Time for another haphazard episode of Gen Q. This one is called “Locked Out.“ In an early draft of this recap, I made a joke about how I wish I could get locked out so I wouldn’t have to watch this show and then my girlfriend my editor reminded me that not only do I get paid to write these recaps, I actively choose to do this every week. So no complaints from me!! I’m so happy to be here *muffled sobs*
At the beginning of this episode, Tess is angry with Shane for Kehlani-related cheating reasons. She’s huffing around the house and barely acknowledging her partner in lesbian bar ownership. Shane, meanwhile, is dutifully packing up Patty’s stuff (so convenient that Patty recovered from dementia long enough to ask to go into assisted living). Suddenly, Tess notices a bee buzzing around the house and starts screaming. She’s going nuts about this bee, so Shane traps it and walks out onto the patio to set it free. Tess comes out, too. Shane is like, “Are you allergic to bees?“ and Tess says she doesn’t know. How would she not know?? Not only does this line of dialogue makes no sense, it calls attention to the bee as a lazy plot device. The patio door locks behind them. Since neither of them have their phones, they’re effectively trapped outside. They start processing and it’s the world’s vaguest conversation. Gen Q writers write one line of dialogue that moves the plot forward or teaches us something new about the characters challenge.
Alice is sitting in a movie theater, waiting for Shane. She also asked Taylor to come, but Taylor said she had to work. Shane obviously doesn’t show up. Taylor, on the other hand, walks in and sit a few rows in front of her with another woman. They start kissing!! Alice stands up and confronts them in front of all the other moviegoers. Granted Taylor lied about having to work, but did they talk about being exclusive? They just met a week ago or something. Anyways, I hope something works out for Alice soon. Every episode is just a rollercoaster for her.
Over at California College, Angie gets a text from Hendrix asking her to go away for the weekend. She’s wondering how to respond when her roommate, Bella, comes home from a wild night of bad college sex with a wet condom stuck in her hoo ha. Angie tries to coach her through removing it using instructions she found online, but nothing works until she reaches up inside Bella herself. Gen Q is sure doing a lot of body humor this season, like Carrie’s profuse nosebleed. The roommates bond over this experience and Angie reveals that she’s never had sex before, which is why she’s so anxious about spending the weekend with her PROFESSOR. Bella gives Angie some helpful sex tips and words of encouragement. They even buy matching vibrators. Sadly, I feel like this sex-positive moment is foreshadowing that Angie will get assaulted and I HATE IT. Fuck this storyline. Angie should date Bella.
Back on the patio, Shane and Tess are still processing. Tess feels stupid because she trusted Shane and wanted to be with her forever, even though when they met, Shane was a confirmed slut with a bad reputation. Shane just apologizes a bunch. At one point, Tess brings up “ENM” (ethical non-monogamy, no one has ever called it this), but Shane only wants unethical non-monogamy. Tess also wonders aloud if Shane is addicted to sex. This actually seems like a generative character development, or at least something beyond “Shane cheats because she is damaged,“ but of course it goes nowhere. Tess wants to find a way to stay together, but Shane says she isn’t happy and they decide to break up. This conversation is unbelievably circular and vague and I just wanted so much more for these characters!!
Next, Finley is wearing an enormous white sweater vest and asking Sophie all kinds of questions about Dre, the person Sophie slept with whilst Finley was away at sober living. This is clearly really hard on Finley, but Sophie tries to minimize by saying that they only slept together once and they’re not even hot, even though Dre is a hot person’s name. It seems clear that this is a lie—Sophie is still receiving texts from Dre and they met on Hinge, which implies intent and pre-meditation. Also, remember when Mirabel referred to Dre as the person Sophie “was fucking”??!
A few episodes ago, Micah and Mirabel got into a big fight after Micah confessed that his mom didn’t know they were in a relationship. Well, now it’s today and Micah finally told his mom. Mirabel suggests they celebrate by going online and picking out a sperm donor. Wait, did Micah tell his mom about the BABY? The relationship is old news at this point, she needs to know about the baby.
