Summer House Recap: Black Shabbat

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Over time, I’ve found myself growing quite fond of Lindsay Hubbard. She certainly has her flaws, and can be demanding at times. Some might even say she’s a bit of a beast. However, after nine seasons, she’s become something of a fixture on this show, and I’ll miss her dearly when she’s not around next season (I assume having a baby will keep her busy, right?). Despite her occasional blunders, Lindsay has always been quite skilled at navigating the world of Reality TV. But her recent outburst at Jesse Solomon’s Shabbat dinner, calling out Carl, was definitely an unfortunate misstep on her part.

The story opens with an unexpected pairing as Paige and Lindsay embark on a journey to the beach. The filmmakers cleverly intersperse a comprehensive summary of their strained yet transforming friendship, stemming from Lindsay’s initial dislike of Paige encroaching upon her program, eventually blossoming into a mutual respect. Paige admits that Lindsay’s behavior once drove her up the wall, but now in her 30s, she finds herself saying, “I don’t owe you anything, not even when I know I’m wrong. I won’t apologize to you.” And guess what? Lindsay taught me that attitude – Lindsay Hubbard was my role model. We both learned from the best, sister.

At Jesse’s weekly Shabbat gathering, there’s an endearing atmosphere as he treats everyone present like family, including Imrul, adding a touch of humor. He wants to replicate his familiar family traditions with his new TV family. Phones are set aside in a basket for undivided attention and he leads a heartwarming prayer. It’s far more charming than Adam Brody’s singing on “Nobody Wants This”. How about launching a Change.org petition to have Jesse lend his voice in season two? Jesse also suggests that during Shabbat, it’s beneficial to reflect on what from the past week you wish to leave behind and what you want to carry forward into the upcoming week.

After receiving the turn in his interactions, Carl admits to having gone out on a date with Lil recently. He seems to be moving on from her within the past week. Let’s raise a toast for Larl 2.0! In their brief encounter, Lil presented a lemon upon meeting Carl due to his habit of turning lemons into lemonade. This quirk of hers left him feeling that her personality was too lively and perhaps not suitable for him. During dinner, this eccentricity made him yearn for more dating experiences. When asked if they would continue seeing each other, Carl clarified that he wanted to date other girls who weren’t as “zany” as Lil.

In this situation, Lindsay seizes the moment to inquire about Carl and his alleged girlfriend, expressing that she’s been communicating with him since the previous summer. Lindsay suspects a shift in Carl during the final two weeks of their relationship, as he was typically timid and wouldn’t have ended things without external influence. She believed Lil’s messages might have given Carl the confidence to move on from Lindsay. However, this interpretation of Carl may seem rather harsh, but considering she’s his former fiancée, sharing a table with him, we can understand her perspective.

Carl mentions that he didn’t begin conversing with Lindsay until the fall, despite meeting her parents at a soccer game over the summer. Lindsay wonders why he hadn’t told her about it earlier, and Carl jokes that he doesn’t feel compelled to share his encounters with impressive parents. Lindsay then teases that Carl would likely date a girl who was messaging him while in a relationship because he lacks good judgment. Carl admits this is true, using their own relationship as an example. Lindsay, Lindsay… it might be wise for you to end things now. It seems like Carl is outsmarting our expert reality TV contestant. Oh, Lindsay. You’re losing to Carl, who wouldn’t even stand a chance against a particularly persistent moth in a fight. This isn’t a good look for you, Lindz.

After some time, Carl’s sister insists on checking his phone, which isn’t in its usual spot because he’d charged it upstairs and made his bed as he always does. He retrieves the phone, opens a DM from Lil, then tries to pass it around the table for others to read the date. However, everyone seems reluctant to hold it, treating it like something that has been previously handled. In the end, Lindsay takes the phone and finds out she had messaged him in October, following their breakup. Carl’s first reaction is, “What are you upset about?

Indeed, Lindsay. It seems like there’s some tension here. Why make such a fuss over it? After being shown to be incorrect, she insists on bringing up the topic if someone claims Carl was speaking with them during their relationship. But why? She’s moved on! This is similar to buying a Mazda Miata after selling your Ford Durango, only to have Ford recall all Durangos. Would you then track down your old Durango, send it back for repairs, and forget about enjoying your new Miata in the process? No. You’d let the new owner handle that, and focus on driving your Mazda Miata, leaving the old car in the past.

Later on, Lindsay tries to calm things down as much as possible. She expresses gratitude towards Carl for presenting the bills, which causes everyone at the table to laugh, commenting that they adore a dispute that has a clear start, progression, and conclusion during dinner. Post-dinner, Paige, Ciara, and Amanda head to – you guessed it – Ciara’s bed, and Paige remarks, “I’ve rarely seen Lindsay so subdued.” While it may seem unusual, this is not necessarily Lindsay’s doing.

