie the way Ben did.
But I can see the way Nick can feel like wow I'm I'm doing the same thing to Charlie and I'm hurting Charlie even though I don't into because he he knows how how much Ben really messed up Charlie not just like the assaulting stuff but like it's it's very Nick watches Charlie like a hawk and it's very evident anytime he's around Ben like he shrinks like Charlie really shrinks and gets inward and it clearly upsets him.
And I think on some level Nick is afraid that he's you know a lot like Ben in a bad way even though he's he's not. But I think I can see where Nick would think that, you know? Nick goes into bodyguard mode every time Ben's around for not even just Charlie for image into which we see later but oh, Ben's
effect on the group. Yeah, I mean, and again, at the core of it, like you said, Nick, Nick really is looks out for other people and their best interests, whereas Ben's entire thing is he just selects out for himself and his own, you know, self-interest. Which is why even when they bring up Evigen Ben, it automatically makes it about himself, not about Imogen, which is really telling about where his head is. Yeah.
Yeah. So after the pen incident, Nick and Charlie do manage to see each other despite the ban, because Charlie keeps breaking the rules. Yeah, it's all Charlie's fault. I know it's a Charlie's little instigator and. And Nick's happy to see him, but he's just like, he stuck out again. Yeah, he's like, what are you, what are you doing? So they make plans to meet at a neutral ground because Nick's house still has David the homophobe in it.
So they meet out at the park and like, Nelly gets to come. So, Nelly. Nelly gets to come and it's really cute and they like, play with the dog and like the start of like, Nick being the person of the relationship who just is the photo historian who takes all the photos Anytime Charlie does something cute next, like, I'm going to take a picture, I'm going to take a picture. It kind of like starts to get obvious here when Charlie's playing with Nelly and it's
really cute. And another thing that's comes up here, or starts at least, is the theme of Charlie stealing Nick's hoodies, which that was in the book too. And it's really funny because at one point Nick's like that is the only hoodie. You haven't take it for me and I need it. It's like winter, but it is a cute. It is a cute thing and I never really like, you know Speaking of Charlie. So Charlie likes likes the hoodie because they're bigger on him. He he talks about this in the
book. They're bigger on him and they smell like Nick and so they're it's very like comforting for him and he keeps doing it. I think in this season and they made it more obvious it's because that's Nick is his kind of like comfort. And so when they can't see each other, like that's a way for Charlie to cope with like the bad mental stuff that's going on with him is by like having a piece of Nick with him, even when they're apart.
So I think that's kind of why we start seeing that here in the scene. Nick needs library rules where like you can only have certain amount at the time, You have to bring them back in two weeks and then you can just keep checking stuff out. I think in the books Charlie gives them back when they don't smell like Nick anymore. Like it kind of is like an eternal like you could borrow for three weeks and then break back.
Oh my God. So despite all the keyness that's happening, Nick is understandably stressed out about these exams because they mean a lot, particularly math, which I think he's not the strongest. And I assume and of course, like, Nick is just being like, this is how I feel about this exam I have to take. Charlie immediately internalizes Nick's feelings and is immediately like, let's fix it, I'll study with you.
It's like Charlie, you you just got like banned from going to Nick's house because you're not focusing on your school work. And here you are, jumping head first into Nick's school work because he feels stressed out about an exam you're supposed to feel stressed out about. Relatable. I found that type of person, but they should really do work together, correct? And like like Charlie doing his own work while Nick is doing his own work, not Charlie doing
Nick's work. Yeah, and he's again do each other's. Work and then, yeah, Charlie takes the GCSE really. But again, it's just a continuation of Charlie just ignoring himself to focus on Nick. And then they make out for a bit because it's been 2 days and we haven't kissed in two days. And it's always two days, two days. What's with the two? Like is there a significance of this two day thing? Not that I'm aware of, but it that seems to be their marker, or at least for Charlie, when
it's like it's been too long. It's like been 2 minutes, been two days, been two days. Well, now the clock restarts for two days and as Charlie's walking home, Nick, with the photo collection that he has, starts posting them on Instagram. And as the season goes, they start getting bolder and bolder, like what he's posting and what he's writing. So in this one, he posted a photo of Nick, of Charlie with and Ellie. Great is all Charlie. My God, I know the photo album.
