Summer House Recap: Crushing Defeat

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Friends, I’m genuinely concerned about West. It’s not just because fans and Ciara might still have issues with him, although his appearance in pajamas with a candle, looking like a charming Scrooge McDuck, seemed to endear him to them. My concern is more about the amount he’s been drinking lately. After the Snooze Fest, West organized an outdoor gathering on the trampoline bed for us, turning it into a cozy pile for a group hug and a screening of Zootopia. He was even seen with his arm around Jesse, with Jesse’s head resting on his chest, giving off the vibe of two roommates from freshman dorm days who were the talk of the floor for their friendship.

Eventually, everyone else heads into the house, leaving West standing outside alone. At 2 a.m., it begins to rain heavily, and it takes West two long hours to awaken and seek shelter indoors. Two hours! In such cold and wet weather! The following morning, Carl retrieves West’s laptop and speaker that they had been using to enjoy an exceptional animated production. Had West left them exposed in the soaking-wet rain all night? Are they damaged beyond repair? Will the speaker ever produce soft tunes for a lady he brought home from a bar again? I have numerous questions, but mainly, I hope West is alright.

Apart from the incident in the backyard earlier, there’s another moment that could make someone blush in this episode. As hinted beforehand, Carl finally confesses his feelings for Ciara, and surprisingly, it turns out better than expected. He showers her with genuine compliments and then admits, “I’ve always felt you were extraordinary, but I don’t stand a chance in hell.

In simpler terms, Ciara says something like, “Whatever’s supposed to happen will,” which can be seen as a polite way of dismissing the situation. She also mentions that she’d prefer not to involve Lindsay (wisest among them) and suggests that maybe she should take a break from dating white men for now. When Ciara shares this with Amanda and Paige, Amanda, who is known for her wisdom, thinks that Carl views her as a supportive friend who is also attractive, but he’s a bit conflicted in his feelings. However, he’ll value her friendship forever. In other words, everyone made smart moves in the situation.

It appears Carl’s self-assurance is returning, despite acknowledging that his performance with the girl from Montauk wasn’t up to par last weekend. After enduring a tough season (and much of the previous one too), speaking to Ciara in this way suggests he’s moving towards recovery and may soon find someone who feels as strongly about him as he does about them. However, I hope it’s not Lil.

In this episode, we see Lesse’s rapid downfall primarily orchestrated by Jesse Solomon. It’s always Jesse’s name that comes up, yet no one seems to blame him. Jesse oversteps by engaging all the women simultaneously, which leads him to confront Paige, Amanda, Ciara, and Lindsay. Together, they form a strong front that won’t let Jesse escape unscathed. Jesse claims the girls are misinterpreting his words and repeating them to Lexi. However, as Paige points out, he can’t trust the women with his secrets and then tell them, “You’re not involved.” They are involved! They’re here now, merely relaying back his own words.

Ultimately, he inquires from the girls about what exactly he had done, and Lindsay responds, “Well, like, remember when you told Ciara she could have dated you instead of West?” Jesse admits that he merely said it to console Ciara, but now she’s angry because she believes he feels sorry for her. As he departs, Amanda proves to be correct once more when she states that Jesse truly expressed his feelings to Ciara, and claiming it was a joke or to make her feel better was the only explanation he could offer.

That evening, Lexi Liner, feeling distressed, reaches out to her sister Tiffany. Tiffany describes Jesse as being less than ideal, using strong language that may not be entirely inaccurate. This leaves Lexi unwilling to partake in their McDonald’s delivery (courtesy of Uber Eats). A cold McDonald’s is something she wants to avoid at all costs – perhaps only surpassed by trying to squeeze into a wet swimsuit or a too-tight condom. The night finds Lexi spending it alone, while Jesse enjoys companionship with West, pondering why he can’t propose marriage.

During the early hours of the day, it’s clear that Jesse and many others are dealing with something heavy. The lingering effects of a hangover and the unpleasant sensation from a McDonald’s meal seem to be palpable, even over the television screen. In her private reflection, Lexi admits, “I feel used. Jesse is leading me on, only to say things about me that he doesn’t share with others, which inevitably makes it difficult for the rest of the house to relate to me.” She’s not wrong, and it’s not just those in the house who are feeling this way; viewers of the show are, too. Initially, I found myself supporting Jesse, but his actions have made me hesitant to trust Lexi. I don’t believe he did this deliberately, but the consequences are undeniable.