What happens next is peak Gen Q nonsense. Mirabel says she wants a tall donor with an athletic build (“We have a chance to design the perfect baby.“) Micah replies that this is eugenics. Then they struggle to define what they want in a donor—the only characteristics that Micah can identify about himself are that he’s Chinese-American and anxious, which is sad because that’s all the show lets him be. This is such a huge conversation and I can’t imagine any couple having it for the first time whilst being so far along in the process that they’re literally shopping for sperm. Also, sperm bank catalogs only provide bare-bones information about the donor like height, weight, and genetic risk factors (though if you pay you can look at photos of the donor as a baby and listen to a recording of his voice). To become a sperm donor, you have to be considered “desirable,” which generally means you and your entire extended family are free of mental and physical illness. You have to be young, tall, and in possession of a college education, so I imagine it would feel really shitty for Mirabel to buy into such an institution or be asked to evaluate another person based on those factors. This is a moment where we might expect her to express some complicated feelings about disability, ableism, and her dreams for her forthcoming baby, especially since Micah explicitly brings up eugenics. Alas, this scene is criminally underwritten but I’m also of the belief that Gen Q should NOT attempt important issues and I feel grateful that this was wrapped up quickly.
Dani is standing outside Dana’s. While she’s distracted by her phone, a sidewalk scooter almost plows her over. I relate to this because I live in Boston and those fuckers will kill you. A hot dyke heroically shoves her out of the way and says, “I feel like we should kiss now.“ And then they kiss?!! I actually don’t mind this development, it’s fun. Dani walks into Dana’s simply glowing from her encounter. She tells Sophie immediately because they are uncomplicated besties again.
So anyways, the hot person who kissed Dani takes the mic and sings a cover of “Dancing with a Stranger.“ Dani points her out to Sophie, who has the horrible realization that Dani’s meet-cute was with her forbidden “on a break” hookup, DRE. Backstage, Sophie goes and tells Finley that her paramour is in attendance, and Finley freaks the fuck out and runs into the bar. Dre’s karaoke is great and everyone is bopping along, so much so that Finley panics and pulls the fire alarm. Then she yells at everyone to leave and closes Dana early? Girl, get a fucking grip. I love that Sophie explicitly said that Dre is not hot when really, Dre is so hot that they’re getting the fire department called and wreaking havoc wherever they go.
Outside of Dana’s, a hapless Dre approaches Dani and asks to hang out. Dani tells them that Sophie is her ex-girlfriend and she refuses to be anyone’s second choice, which is a completely unhinged and self-centered assessment of the situation. Dre if you’re reading this, RUN!!
At the end of the episode, everyone takes refuge in friendship. Finley shows up to Shane and Tess’s house to tell them that they owe the fire department thousands of dollars, and Tess suggests they go to a meeting. Over at the Gen Q house, Sophie and Dani have a snack attack and laugh about what a small, queer world it is. Shane and her dog leave Tess for good and take refuge at Alice’s house. And that’s all, folks. Until next episode, which is a MUSICAL!
Other Things That Came Up for Me:
I may not understand it, but I respect how hard this ep leaned into The Wedding Planner. Sophie’s Matthew McConaughey impression was something else.
Jordan Hull (the actress who plays Angie) is out here acting circles around the rest of the cast. The ways she says “ew“ to “he had no sheets on his bed“ was so funny to me.
The way this show is edited is so choppy and always makes me feel like I’m watching on a boat ride.
I can’t believe “Angie loses her virginity to an older creep who’s also her professor“ is a real plotline on this show. It’s just so odious. Fuck.
Discussion Question: what are you looking for in a sperm donor? I want someone funny who tips well and never crosses the picket line. Most important, I want the baby to be born with hair.
Things That Came Up for Me: why doesn't Alice sleep under the covers?? Why is she tossing and turning under a thin blanket on top of the comforter?
I’m reeling thinking about the next episode being a musical. Was that a joke? That’s like going to shake salt on your already bad food and having the top come off the shaker and the entire contents spill out onto your plate. How could this be? Why would they do this? They are just doing it because they can. I have so many questions. This show is wild.