It's literally just Charlie. Which, yeah, if David ever got that game over. But he posts a photo of Charlie playing with Nelly, and the caption he writes is I think Nelly loves him. Yeah, Nelly loves everybody, right? Is it is it Nelly that loves him? Is it Nelly loves everyone? Like you said, you tell it on yourself there buddy. Actually, Nelly doesn't like everyone, which I make a point later. You're right, I mean, but nobody
likes this person. Yeah, and I like when Charlie sees the, sees the Instagram post and then he gets his little happy rainbow walk. That's all swirly cuz like Charlie needs some happiness and like happy thoughts. So I'm glad he got this. It looks really cute. It's cute. I love the way they do the rainbow. It's like a pastelic rainbow too. Yeah, it's just. It looks more dreamy. Yes. Like, yeah. And like he's living the fairy
tale. I've got the beautiful boy that loves me and is posting me on his. It was just him on the Instagram and it's kind of like, yay, I feel like perfect for my. Song could play here. I feel like a Taylor Swift song. Could have played anywhere, but here would be good. I would like to see it. It wasn't upbeat, like be like walking on clouds sounding kind of song that was playing in the scene, which makes sense. The music in the show is phenomenal. They do. I'll talk more about it in this
show Music and other. So yeah, it's really, it's been consistent from season one to season 2. Also the music, it's just really good. All right. So let's go back to L So L because again, she's trying to get into this art school. Lambert She goes to this sixth form opening event for I guess all the year Elevens that are considering going here for like college and. I'm not even gonna ask.
I will do research later. It's a really big school and so she's doing a tour through kind of like some of the studios I guess, where the students are painting something environmental themed, I think is what they say. Yeah, yeah. Because she gets the advice to do something like that, Yes. Yeah. And so part of Elle right now, I think. It's global warming. Yes, I think you're right.
I think it's global warming. And so L part of Elle is like really thinking about this, but she hasn't really been inspired to make any art because I, you know, I guess part of their, their application is submitting like a portfolio with their work. And so because she hasn't decided yet, she hasn't really started anything. So she meets Naomi, who's another trans girl, and they start kind of talking about, like, their applications and the fact that neither of them has actually started.
But we meet Naomi, and then we meet Felix, who's I guess Naomi's other friends. So these are the new kind of queers. And Felix is a disabled character, which is really fantastic because there aren't enough disabled representation, especially in like. Queer media? Oh yeah, there's no I can think of. Margarita with a straw and that's about it. And then usually if there's like a disabled character in a wheelchair, it's like that same actress, right? If you.
I mean, she's great, but they use her like everything. And then I guess L word Gen. Q did have A disabled. I didn't. I've only seen a few episodes. That's all I can think about at the top of my head, so I really enjoy feeling I wish we got more. These characters are both not in the books because we don't get to see L going through the journey of Lambard it just mentioned. We should see them more next season. I hope so, yeah. When she goes, that'd be great. They're really cool.
And immediately it's like she found people she clicks with while she's trying to figure this out. And one of the moments I really love is when Naomi and Elle are looking at a piece of art and they start talking about one of the reasons they really want to go to Lambert which is a again a school there neither of them are at now they would strictly be
going there for college. It's like a new start And and Naomi says she she's she one of the reasons she wants to go to Lambert is because he or she can just be Naomi not be known as she is now at her school as the trans girl And she's like do you know what I mean? And I was like, yeah, I really do and this is what I really want Elle's story because.
Yeah, Like, imagine that, like you're you're going through this kind of big change and you're just forever known by the thing you did not who you are, You know what I mean? Like here they can just be themselves. They don't have to be like defined by their transition or like the process they went through or things like that, where people will only see that and not see all of them, you know? I loved seeing all at the school, even though you don't see her there that much like
it's. But like this first time you see Elle fit in immediately with everyone, like she looks so happy and even at like she does have Tar and Darcy at her school. But it took her a little while. Like to a point where a teacher's like, I'm going to find you a buddy, but like this one she I know. Friends instantly because she's around people who she relates to. And it shows that the school is going to be a better fit for her. And I'm really excited to see how she grows even more.
