Michael is annoyed with the small fight between Stanley and Billy. Michael does not give a firm commitment to Billy citing his mother’s (Lisa) visit to the town and apparently her being in the dark over Colin. The only worrying thing is that she absolutely adores Colin and will be very antsy when she learns about this. ..

Michael has lunch with his mother, Stephanie Faracy. He finally reveals Colin and his separation, and she does not take it well. She pushes him to introspect and find out “what he did wrong”. ..

Claire and Stanley are in the living room when they hear a noise coming from the underground garbage disposal. Claire goes to investigate and falls down the stairs. She is taken to the hospital with a broken leg. Michael comes home and his father takes care of her. Suzann and Michael show the house to a prospective couple, who seems annoyed with the smallest of things. Just then, Stanley arrives up the lift with a new painting that Claire bought from him. Michael gives him the cold shoulder despite Staley trying to reconnect with him. Suzanne tries to cover for him but Stanley decides to confront him about it. Michael is still unconvinced by Stanley’s reasoning that he went to Colin’s for Michael.

Suzann gets a call from one of the people who visited the open house. He is interested in buying it and the offer is only a smidge off the asking price. She is really excited and feels that they can convince Claire to sell. While waiting for Claire, Michael expresses his concern over the second notice on the liquor bill from Colin’s party. He is a little low on cash but does not want to ask Colin for it. Claire comes in all vexed with shopping bags. She listens to the offer from Suzanne but is instantly dismissive. The conversation goes something like this. Suzanne says something; Claire shoots her down; and then, when Michael rephrases it and suggests the same thing to Claire, she agrees. The argument is that Claire must do more to move on from her past and sell the house that has so many memories of her with her husband.

Michael’s father (Ben) warns his son not to go straight away to the bedroom to check on his mother. He goes anyway and discovers that Colin has come to visit. Michael suspects that his mother called Colin to push both of them back together. But Colin reveals that he is still on the family thread and reads the text about Michael’s mother. He felt concerned and came in to visit her. ..

Lisa suggests that she and Ben separated temporarily after he slept with his secretary. These things are normal in a relationship, and Colin and Michael will be back together soon. Colin is late for a meeting and leaves. Michael gives him a cold send-off, but is prompted by Lisa to run after him and ask about him. ..

Two friends had a touching conversation until Colin mentioned that he got a new dog. That was enough to send Michael into a rant and angrily come down on Colin for refusing to get a dog when they were together and Colin said he never wanted one. Colin walked away. Michael and Suzanne met up with Claire for the showing, but they instead went to Billy’s party. ..

At the party, Michael separates and Suzanne and Claire are left alone together. Michael meets up with Billy, who introduces him as an “eligible bachelor” to his friend group. One of them takes an interest in him. One other friend eavesdrops on the conversation and joins in to hear Michael’s sob story. Suzanne and Claire have their own thing going on.

They get to know each other better and discover that they’re both jovial people. Suzanne explains how she has never met Kai’s father as she had him after a solo backpacking trip through Europe. Claire finally agrees to sell the house and informs Suzanne that she does not hate him. Her cold personality is natural and not specific. Michael is offered a threesome by the two friends of Billy’s he was just talking to, who are actually a couple. He declines their offer out of pity.

Michael approaches the drag performer from episode two’s couple’s session, hoping for some insight into his relationship with Sarah. However, the performer reveals the truth to Michael- that he is actually her husband. ..

There was never a chance for them to get back because Michael only heard what he wanted to and didn’t even let Colin speak. Maybe that broke them up. He instead asks Michael to cherish the people in his life who decided to stay. Colin is not coming back and Michael must accept that. Suzanne overhears that and Michael expresses his newfound gratitude to her. He then goes to the bar where Stanley goes on Fridays. The two make up and Michael notices on his phone that Colin has left the family thread after Michael’s mother sends a text on it. Michael realizes that he may have broken up with Colin, but he thanks Suzanne for being there for him during this difficult time. He then goes to the bar where Stanley usually hangs out, hoping that he can find some closure with his old friend. ..

The Episode Review

Michael’s mother makes a bold move to try and patch things up with Colin. This is a remnant of a generational trend where emotions took a backseat to cultural paradigms. Modern appropriations have beset such mindsets and ushered in a new era of liberated free will, capable of following the heart over the mind. ..

Michael’s mother could have been right as well. Spending so much time with another person can sort of make you an extension of theirs and ruffling feathers once again could reignite the spark. ..

It seems like that is not happening as Colin exits Michael’s life for good. Such run-ins do not seem likely in the rest of the season, barring an ultimate surprise waiting in the wings. Beyond his tumultuous life, we finally had a look at the lives of others around him. ..

Suzanne and Claire both came across as interesting and headstrong women with plenty of dating left in them. Spending more time with them was a refreshing change. Michael’s separation is primarily about, but taking out time to focus on other parts of the universe surely gives the show layers. ..