You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can
Rue reflects on how much she loves Jules and how their love is only beginning to blossom. She re-enacts scenes from their past where they express their love for one another. However, Rue’s feelings are clouded by her high on drugs. Jules is going down on her, but Rue fakes an orgasm in order to keep the mood light.
Jules knows. Of course she knows. And naturally, she goes to speak to Elliot about it. Jules starts to doubt herself so Elliot shows her “how it’s done” by practicing on his hand. Unfortunately, this also leads to the pair kissing… until Rue messages and confirms she’s outside. ..
Jules is back with a new man, and fans are not happy. ..
Jules is conflicted about her true feelings for Elliot. She lies on his bed and kisses him, which makes him feel even more conflicted. Rue goes to the bathroom and they end up kissing again, which further complicates things.
Rue continues to do drugs, and while Elliot meanwhile, does not. He actually blows his line away.
Maddy and Cassie continue to have a tense relationship. Nate is constantly avoiding Maddy’s eye contact and his robotic response to why he loves her speaks volumes.
Cassie is a more nonchalant person than Maddy. She painfully smiles through Maddy’s birthday and she’s wracked with guilt. Cassie’s drama stems from Nate’s feelings, and specifically how she’ll do anything to make sure he and Maddy don’t get back together. Cassie essentially blackmails him into a relationship, warning Nate that she’s crazier than Maddy and will happily tell her best friend everything. Even his strained “I love you” doesn’t do the trick.
At Maddy’s party, Maddy speaks to Kat, who is clearly depressed. Kat admits that she hates Ethan and isn’t sure what to do. So Maddy tells her she needs to do what she feels is right, and admits that she had a feeling things weren’t right between them. ..
Cal, the frontman for the band Drunk, goes out for a drive while drinking. It’s reckless, dangerous and bound to end in tears. Drunk, he shows up at the old bar he frequented as a student, reminiscing on the precious moments with Derek from his past. While he puts a song on and dances, an absolutely beautiful montage ensues, with Cal dancing and Cassie losing control, unbeknownst to her that she’s being watched while she dances in a bathing suit in the lounge.
Rue tells Jules that she doesn’t like him and can’t stand him in a really heartbreaking moment.
Rue is in for a tough time. She’s been using drugs at home and her dealer is about to run out of product. ..
At the party, everyone gets in the hot tub, including Nate and Cassie. Things take an awkward turn when Maddy reveals they’re not in a relationship. All the words Maddy taunts him with are unceremoniously interrupted by Cassie, who ends up vomiting in the hot tub. And all over Nate. ..
Cal is kicked out of the bar for trying to wrestle the patrons and eventually gets back in his car, tears stinging his eyes, and heads home. Cal begins urinating all over the floor.
After admitting his biggest regret, Cal snaps and leaves the family gathering. When Nate is asked about his life, he reveals a hidden portrait of himself with his family. Interestingly, he has the portrait with him the entire time he speaks. This leaves the family wondering what secrets he may be keeping. ..
Meanwhile, Jules is upset with Rue for lying to her and for taking drugs. She’s determined to get her life together and stop using.
As we jump back to Rue, we dive into her psyche and, specifically, how dangerously close she is to having another overdose. She misses her father, and as the pair subconsciously embrace, it’s clear he’s the catalyst for Rue’s misery and depression. She’s taking drugs recklessly to try and be closer to her father whom she believes is on the other side. With Jules one of the sole reasons she’s continuing on, how is that going to play out now that Jules knows the truth?
The Episode Review
This episode was a lot of fun to watch. It was interesting to see how the different storylines were woven together and how the central theme was explored. The show did a great job of focusing on one story and interweaving it with other stories.
This week’s theme is regret and how it can manifest in different ways for different people. Cal’s trip down memory lane is a great example of how regret can affect his life. Cassie’s internal issues eventually manifest externally when she gets drunk at the party while Rue and Jules’ situation is far more complex.
The love triangle is still a bit contrived and there are moments here that don’t quite work as well as they could. Kat’s subplot is indifferently boring while the whole Fezco situation feels like it’s going nowhere too, especially after such a compelling opening chapter with his past explored.
This episode of “The Crown” is well-shot and stylistically interesting, but its scattered plot may be indicative of how our characters are feeling. You could also argue that the whole Cassie/Maddy situation is going to blow up sooner or later.