No, I I cannot agree more. I think yeah, it's it's very beautiful for everything you just said. But of course we have to go back to Truro, because everything centers around Truro. And after the maths, the maths GCSE happens, Nick confronts imaging about Ben. And this has to be a really hard conversation because obviously Nick wants to protect his friend that he's done forever. But, like, he can't explain why really.
Because Nick is not the kind of person who's going to out Ben, Even if it means protecting Imogen from Ben because she's like, well, what did he do? And he's like, well, bad stuff. He did really bad stuff, you know. But I mean, I don't think it's fair for Nick to say anything. Because, I mean, like, he can't tell her, so she can't really take his word for it because how is she going to make her own opinions if he can't even say what it was?
Yeah, that's true. I think Nick is really worried about the fact that, you know, in season one where Charlie, he like, assaulted Charlie. I think he's afraid that Ben is going to assault Imogen in private when nobody can help her. I think that's what he's. And he's really afraid about that possibility. But yeah, it sounds like he's coming out of out of the blue with nothing to just be like, just stay away from him because I'm your friend and I said so and I think he was really
banking on that. But yeah, from Imogen's perspective, she's like, where is this coming from? I've seen no evidence of this. No one has told me anything because Ben is really good about keeping his bad deeds. Hush, hush. So like. Ben barely even looks at Imogen. Yeah, I know, And but I think Imogen so wrapped up in like, oh, I have a boyfriend that she doesn't notice that about Ben. And Ben capitalizes on that.
But the thing about what I think is really big here is it shows Nick's character Like Nick is not going to out, then Nick's not going to do what was done to Charlie. Like he easily could have just outed him right in here for a good reason to help Emma Jane. But he doesn't. And if the rules were reversed and this was Ben and Imogen having a conversation, Ben wouldn't hesitate. He would just out Nick immediately if it meant he would get what he wanted. And so Imogen understandably
does not take this really well. And this is where we get like kind of what we were talking about earlier, like the truth of it all, where like Imogen like Expresses, she's like, look, I don't have a lot of friends. Like we've been friends forever. But like, besides me, I don't really have any friends. And I've known Ben for a really long time. We're friends, so. I can trust him. Like I'm not going to alienate one of my other friends just because you're telling me to. Like and just like.
In general, she needs better friends. I feel like she doesn't really have the concept of friends. She's saying the friends, but she's really not friends with any. She's acquaintances with all these people, but being friends is something different and when you are on the outside of everything it's really hard. To figure out what a friend is. And I think that sleepover is like the first time we do see her start to make friends. Yeah, no, I agree with you. That's a great way to frame it.
She needs, she needs a, she needs a support system. And I think because she doesn't have one, that's why she's appealing to Ben. So like predators like that, they want people who are isolated and alone and don't have anyone because that's less interference from Ben's point of view to getting what he wants, which is a girlfriend that's gonna be his beard and do whatever he says. So it's just sad. I mean, Jean deserves better and I want her to really solidify it with the rest of the friend
group. And she needs a girlfriend. I'm just saying. I'm just. Reading. I'm just reading your last slide. I was like, if you don't say it, I'm gonna go back and we're gonna say that slide. It says image needs better friends. dot dot dot and a girlfriend. She does well. I mean even says it later. It'd be so much easier. I'm like, yeah girl, it'll be easier for me too. If you're the women, they'll treat you better. Meanwhile, it else Yeah, she just needs better friends.
Period though. But I like that you said that the acquaintance thing, it's very true that that's that that is the impression I get from Emagen too. Like she's very it's surface level with people. She doesn't have anybody she's deeply connected with. Even the the boyfriends that she ends up having.
