Finding Carter: Season 1/ Episode 5 “The Heat” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

As the twins, Carter and Taylor, grow closer to someone they thought they never would, it seems Elizabeth and David’s relationship still is decaying.

Review (with Spoilers)

As I said in episode 2, “I may end up with mixed emotions about 99% of the characters” and damn if it wasn’t true. For, until this episode, I disliked Taylor. But with Carter’s influence finally having an effect on her, she loosens up. Though with her loosening up does come the question if girls like Taylor, pre-loosening up, really have a place on television anymore? Does everyone have to be like Carter or Bird in order to really get any focus, or even be the star of a show that isn’t on the Disney Channel? Well, that would be a topic for if I ever decide to write an essay. As for this episode, The Heat, all you need to know is that a lot of bonds form as one disintegrates. More below.

Topic 1: Bonds Form (Part 1) – Grant & Taylor

Let’s first talk about Grant since he is my favorite character on the show and may have a girlfriend! Well, an online one who he video chats with. But still, considering how Grant thus far seemed to only have Max and Carter to talk to, this new girl is an improvement right? Albeit I have no idea if she even lives in the area for them to legit date, but hey go on Mr. Grant!

But when it comes to getting into a new relationship, Taylor takes the cake. For like in the Patti LaBelle’s song, SHE GOT A NEW ATTITUDE! For while, at first, it seems her and Max are going to stick to taking things slow and steady, with him sort of being this cute lovable puppy who follows her around, things get serious fast when he drags her to bird’s party. How serious you may ask? Well, put it to you this way, the former straight edge type Taylor drinks a little bit and not only gets her first kiss, through Ofe, but works Gabe out of her system in such a way that he may be thinking twice about looking at Taylor as a sister figure. Though the best part is her interaction with Max because he has his usually dosed puppy eyes looking at her talking about how he wishes he was her first kiss, but you can see between Ofe teaching her the basics, and Gabe being her test for kissing wildly, she learns how to balance the two so she can kiss passionately with Max. And I got to say, be it because she has loosened up, or isn’t gung ho on being against Carter, I’m really starting to like this girl. Though mostly because of how cute her relationship with Max is.

Topic 2: Bonds Form (Part 2) – Carter & Elizabeth

As Grant and Taylor build their romantic relationships, Carter & Elizabeth build their mother/ daughter one. Though, I should note, originally them bonding is just so maybe Carter could find a way to find Lori a bit more easily. However, as they have a paintball fight and Carter gets to see what Elizabeth puts up with all day, I think she sees that what she thinks is an icy exterior is just a woman who has just come home from dealing with so much in a day. Be it handling a woman who killed her abusive husband, dealing with street punks like Crash, or dealing with being one of the few women in the precinct, much less a high ranking one.

Either way you slice it, as Carter gets to understand Elizabeth, and us as well, we see why she wants Carter so badly to accept her and call her mom, and it is not just because she lost her for 13 years, but who knows how many children Elizabeth has seen dead, traumatized, or grievously injured. So imagine being one of the lucky ones who got their kid back, safe and sound, and the kid denies your motherhood.

But for one day Elizabeth gets all she wanted and seeing the actress who plays her, who seriously looks like she hasn’t slept in weeks, smile and giggle with Carter was so beautiful. Nothing last forever though, for with the mention of Lori the moment ends and Elizabeth is snapped back into reality. For with the reminder that Carter hasn’t let go of Lori, it does slightly upset Elizabeth, but because she finally had the opportunity to connect with Carter, she decides to accept the way things are. How? Well, she accepts Lori has a possibly unmovable place in Carter’s heart, and accepts that the best thing for their relationship is to stop her pursuit of Lori. Something which perhaps may bite her in the behind.

Topic 3: Bonds Disintegrate – Elizabeth & David

Leaving us with Elizabeth & David, both who have made declarations of divorce to their confidants, but have yet to tell the one who needs to hear it. Focusing on David, with Toby having David’s first check he is ready to show it off to Elizabeth to prove himself and then ask for divorce. Leading Toby to snatch the check back so that his client doesn’t end up losing half the unmentioned amount of money to the divorce. So, with his plan foiled all he does is mope around the house for, based off how Elizabeth cheated on his the first time, he knows she is cheating again.

Yet, as Carter sort of warms Elizabeth up, you can see her and David sort of re-bond. Really making it seem like Carter is what broke, remade, and possibly maybe the only thing which can help sustain their relationship. However, with a phone call from Kyle the moment between the two, watching some movie they saw on their first date, gets ruined. Leaving us unsure which may tell the other they are done first?

Things To Note

Grant and his girlfriend, named Reagan, mostly chat about films. Like in the episode they argue who is better between Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio.

I completely left out the sub-plot dealing with Crash flirting with Carter, and her flirting back, but Bird getting in the way since her and Crash seemed to have had a thing going on. Something which continues in the episode and leads to what was supposed to be a game of 7 minutes in heaven, to Bird and Crash having sex in a closet so loud it was making everyone uncomfortable.

Lori and Max meet once again, and Lori gets a bit upset with Max when he says Carter isn’t her child. And since he feels a bit uncomfortable with her presence he talks about telling Elizabeth, but then Lori disappears like Batman does.

Crash says Carter should use Max as a messenger pigeon, but after the interaction those two had I doubt that can happen.