Apologies, but the current situation stems from Gabby’s lack of probing questions during an encounter at the Soft Bar launch party. When Imrul, Gaby, and Lil were conversing, Lil mentioned how she met Carl. Upon hearing this, Gabby inquired about when Carl first met her parents at a soccer game last summer, but failed to ask about their initial conversation. Later, Gabby relayed to Lindsay that Lil claimed she was talking to Carl last summer, which was actually an incorrect interpretation of the conversation. Had Lindsay approached the matter with inquiries instead of accusations, this confusion could have been avoided. However, suggesting that Lindsay should have acted differently is akin to contemplating a world where JFK never got assassinated – it goes against her natural character. This predicament can essentially be attributed to Gabby’s role in disseminating misinformation on this particular issue.

Let’s shift our focus from the ongoing crisis of Larl and discuss the gradual unraveling of Lesse instead. On a drive to the Hamptons, Jesse confides in West about how Lexi manipulated him into introducing her to his family, despite their brief one-month relationship. They aren’t officially boyfriend-girlfriend yet, so this seems quite abrupt. Sitting down for dinner with Jesse’s entire Solomon clan is a bold move, especially given the circumstances. This is certainly unexpected. It appears that Lexi has a close bond with her family, and such introductions often occur early in her relationships. While I understand her closeness with her family, she needs to be mindful if this isn’t Jesse’s style. Moreover, it seems like Jesse was reluctant but felt pressured by Lexi’s emotional response following a toe-sucking incident and Ciara’s advances.

The situation becomes more complex when they’re at Kyle’s first DJ set, which appears to be a luxurious outdoor setting. Did you notice Danielle’s appearance? She wasn’t even mentioned! Jesse is conversing with West and Paige, and he mentions that Lexi commented on how he has followed numerous girls since their initial encounter. He jokingly admits his inability to keep track of this and, honestly, expresses the same sentiment. He then reveals that he felt guilty, so he stopped following all the girls, only for Lexi to thank him for doing so, suggesting she was monitoring this as well. While this situation seems troubling, it’s a relief that Paige is part of the conversation. She notes that Lexi is 26 years old, implying this behavior reflects typical 26-year-old girl dynamics. Paige shares that at 26, she was confronting men in person, so this online-stalker behavior seems tamer by comparison.

It’s likely that numerous spectators, particularly men, might find Lexi as unstable, insecure, and overly controlling regarding Jesse. However, it’s also possible she’s just young, hurt a few times, and hasn’t learned better yet. Lexi is still growing and finding her way, and if Jesse wants to stay with her, he’ll have to navigate these choppy waters until she does. Nevertheless, Paige’s argument might be even more compelling. They’ve only been dating for a few weeks, but they’ve already had a major disagreement that they needed to overcome. If the current challenges persist, imagine how much tougher things could get in six months when the initial excitement of Lexi (and Jesse’s charm) fades away.

The scene concludes with Ciara and Paige exiting a hammock in such a humorous manner, it could have earned them a spot on America’s Funniest Home Videos during the Bob Saget era. Later, they find themselves at a picnic table where they discuss Craig. Once more, Paige repeats sentiments shared this season about having to “dull her shine” for Craig’s comfort and his preference for a traditional, heterosexual lifestyle in Charleston – a choice as appealing to her as delving into Lil’s messages with Carl.

In this discussion, some genuine insights emerge. Paige shares that if they were to marry and start a family, Craig expects her to work fewer hours, which would significantly impact their combined earnings and lifestyle. Interestingly, it was revealed that Paige earns more than the ‘pillow magnate.’ Despite convincing him to move to New York for family reasons, Craig still anticipates reduced work hours from Paige. Ciara offers valuable advice in this conversation, encouraging Paige to stop compromising and instead determine her personal desires, ensuring Craig aligns with them. Paige admits she deeply cares for Craig and doesn’t wish to end the relationship, but she struggles to reconcile their contrasting views.

Instead of concluding on a somber note, let’s shift gears. Earlier in the day, Carl embarks on a run during a bright Saturday morning, later finding himself shedding tears in his backyard. Unexpectedly, Imrul, the group’s unconventional character, joins him. However, Carl shares that it’s the anniversary of his brother’s demise and he’s grappling with his emotions. As his bed remains unmade, a sign of distress for this responsible individual, his friends start searching for him. Upon discovering Carl in tears, West and Kyle swiftly return to offer comforting embraces. Carl expresses remorse for his outpouring of feelings, but Imrul aptly summarizes: Many men hold back their emotions, and it’s rare to find those who not only display them but also support them. Kudos to the Y chromosome-bearing members of the Summer House gang for setting a fresh standard for masculinity.

What Carl requires is a handful of help from his friends and some time, as the sorrow doesn’t simply vanish; there will always be another moment, another day, another week, or even year. However, accumulated in this manner, it seems overwhelming. Carl doesn’t need to confront any of that at the moment; instead, he needs this instant, this minute, and just the brief second it takes a photon to travel from the sun to this small part of the Hamptons, where it strikes his face, providing him with warmth that spreads throughout his entire body.

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2025-04-10 06:55