You know, same thing. So it doesn't seem, it doesn't seem weird to her like the band stuff because like he doesn't really pay attention to me. That doesn't seem weird because I feel like maybe she's used to that with her quote UN quote friends, you know, I really. Hope In season three we see her get close to Sahar. Like, not even just for like as
girl. I just want her to get close to somebody and get to know them and like, have someone understand her so deeply, like all these other characters have. Yeah, I would love if Isaac was thrown in there too, like you suggested. Also, I feel like they could bond about stuff. Maybe she reads. We don't know. But yeah, OK, well, so then we
shoot on over to Elle's house. So we get to see Elle's parents, who are the cutest, and her house totally looks like a house that an art prodigy would grow up in, You know what I mean? There's like cultural art all over the place. There's lots of colors, like her parents. Are seem super. It's not cold. No, it's not what I would imagine Ben's house would look like. And the reason we're there is because Elle is getting ready to go clubbing with the Lambart
Queers and Towel comes to visit. But hold on, before Tal even gets there, her mom's telling her, don't tell me that outfit's a little too short. I'm like, yes, I agree that outfit was like so tidy and short. I agree and girl, if you're going to go club it like be careful. I was always a bit cold. I can't figure out the weather because everyone there's like half I know sleeves on and half has short sleeves and shorts on. I don't like what what's the weather?
What is what is it, Glenn? It's in Paris, too. Oh yeah, no. Paris was even more confusing. I agree. Because of the. Yeah. Anyway, so while that's happening, yeah, we get to meet Elle's mom a little bit more closely. And may I say that, like, the women of this family are so stylish. Like, they have some of the best wardrobe. And I see where Elle gets her fashion sets from. And I love that it's the mom who spots Tao and she's like, your
boy is here. So their parents ship them so hard and it's the cutest thing ever. The reason that Tao comes to visit is because he feels like he's been acting weird around her. Because he has been. Because he's he's trying not to act weird, but he's acting weird because he's trying. And so he's to. Try because I know just be weird. I know, poor Tao. But he's doing his best to like be like, no, we're still friends. Right. So he's like, let me let's just, I thought I'd come here.
We can hang out like we used to, basically. But Elle's very much like, no, I'm going to go do this thing with these new people that I met from the art school. And I'm sad that she didn't invite him. But I like, I get why, you know, she's this is her own thing and she's exploring her new life. So I totally get it. But just I can see where he would take it as like a oh, like if if we were still friends, you'd invite me to the new thing. A little bit, but I understand
why that didn't. Happen. I just don't really think he'd like it anyway. Like he would go just to spend time with her and and like because like he she asked him like he'll do anything for her. But I feel like he would rather just like stay in with Elle and have a backyard date. I mean, he definitely would. He he's the he's the dinner and a movie kind of guy, obviously.
I still, we, I still think that their their date should be like back of a pickup truck with a white sheet outside with the lights all around. And it's really cute. Yeah, and like, there's just like pillows in the back of the truck. Like, it'd be really cute. That would be. Well, where were you when Town needed help figuring out Caitlin? What the hell? Also, does anybody have a pickup truck? It's. Not a very good thing, it's not as common.
Alright, that would be. It's like one of those small cars. They just like, open the door. Back of a Mini Cooper, Alright, we can do it on the ground as well, right? Yeah. Just a little more bugs. Just more butterflies. That's a thing, yeah. But meanwhile, at Nick's, So Nick finished his math. GSC is he? And he doesn't feel super confident about it because he doesn't like that subject, I'm assuming.
And so Charlie comes to cheer him up, breaking his parents' rules again to to come cheer up Nick. And it's not like he's just came to see him for a hot 2nd to give him a hug and cheer him up a little bit. No, they had time to like watch a whole ass movie and Charlie fell asleep during it. So like, it's been a while, you know? Yeah, but so they watch a Marvel movie. Is it Canon in the book that he
doesn't like Marvel movies? Like yeah, that that's the direct scene from from the the books because like if you look at Nick, Nick's your typical like guy, so he likes Marvel. Charlie does not like it. He straight up falls asleep during a marvel. Movie. Because I think someone commented, pointing out that it's ironic that he doesn't like Marvel movies since he's in a Marvel show in real life. Do you know what show Joe's in? Yeah, he's gonna be in the Agatha spin off from one
division. Oh, I'm so excited for that one. They're already done filming, but it's got pushed back even like longer. I'm so excited for it. And so going through name changes, though, because it used to be like Covenant of Chaos and yeah, or is that the new one? Something used to be like darkness of something. I'm excited for that. I didn't know Joe was gonna be in that. That's really exciting. I just found out. So yeah, that's not a dig at Joe. It is a that was from the.
