Dare Me: Season 1 Episode 5 “Parallel Trenches” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Despite the episode focusing on different perspectives, Beth remains the star of the show as she remains almost all everyone thinks and talks about.

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Directed By	Olivia Newman
Written By	Lisa Lutz
Aired (USA Network)	1/26/2020

Episode Recap

Colette’s Perspective: Colette, Matt, Addy, Beth, Bert, Riri, J.J., Tacy

From all angles, Colette is getting it. At home, she has Matt, who grows tired of the cheer squad and their antics. With the girls, she has Addy who she needs at her best, knows that comes from a close relationship, but the balance between Colette and Beth is clearly a lot for Addy to take on. And as much as Colette would like to make peace with Beth, it is becoming more and more clear that all she knows is fighting so why would she stop now?

But, between teenagers and their parents, who is worse? For if it isn’t Tacy trying to compete with Beth, who is her superior, it is Bert trying to hype things up, increase the pressure, and complicate things. Or, after Tacy goes rogue and Riri losing some teeth, J.J. having the audacity to blame Colette as if she gave the go for Tacy to get adventurous.

Yet, what can Colette really do? You can’t throw the man who employs your husband’s favorite daughter under the bus. So, you suck it up and take the hits. And also, later on, demote Tacy and make it clear she is not going to follow in her sister’s footsteps by no means.

Addy’s Perspective: Colette, Addy, Beth

For Addy, the challenge of the cheer squad has always been balancing the now with the future. Beth is the now, as well as the past, and is someone she needs to be stable and consistent to reach the future she wants. However, with Beth being secretive, yet there clearly being something wrong, its more worrisome than ever. Then with Colette pushing these feelings of disappointment, the pressure is on, and there comes the need to ask, when s*** hits the fan, who is going to make sure Addy is alright?

Beth’s Perspective: Colette, Addy, Tacy, Bert, Riri, Faith, Kurtz, Beth

Does Colette mean well? Yes. But she is also the one who stipped Beth of her power. Yet, she isn’t alone. Kurtz, while Beth was knocked out or intoxicated, had sex with her, bit into her lip, and now pesters her all day because he wants more. But, as we know, while Beth may tease and flirt with men, the last thing she ever wanted was Kurtz’s penis inside of her. Maybe any penis.

So, as Beth used to do, she focuses on cheerleading to take her mind off things. Focus on the pain of the stretches and routines to distract her. Which, with Tacy around, is hard since she wants to poke the bear and bring up why Bert doesn’t pay for nice things for Beth to have. And, you know what, while Beth may not have power over her squad anymore, and is losing influence over Addy, Tacy is still the little sister who so badly wants to outdo her big sister. Hence why Beth sets Tacy up to fail.

How? Well, by doing a bow and arrow stretch, which gets all the attention of the squad. And while Tacy hasn’t the flexibility or strength to do that yet, during a pep rally, she attempts that and ends up swiftly kicking Riri in the mouth and knocking out at least three teeth. And with seeing the blood and hearing the commotion, it triggers something in Beth.

Now, it is in this moment we see Beth at her most vulnerable for as Bert runs to Tacy, and Addy to Riri’s aid, no one sees Beth. She is, as she had to many times before, calm herself down, make sure she is okay, and deal with the trauma on her own. Well, at least until Beth runs into Faith at the hospital, as Riri’s teeth are inserted back in. It is with her that she is reminded someone sees her, someone cares, and maybe that is why Beth treats Faith’s food far better than Addy does. For the love of a mother is foreign, and getting to live vicariously, even if for a night or day, is much better than Beth’s usual routine.

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

Memories are more like dreams. They tell us everything about ourselves, whether we’re ready for it or not.
— Addy

I choose what to look at. I choose what to remember.
— Addy

Review/ Commentary

Highlights

Truly Getting To Understand Beth

While it is to be expected a “Bad girl” like Beth is dealing with things, it isn’t until episode like this you can see beyond the lashing out and understand the daily struggle. That is, wanting help from those who you love and want to feel love from. Hating those who took what little you did once have, like Tacy and Colette, and discovering, day by day, week by week, that just when you think you lost damn near everything, more pieces of you get snatched away.

And with that said, I’m glad the show is taking a week off so that there can be time to reflect rather than continue to show Beth, and others, suffer to the point you are as numb as they are.

On The Fence

Wishing We Got Some Less Seen Perspectives

At this point, what goes on in Beth, Addy, and Colette’s life is well established and pretty much understood. This makes the show trying to make a few title cards saying “Addy,” and the rest seem anti-climatic. We’re used to switching between these three, the only difference is now you are focusing on one before moving onto another.

What would have been far better would be focusing on Tacy, Riri, and Matt. People who are coerced to deal with the leads tug of power, and often throw themselves into the mix to get what they can get. I mean, think about it, don’t you want to see what Tacy’s home life is like with her older sister across the street? Much less, considering Tacy’s mother is a mistress, getting a glance at her, if not getting to know her, would be such an insight.

Then with Matt, we’d get to know his life and world more, as well as get a better taste of Bert, thus killing two birds with one stone. And lastly, with Riri, between her mother, who seems potentially overbearing, and what exactly is her place on the cheer squad, it would have made the lead up to that kick and her teeth falling out far more epic. Much less, depending on her relationship with her mother, it would also make her calling for her mom in a moment of crisis a much bigger deal.

Don’t forget, the show is taking off a week and returning February 9^th.

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