Tell Me Lies: Season 1/ Episode 7 “Castle On A Cloud” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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It’s Evan’s 21^st birthday, and with that comes an understanding of where he came from and part of his struggles on deciding what is next in his life.

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Recap

Did You Peep That? – Drew, Bree, Pippa, Wrigley, Stephen, Lucy, Evan

For Evan’s 21^st birthday, they go to his family’s house on the lake, and things don’t start off well. He has to deal with a Karen who thinks she knows it all but is a renter who needs to mind her business cause Evan’s family used to own the house she doesn’t have the deed to. On top of that, he is repeatedly reminded how sad it is he bought his own birthday cake. But that’s the quality of friends he has.

What are they focused on? Who Bree will end up with. Drew is making moves, and Wrigley is encouraging it, but knowing what she knows, Lucy doesn’t want Bree with Drew, and Wrigley sees what’s happening. So, he asks both Lucy and Stephen what’s going on. Lucy brings up Drew messing up during Welcome Week, and Stephen brings up Pippa texting someone, which Lucy pointed out. While also being in sync with the message Lucy put out there.

As for what Bree wants? It’s Evan. She humors and is nice to Drew because he is there, but she would have no issue jumping on Evan’s boner.

Who Calls Dibs Anymore? –  Drew, Bree, Pippa, Wrigley, Stephen, Lucy, Evan

Alongside things not starting well for Evan because of not only hosting his own birthday but having to buy his own cake, he has to deal with Lucy and Stephen making out in front of him, then Wrigley on coke. That mofo on cocaine leads to Wrigley taking over the master bedroom due to humping the sheets and everything else, butt-ass naked. On top of that, he causes messes and destroys things, and even the conversation around Bree makes it clear that Wrigley only knows how to be the fun guy to the detriment of all the moments which don’t call for such levity.

And, of course, Stephen isn’t helping much. Yes, he isn’t causing damage. He is helping clean up, but just like Stephen can’t deal with Wrigley when it comes to the subject of Diana, Evan can’t deal with knowing all Stephen has done, and yet Lucy is still with him. Which makes her trying to talk to him, be cordial, just annoying as hell. Oh, and Pippa? She barely says a word to Evan and just is a spectator when she isn’t texting someone. So, all this builds up to the point of Evan blowing up on everybody. Granted, while a little drunk, but it’s established that Evan is an honest drunk, so he probably felt his friends aren’t truly his friends for a long time.

Love Like This Before – Bree, Evan

However, with Bree, it could be different. He knows stuff about Bree that others don’t. They get personal, and it isn’t just about what party they are going to next, what room they’ll have sex in next, and the superficial stuff the others have. Heck, for those two, it doesn’t even have to come down to him screwing up for them to share a moment.

Case in point, after his drunken tirade and him deciding he’ll walk back to campus, Bree finds him, they talk, and she helps him back to his house. Also, she makes it clear that she does not include herself in all Evan said the night before. She makes it clear she understands that she is his ally, allowing him to open up about his family’s money coming from the slimy hands toy that Bree grew up with and loves. Thus making it seem these two are fated.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. So, what does Evan’s mom do, or is she just his father’s wife?
2. When it comes to Stephen destroying the camera Bree borrowed from school, was that to keep Diana from finding out about the trip or to further test his hold over Pippa by doing something to her friend in front of her, and making it so she can’t say anything?
3. With Evan revealing Bree was in foster care, to everyone’s shock, will that truly shift the friendships Bree has? Lucy and Pippa felt bad but does that means their friendships will get more personal or is this just new information to know?
4. Has Evan ever dated a Black girl? Note, who knows how many he grew up with, never mind, that could or would like him, but it doesn’t seem like he seeks them out either.

What Could Happen Next

1. Diana may not get pictures, but she still hears about the trip and takes note of how Stephen is moving
2. Bree and Evan getting closer
3. Pippa finally having an episode that strips away the layers of mystique
4. Drew getting in trouble because Lucy is not going to keep that secret to herself for too much longer

Review

Highlights

Evan & The Struggle To Be Privileged, Grateful, and Not Angry

What Evan presents to us is the real version of what many see Carlton Banks as. He is someone who, due to his family’s sudden wealth, isn’t sure what to do or where he fits in. He has all these privileges and opportunities, but with no immediate thing pushing him to make money if he wants to survive, there is a lack of drive that allows Evan to be aimless.

