During UnREAL‘s Season 1, the unthinkable happened when one of Everlasting‘s contestants committed suicide after having her medications altered. It seemed nearly impossible for the series to plausibly top that stunt, but they found a way. A despicable way.
I’m not sure which is worse, what happened in the Everlasting world or the decision to write the police shooting story at all. On UnREAL Season 2 Episode 7, “Ambush,” Rachel was the key to Quinn, Coleman and Adam’s plans and desires which drove her to make a regrettable and potentially deadly decision.
UnREAL Recap: Adam Forces Rachel into Making an Awful Decision >>>
While Rachel is getting and taking the blame for Romeo getting shot, there’s plenty of blame to go around. And Rachel’s decision to go into her mother’s care is more punishment than she probably deserves.
Quinn’s Obsessed with Rachel
Quinn may have created Everlasting, but she’s lost with out her protege and that propels her to take frightening steps to get Rachel back. Her plan is to split up Rachel and Coleman and put into play a comprehensive plan.
First, she brings Adam back to steal Rachel’s heart and then she has John try to get Coleman to leave Rachel behind professionally. Both backfire as Rachel holds out against any feelings she has for Adam and Coleman refuses to betray his partner. Quinn’s interference sets the stage for Rachel and Coleman’s ill-conceived decision.
Adam Doesn’t Give Up
After being attacked by Jeremy, the last thing Rachel needs is another man who thinks he knows what’s best for her. While Adam is coming from a place of love and believes Rachel still loves him (and she very well may), Rachel isn’t ready to accept him back into her life.
Adam’s response is to degrade everything Rachel’s been trying to do by having the first black suitor on Everlasting. He demeans her attempt at progress by calling it fake. In response, Rachel (with Coleman) decide to do something real, something newsworthy, something very stupid.
Rachel Calls the Cops
When Darius, Romeo and the girls take a car on a joy ride, Rachel calls the police and reports the vehicle stolen fully aware that given their location that a confrontation is likely. While they couldn’t have foreseen Romeo getting shot, their quest for a “real” story had real life-and-death consequences.
Not only did Darius get hurt when he was pulled out of the vehicle by the officer, but Rachel’s surprise appearance led to the officer shooting Romeo. This was no longer a controlled reality show, but the real world with real consequences brought on by Rachel and Coleman’s quest to make a difference.
After the shooting, Rachel breaks down and punishes herself by calling her mother for help. Will medication fix Rachel? Or is her mother’s actions just another despicable act? We’ll have to wait to find out.
UnREAL airs Mondays at 10pm ET on Lifetime.
(Image courtesy of Lifetime.)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Contributing Editor and Writer for Collider, BuddyTV, TV Fanatic, CliqueClack, and other publications. TV criticism, reviews, interviews with actors and producers, and other related content. Founder of TV Diehard.
