Car Therapy: Season 1 – Summary/ Review (with Spoilers)
While it may not consistently live up to its name, there still is no denying everyone’s potential.
While it may not consistently live up to its name, there still is no denying everyone’s potential.
| Season Premiere | 12/24/2021 |
| Season Finale | 12/24/2021 |
| Episodes | 6 |
| Network | YouTube |
| Created By | Jennelle Williams |
| Genre(s) | Comedy, Young Adult, LGBT |
| Noted Characters | |
| Nikki | Ash Saunders |
| Breanna | Jonnae Thompson |
| Hoodie | Tony Baker |
| Chrissy | Cecelia Friday |
Summary
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With limited income, and a limited ability to work due to how her free tuition is set up, Nikki ends up working for Uber and figures, based off the seed her friend Brianne plants, she can maybe give some therapy to some of her riders. But, in at least half of the episodes, she is more so dealing with people who need therapy than people she can have a therapy session with.
Cast and Characters
Nikki: Ash Saunders
Nikki is the lead character who, because of the way her tuition is set up with her school, likely due to a scholarship, she cannot pursue a regular job that would allow her to be a counselor or therapist. So, on Breanna’s advice, she decides to work for a ride-sharing company and flex her therapist muscle in the process of giving people rides.
Breanna: Jonnae Thompson
Breanna is Nikki’s best friend, and they’ve been close since Nikki allowed her to vent in a bathroom while Breanna was going through something.
Hoodie: Tony Baker
Hoodie is a mechanic who is introduced initially as one of Breanna’s family friends.
Chrissy: Cecelia Friday
Chrissy gets into Nikki’s car in episode 4 and is going through it due to her boyfriend and potentially having a baby by him.
Review
Highlights
Nikki, The Therapist
Car Therapy is at its best in episodes 2 and 4 when Nikki is in therapist mode. In episode 2, it is handled comically as she is dealing with a lesbian couple with relationship issues, and the one who wants to be a rapper is spitting a lot of terms that impress Nikki. The beauty of that episode, which we previously saw at Newfest, is it helps you understand, before seeing someone like Nikki was normalized, where did Black people go? For as much as the narrative has been that we kept things inside or lashed out instead of talked, that isn’t necessarily the case. A lot of people just went to their barber or an old head who may not have had a fancy degree, but their life experience was seen as a valuable substitute.
Yet, in episode 4, as Nikki talks to Chrissy, you see where things are going and why not everything can be handled by your barber, beautician, or someone older who may not be able to speak objectively. For one of the things you pay for isn’t just advice, but also getting to speak to someone who only knows what you tell them and thus, can sift through the BS and the emotions, and get to the heart of the problem and guide you towards a solution.
On The Fence
Nikki And The Ride Share Driver Experience
Which is why we weren’t necessarily fond of the other episodes of the series. Yes, we do witness Nikki use her knowledge with the people in her car, but nearly everyone operates as a comedic character. So Nikki reading them and analyzing them, as they act eccentric to the max, or, in episode 5, try to get a rise out of Nikki? It just doesn’t click.
If anything, it makes it seem the show is trying to address both the people who need someone to talk to and Nikki is at the right place at the right time, alongside the hell which can be working for a ride-sharing company and dealing with the rudest and strangest people in your backseat. Which, for us being introduced to the series with episode 2, wasn’t something we were prepped for, and I can’t say we were sold on that being something we should take an interest in.
Overall
Our Rating: Positive (Watch This)
Is it everything I wanted and more, based on seeing episode 2 at Newfest? No. However, it’s a people-funded indie production that is about showcasing what the talent, in front and behind the camera, is capable of. And with episodes 2 and 4, we get Car Therapy at its best, and with the riders in 3 and 5, we get it at its worse.
Yet, despite only liking half of the episodes focused on Nikki being the kind of therapist that was pitched at Newfest, we believe you should watch this. It shows a notable amount of potential. It’s just, either to honestly address who gets into ride-sharing vehicles or to have comical situations, maybe both, the pendulum swings wildly in both directions.