This, of course, isn’t something his parents, dad, in particular, appreciate. He worked hard, low-key got lucky, and now he wants to build a legacy, generational wealth, so that they can say their money did something beyond allowing them, as an individual, a good life. I’d even, with respect, relate it to the experience of first-generation Americans. Your parents made this notable sacrifice, worked so you could have a better, easier life than they had, and yet you aren’t achieving at or beyond their expectations? That creates a sense of guilt.

Then when you add Evan, is Black and predominately exists in White spaces? That means he has to balance the idea of being naturally cool cause he is Black and living up to certain stereotypes that are positive while trying to avoid the negative ones. That is on top of Evan’s own relationship with Blackness, what that means to him, and navigating that when he doesn’t have a sense of community beyond his family, depending on what they present regarding culture.

Throw in Evan having money and not wanting to seem threatening, and you get everything that adds up to Evan wanting to be likable to avoid criticism, disappointment, and feeling alone. Which as shown in his pursuit to be part of the group, he isn’t getting what he needs, despite all he offers.

Bree and Evan

While they seemed like a random pairing before this episode, if not Bree being a consolation for Lucy being dickmatized by Stephen, now it makes sense. Pairing Evan, who is rich, sensitive, and a bit vulnerable, with someone like Bree, who hasn’t had much sex or dating experience, works. There is no molding or two innocent people getting together. More so, it is someone who is willing to share their world and someone appreciative of it. A young woman who presents a safe space to be vulnerable, not be the nice and cool Black guy, and allows Evan to be flawed, messy, angry even and not have to apologize for it.

They don’t enable the worst in each other, as we see in Lucy and Stephen; they enable the best by creating a safe space to be their version of their worst. Which honestly, their worst is just holding people accountable despite their lack of desire to do so.

Lucy and Stephen In Sync

Are Lucy and Stephen a better couple than before? Yes. With how the Bree situation was handled, you can see they are in lockstep regarding what Lucy wants and how Stephen wants to continue punishing Wrigley. Even if it means going through his brother. However, while in sync and seemingly able to understand each other better than before, you can still see Stephen isn’t fully committed.

Him destroying that camera and memories was a sign he still wanted to leave that door cracked to get back with Diana. For having something on Facebook, when this show takes place, meant something. Facebook official was a real thing, and while only Pippa is talking about social media, making albums online, and all of that, that doesn’t mean Stephen isn’t aware of the impact. So while cute and bringing her is a major thing to note, we can’t get too excited.

Stephen Making It Clear Pippa Can’t do A Damn Thing To Him

Stephen is a bastard; he really is. I would see how he handles Drew, and Pippa, as a means to continue his beef with Wrigley for sleeping with Diana. For Wrigley, he is not untouchable, but Stephen knows he can’t come at him directly without major complications to his social life. However, Drew is an easy target, especially since Lucy doesn’t like him; thus, he has an ally. Then with Pippa, not only is she against Stephen’s relationship with his ally, but she is the girlfriend of someone who doesn’t have his favor. Add in she knows a secret that she hasn’t told her friends, and Stephen now sees that Lucy’s friend group holds multiple secrets? And how they react? Oh, he has her.

Hence him making it clear to her that he destroyed what was on that camera. He isn’t just testing her limits but wants to make it clear she can’t do a damn thing to him, and there isn’t some form of mutually assured destruction. He holds all the cards, and she must act like she knows.

On The Fence

Wanting To Know About Wrigley and Drew

While we did get an episode focused on Wrigley and some of his academic struggles, I think we need an episode that touches upon his upbringing, home life, and how that extends to Drew. Now, maybe I just don’t understand what it is like to grow up with your brother, hence the need to raise an eyebrow, but something feels off. With the way Wrigley protects and advocates for Drew, almost in a maternal way, it’s like they didn’t have that growing up. If not, they did, and Wrigley has been tasked with maintaining the precedent Drew is used to in college.

I can’t put my finger on which it is, but I hope we find out soon.

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