I think his character is supposed to be queer in that one as well. I want Agatha to be queer. Yeah. Was it that either way, like, something has to happen so we can talk about it? All right. So yeah, we'll definitely talk about it. If anything, just for Joe. That's exciting. All right, Cool. Okay. So important things that happened during this scene. One of the most important things is that Marvel movies over next. Like enough. You fell asleep and he's like, do you want some food?
And Charlie says, no, I'll eat at home so put a put a pin in that. So instead he's like, give me some tea because I'm I'm 80 years old. So that's why CC totally has grandpa energy, because he always wears sweaters because he's somebody who's always cold. This is the can of thing. So he's always in sweaters and then he likes his tea like like like an old man. So this kid is endearing and cute, and so Nick goes to make
him tea. And while that's happening, his asshole brother David takes advantage of Nick being gone to. Interrogate Charlie because we David already had seen that Charlie on Nick's phone is the heart who they're like, who's basically dating. So when he finds out that Charlie is Charlie, then that he puts it together. But here's another good example of. Put subtitles on every once in a while because I didn't notice this. But when David walks into the
room, Nelly growls at him. Oh shit, that's bad Nelly's growl at you. Yeah, and I was just like, damn. So yeah, I'm keeping subtitles on forever now. That's hilarious. I love that Nelly did that. They're having a cute moment together, too, where Charlie's just like playing with Nelly. He's like, you're so cute.
You're so cute. He's like, David fucking ruins it. So yeah, David puts it together that they're dating and of course Nick comes in as David's interrogating Charlie and he's like, get the fuck out of my room and then like all hell breaks loose because David's an asshole. Yes. And it gets the point where they end up like going downstairs, like fighting. And Charlie is clearly, like, freaking out as this fight starts in Nick's room.
Because Charlie immediately is like, this is my fault because I'm here not seeing the writing on the wall that like, David's a Dick. And Nick has been saying that consistently the whole time, which is why you haven't been at his house. Not just because of the ban.
It's because David is just like this and when they get to the bottom of the stairs, like Olivia Coleman has to interfere and like break this up. But David, really, it's really sad because as his older brother, he he, what's coming from him should be perceived by Nick as like even more harmful. Because it's like your brother that's supposed to love you and he's throwing biphobic shit onto his brother. And I feel like unfortunately this is likely a reality for,
you know, bisexual people. Bisexual men, maybe more so that, like, his brother's just like, why can't you just admit you're gay? Like, like if you're going to be gay, just say you're gay. Like, don't pretend you're bisexual and somebody, like, refuses to accept that. Like that is who Nick, Nick is. You'll pick a side. People who are bi because like the amount of people who are just like, I don't believe in bisexuals. I'm like, no, they're not fucking like unicorns.
Like, what do you mean you don't even like people? It's what? It's ridiculous. And to have it come from your own brother is really super, super fucked up, you know? Yes, one part I do like in the scene is that when Nick first comes into the room and David's there, the first thing he does is put the T's down and he looks at Charlie and goes, are you okay? Like, I love that that's his first move.
It's just like, is Charlie okay? Because I know my brother's an asshole, this protective boyfriend. But always the cutest. And so, as nobody possibly could have expected, Charlie gets home and his mom's pissed because it's like super late and he was grounded to begin with. And so this is the part, Caitlin, I think that you were thinking of earlier. At this point, this is what his
mom's like. You're grounded until the end of the term because the original conditions were until you finish your schoolwork that you're behind on. You can see Nick after that. Now he's breaking that rule and going to see Nick anyway and coming home late when he's not supposed to be out. So his mom's like you're grounded until the end of the term. So Charlie's really pissed and he storms back up to his room and his dad stops him and asks if he would like dinner.
To which Charlie says I ate it next and he did not eat it next. If we recall he refused food from Nick and said I'll eat it at home. So this is the start of Charlie's like eating disorder being hinted at. Or at least that is starting up for Charlie. Again, so something I noticed in this is that his mom is really obsessed with his grades, but his dad doesn't seem to be as much. Like he doesn't like get upset
about anything. But his dad looks genuinely concerned about Charlie when he comes home because he just doesn't look good. Like he doesn't look OK and I feel like his dad probably doesn't agree with the mom and everything because. But I mean, like again, at the point I was thought that the mom was like really strict from the beginning, but it wasn't like that. But I don't. I don't think that that would
step in anyway, yeah. And that I think that reads true in the show and then in the books too, because both of their children have serious mental health issues going on and like, the parents don't seem to notice, intervene or really care. They seem more detached from their children then like compare.
