Ron Does Stuff

At the end of the last episode, Charlie is slowly cracking and descending into an eating disorder spiral, while Tao finally is honest with himself and resolves to court Elle. Let’s see how things turn out!

This episode opens with Charlie, Isaac, and Tao trying to figure out what the perfect first date with Elle would entail. Tao is definitely overthinking things, especially when he recommends going to Ikea like in 500 Days of Summer. That is not what you want your relationship to be, Tao.

Tao isn’t the only one making decisions, however. Nick’s rugby friends have invited him and Charlie to a party and also reveal that they aren’t friend with Harry anymore. This would have been an opportune moment for Nick to come out to them but he chickens out at the last moment. Coach Singh does catch them making out in the equipment room so there’s that! She’s cool about it because of course she would. Nick’s gaydar may be shot but it’s pretty obvious Coach Singh is a lesbian.

We then get a nice cheery sequence of Tao, Charlie, and Isaac having a great time. Tao is now the one Googling rather than Nick, and Charlie is helping out Nick with his homework despite not having done his own. He says he’s done but I highly doubt it. Isaac is making a Pride display with another guy that maybe is going to be a love interest?

We also get a brand new conflict that wasn’t in the books! Tara inadvertently tells Darcy “I love you” and it turns things weird between the two of them. Tara says she wasn’t expecting Darcy to say it back but considering how disappointed she looks when Darcy doesn’t say it back, maybe she should have been a little more honest.

Anyways, Tara and Darcy are in the Truham because of the upcoming trip to Paris. Boys and girls aren’t allowed to room together once they’re there and of course, Nick and Charlie, the homosexuals, aren’t mad about that at all. They’re going to engage in some MALICIOUS GAY FAGGOTRY.

And Tao finally makes his move and asks Elle out on a movie date! Everything’s working out so far so something is probably going to mess things up either later in this episode or further down the season. Probably not something too earth-shattering because I’m watching Young Royals for that.

I guess the thing that’s going to mess up both these homosexual and heterosexual relationships is happening now because Nick is already getting a headache at the party where he’s meaning to come out to his friends, while Tao and Elle’s date is awkward. Tao and Elle are miscommunicating and this relationship might end before it even starts.

Back at the party, Nick and Charlie are being sweet on the forest floor but I can’t help but feel how uncomfortable lying down on the forest floor would be. I’ve tried it and I’ve never found it comfortable! But maybe the two of them are distracted by each other and the thought of them kissing in front of the Mona Lisa once Nick comes out to his rugby friends.

Did someone say Mona Lisa?

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Before Nick can even come out to his rugby friends, he and Charlie are separated by a swarm of students who just can’t wait to set fire to all of their school stuff. They were even shouting “Fire! Fire! Fire!”

And speaking of Fire!

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Over at the heterosexual corner, I gotta admire Elle for telling Tao that they should do something they both enjoy. Tao is doing too much and is acquiescing too much and it’s not what Elle likes about him! And to Tao’s credit, he does recognize this but it’s too late before he can do anything about it and their relationship, like I guessed, ends before it even starts. I’m curious how they’re going to build it back up because in the books how they end up together happens off the page.

It’s not only Elle and Tao that have been split up, but Nick and Charlie as well, but for Nick and Charlie it’s just losing each other in the crowd and not because they’re ending their relationship. But Nick is overwhelmed by the thought of coming out as well as all the baggage that comes with being bisexual and all the other baggage coming from the first season. He ends up not coming out at all and Charlie takes him back home instead.

They then have a conversation about coming out which I found interesting considering how things have changed over the years. Charlie tells Nick that gay people don’t owe other people their coming out, which I agree with, but I also grew up at a time when Western media put importance on coming out. I say Western media because coming out is a different conversation here in my corner of the ~Global South~, particularly with people of my generation. It’s a nice scene to end the episode on, I think.