The Arrangement: Season 1/ Episode 4 “Crashing” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

What becomes clear this episode is that you should never underestimate the power Terrence holds. For even if he is playing nice with you, it is all part of some grander plan.

Episode Focus: “Why not focus on the possibilities in your life instead of the limitations?” (Terence, Kyle, Brandon [Colin Lawrence], Claudia [Leah Gibson], Daisy, Annika, and Deann)

Megan still cannot get over how quickly Kyle replaced her with this actress Amelia. Heck, Deann can’t either and she especially can’t get over Terence having a hand in it. Yet, for Deann, her real problem is going to be Annika. Someone who is not only trying to wiggle her way into Deann’s business professionally but seemingly has found a way to get into her personal life.

But the main focus of the episode is showing how much power Terence has and how he keeps it. Kyle is put on the task of recruiting this sports star named Brandon. Someone who Terence believes can help the institute break into the sports world. Now, at first, it seems Brandon is cool with it but his wife? Not so much. However, a car accident which leaves someone unconscious, that gives Terence the blackmail material he needs to bring the wife around.

Meanwhile, Megan is just trying to figure out a way for her career not to stall. Heck, for her to regain control over it. Les wants her to do a stint on NCIS but Megan isn’t for that. She’d rather work on Daisy’s next film about women in porn as well as be in this play. Now, we don’t learn much about the play but as for the porn biopic, it seems to rub Terence the wrong way, the association. Not enough to pull out that contract, just yet, but he does forewarn her that he doesn’t not like the association, especially when it comes to Kyle.

Someone who, finally, opens up just a little bit. He reveals that part of the reason Terence has such a hold on him is because he made him feel like he was something. A task which was not easy since Kyle’s uncle seemingly beat all the confidence he had in him. [note]Shaun and Hope are still around. Hope wants to hang out with Megan, despite leaking her pics and her not seeming that guilty about it. As for Shaun? Well, she and James are still going strong and he even takes her on a tour of the institute. Albeit one Terence takes over, but at least Shaun is getting to do something right? [/note]

Commentary

Deann and Terence’s relationship makes no sense to me. She isn’t an Institute lackey, nor seems to care about the teachings, and there is no chemistry between them. Hell, with no kids or any serious business dealings, you can’t even say it is a marriage of convenience! At this point, I wonder if they are married just because they have a shared interest in Kyle and Terence alone can’t handle Kyle’s personal life and career full-time.

That thought aside, I’m also wondering about how Annika is going to fit into their relationship? Could it be, despite his little porn spiel, Terence and Deann participate in threesomes? Could it be that is what he meant when he talked about the relationship becoming fantasy and not reality? Maybe him and Deann, at this point, just enjoy sex together, and sometimes with a third, and that’s it? Perhaps explaining all these missing people who took Institute classes. They were third parties who decided to ask for more than Terence wanted to give and so they had to be reprogramed. Likely in a B6-13 type of way.

But, moving on, I do wonder the full story behind Terence and Kyle’s relationship. How did he find Kyle and what may he have on him? For I feel like Terence pulled something out of his bag when it came to getting Amelia into that movie. It wasn’t just about Kyle getting to direct a movie, he could have done that already if he wanted to, there certainly had to be a threat involved [note]which you already know I want to say is Kyle’s homosexuality[/note]. I mean, who knows, maybe Kyle used to be the third in Terence’s marriage?

Switching to Megan, I feel like her character is starting to drown a little bit. For while Evangelista remains the best thing about this show, it seems that with them knowing she has hooked, they are trying to give more time to other characters in hopes they can feed off her energy and the loyalty she inspires. It sort of is like how on Game of Thrones where/when something epic happens to your favorite character and then they disappear for awhile. Afterwards, the following episode you are hyped to see if they survived or what happened yet, instead, you see everyone but them. To me, whenever there is too much of a focus on Kyle, Terrence, or Deann, and their non-Megan related drama, I feel like this show is doing that.

That is, despite all of their storylines, without Megan, being of so little interest. Especially this Annika angle because nearly every single actor/character seem so dead in the face. Then, to make things worse, while they are all acting on the level of some generic crime drama, Evangelista is presenting Megan as this big ball of energy. I mean, just watching her dance and do karaoke to Naughty by Nature’s “OPP” shows the stark difference between how she has taken on her character compared to everyone else. Making it where, honestly, as much as I adore Megan, I have my fingers crossed this show doesn’t go past 12 episodes. For I really don’t think I have it in me to watch 24 episodes where the silver lining is Megan, and to a point, Shaun, alleviating us from everyone else’s mundane performances.

Collected Quote(s)

Why not focus on the possibilities in your life instead of the limitations?