If you compare it like they're the Springer family to like the Nelson family where like Olivia Coleman and Nick seem way more on the same page and she seems to notice more things about Nick than like his parents do. Because like, remember in season one where like, Nick and Charlie first started hanging out and he first mentions her him to Olivia Coleman and she's like, I've noticed you seem more like yourself around him. You know, So like his mom is more observant of his health.
well-being the Springer parents are not like that is pretty consistent. Yeah. But yeah, it's the mom seems much more detached than the dad and it's all the kids. It's not just Charlie, like reading Tory's book like it's the mom just seems like that in general which maybe she has mental health stuff going on too and just we don't learn about the parents. But yeah, either way, Charlie's like, you know, is going under the radar in terms of the fact that there's something deeply
going on with him. And nobody is catching it at this point. Nobody. Not even Nick, because Nick is distracted with his exams right now. And and freaking brother. And his freaking brother. And honestly, it's not Nick's job to like, do this like you. Like Charlie's family is not supporting him right now because they're not well. Charlie's not communicating, but also like they're not picking up on what's going on with him either. Like he's Tory. Is though.
Tori. Tori's much more observant about Charlie, but even she and she does point. In as much like she just like observe until the point where she has to and that that's in solitaire. Also like she doesn't intervene with Charlie. Even one moments when she feels like she should, she doesn't.
But yeah, she's she's more supportive of Charlie and the fact that she notices him and his mental health decline than his parents do. And then OK, so to exacerbate the whole thing and to kind of bring this on home. So they start the Nick and Charlie start texting. And Nick's like, hey, I should have told my brother sooner. I'm sorry I didn't tell him. That's part because, like, that's partially why this whole thing blew up. And then of course, Charlie immediately starts blaming
himself. He's like, I'm sorry. This was my fault for coming over. And the one that hurts the most for me is like, I should have stood up for you against your brother. So Charlie's blaming himself for the fact that like he didn't intervene and get in the middle of the the brothers when they were fighting. And it's like really sweet baby like that's not your that's not your you can't fight all of Nick's battle. But but he just seems to have it in his head that like I can protect Nick.
I have to I have to be the, you know, knight in shining armor for him at all times. Like, it's like, really, who's your knight in shining armor, boy? You're not doing well. And in response to kind of this, like, message that Nick, Charlie sends, Nick Nick sends him this really adorable voice message that basically just says, like, it's not your fault. Charlie and I love that he did it as a voice message because he's like, I feel like this is
from Nick's point of view. I feel like he's like, this is something you need to hear and you need to hear me say it. And I love that he he does that. It's so freaking adorable. It was really sweet and it's definitely more assuring if you hear someone say it, yeah. Exactly. But I wrote since Charlie internalizes other people's emotions, he's basically having to go through coming out all
over again, yeah. It makes sense that he is so anxious all the time because he is trying to keep Nick from going through the same stuff so he doesn't feel like he did before. But by anticipating stuff like that, he is making it way worse for himself.
Yeah. It's almost like he's psychologically reliving his trauma through this process, even though the trauma is not happening to Nick, like you said, like the possibility of it happening and to see like something like that verbal match, far off match that just happened, like it must trigger a lot of stuff for Charlie.
And what would he went through? And part of Nick's message is a voice message is he says basically like, hey, like, you know, I came out to my mom and that went really, really well. But, you know, not everybody is Olivia Coleman. Like bad reactions are going to happen and that's the coming out. And that's part of life.
And then they have this moment with Charlie where he's hearing this and he's sitting in his bed and like, the cartoon bullies come back and and I think that's really, they're visually depicting exactly like your point, Caitlyn. Like Charlie is really reliving his coming out PTSD and the bullying with all of this stuff with Nick, even though Nick is
not actively being bullied. And and Nick is aware of this because you know, he peripherally saw or heard about what happened to Charlie and he's like, hey, I, I, I, I know that a bad reaction could happen but I promise I can handle bad reactions. And he, like, he did handle David's bad reaction. Like he stood up for himself, you know, so, so much trauma. There's trauma. Sucks. Yeah. So, Speaking of trauma, you go to towels? Meanwhile, it towels. The towel is big.
Sad because he's looking at Elle's Snapchat and. He's your description. He's big, sad. He's big, sad. He's looking at all the photos. Elle's posting, essentially on social media, about this lobbing she's doing with the Lambert Art King. He's doing. How is mom? Much worse for himself. No, exactly. Like, he's just, I don't know, poor baby Tao.
And Tao's mom comes in to bring him a snack, which is the cutest thing ever, cuz like he's studying for his Gcse's while he's like taking a break on social media. So his mom is like, I know you're studying, here's the snack, super cute. And they have a conversation about romance because, I mean, she's the ship captain, okay.
She sees the writing on the wall, and she starts off by comparing Tau and L to her and Tau's father, which is we sounds weird, but she kind of clarifies what she means. And to me it sounds like Tau's mom and dad were kind of like an opposite to track situation when it came to like their personalities like one was, I don't know.
And she's like the fact that we were so different, that's what made us work and it. I think that's how she used HOW and L because like, I think Tao a lot of times is like, wow, she's she's just so much better than me. I I don't know what she would even see in me. And he gets into like that selfdoubt by thinking that, by putting L on a pedestal and then that in that aspect he thinks that they're so different they couldn't work.
But his mom's like, no, no, no. Like me and your dad were like this and that's what made us work. So like, don't give up on L basically is what she's saying. What do you think he needs? He needs some encouragement when it comes to that because while his friends are just like get together already, they don't like talk him up the way I think he needs to kind of be talked up when he's in his head, you know, because he, he has a lot of insecurity about being left
behind. And I think he really feels that with Elle, like he feels like she's already at Lambert, She's already slipping away and she's leaving behind her, her old wife, and therefore leaving me behind. So and then in this, in this scene, we learn from Tao's mom why Tao has those abated issues and it's because his dad like
suddenly passed away. And so, you know, that's he's kind of reliving residual feelings from that kind of wound that doesn't heal when it comes to losing somebody he cares about as deeply as L kind of in this aspect. That poor kid. I know that. His poor family, you know. I mean, they've all gone through so much, I know and OK, and then the end of the episode, this is the convenience store. Do you want to explain this part to Caitlin? Should be kind of hard to
explain. Yes. So Charlie and Isaac are in the corner store. I guess he was supposed to meet up with them anyway, cuz if not, they was really weird that he found his eyes on. Yeah. So again, they're back into their candy aisle. And town just runs up to them. And was just like, I like, oh, I think he says that, but he confesses his feelings and he's like, help me, oh, I love to help me. He's like, help me. And then it ends. Rudely ends.
But we're off to a good start. And we can tell not not only just by that, but the ending credits have butterflies in it, and that's Tau and L's like feelings symbol. So will we finally get Tau and L together? I know because I've seen it all. Hopefully you've seen this too, but. If you're listening to this so, so, so good, I love this episode. Shall we hydrate for lesbian? Jesus, I think we do that at the end, don't we? Or do we do it for each episode?
Because we've already done it for each episode. All right. We'll do it as a season. Yeah. All right. So that's episode 2. Thank you guys for listening. I hope you enjoyed it. If there's anything we missed or any little thing that you noticed, like, tell us all the things I love when you guys are like, hey, all these things happen. And like, Alice did this and like, tell this stuff. Like, there's just so there's so
much that we can't cover it all. We do our best to cover the main things, but like tell us. Things like there's a lot in the show, even like behind. I haven't gotten the opportunity to look into like, filming stuff, but I know they do a lot of stuff filming wise on purpose as well. So yeah, yeah, please share. And what did you like about this episode? Yeah, let us know. And until next time, keep hydrating for lesbian Jesus. And gay it up 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. No matter how brief, it helps us get into Apple's algorithm to reach a wider audience. Please feel free to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you
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