In the kitchen, Jesse, Amanda, and Lindsay are preparing breakfast together, and Jesse queries Amanda regarding Ciara’s anger towards him, apart from the one joke about courting her before West. Tired perhaps of always being right, Amanda responds, “Your habit of using humor in serious discussions doesn’t seem beneficial to anyone.

In the kitchen, where everyone gathers and Jesse and Lexi’s conversation intensifies, Jesse feels uncomfortable being labeled as talking negatively about Lexi. Gaby offers a sensible observation, stating that if he noticed signs of concern (yellow flags) regarding Lexi, he should have addressed them with Lexi instead of the group. Jesse acknowledges this but Lexi counters that he doesn’t truly grasp the situation, and she no longer wishes to date him. She’s not interested in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship or an exclusive arrangement; she doesn’t even want to appear on his Instagram Stories anymore. In essence, she has ended things between them.

As a movie enthusiast, when Jesse walks into his room accompanied by West, he voices his disagreement with Lexi’s words. I believe Jesse and West are grappling with the same dilemma. They find it difficult to detach their past actions from their personal identities. Jesse feels that Lexi is labeling him as a deceitful backstabber. In truth, she’s merely pointing out his duplicitous behavior and harsh words. Both of them are allowing this negativity to seep in and fail to distinguish between being evil and doing evil. They’ve both committed wrongful acts, but that doesn’t make them inherently bad people (and it’s something their fans might want to keep in mind too). They’re both battling because they can’t seem to understand the reason for the wrong, how to apologize for it, or how to cease doing it. I think this struggle stems from their fixation on being perceived as good guys.

West advises Jesse, “It’d be great if I could say, ‘Stand up and share your story,’ but the simplest thing seems to be to apologize and lay low for now.” However, that’s not the solution. One can’t truly apologize for something they don’t comprehend, and they won’t grasp why others are hurt unless they try to empathize, which is something Erika Jayne has spent a lot of time cultivating in therapy. They need to understand their mistakes, make amends, and until that happens, they’ll just be two guys who don’t get it and keep agreeing with each other, but end up making things worse instead.

In a city setting, Jesse and Lexi engage in a discussion, yet the conversation appears to be fruitless. The main topic seems to revolve around an apology from Jesse concerning an incident where his toe was sucked. However, it’s evident that this issue doesn’t seem to bother Lexi much. She expresses her dislike for standing up for people and mentions that if a relationship starts to deteriorate, she will simply remove the person from her life. It seems their interaction may be heading towards a separation, but we’ll have to wait until the next episode or the reunion to find out more about their situation.

Let’s move on to discussing the poignant moment from John Updike’s novel in “Snooze Fest” party, where Kyle and Tom Schwartz find themselves. Tom expresses his longing for children, something he lacks, and Kyle admits he never thought he’d be 42 without being a father. This heartfelt exchange is tinged with sadness but also truthfulness. As the rest of the group departs, leaving Tom alone on the front porch, he appears as an overlooked parcel on Amazon. On Sunday morning, Tom enters Paige and Ciara’s room to find them together in bed (nothing inappropriate), and he advises them to appreciate this moment. He shares a glimpse of his past happy family life in L.A., which has now turned sour, causing him to express his feelings so candidly that it almost brought a tear to my eye, reminding me of the good old days of “Pump Rules.

As Kyle and I shared a quiet moment during our date in the film’s finale, the topic of children arose once more. I confided that I had been pondering my potential infertility. Kyle sympathized, suggesting that it might not necessarily be a negative turn of events. He recalled how he’d always assumed fatherhood was in his future, but after dealing with his mental health challenges the previous year, he began to question if he could provide the care and support a child needs.

Listen, let me pause things here for a moment. Amanda’s been the emotional core of this series, and I’ve never seen anyone on reality TV (or in my everyday life) who could potentially be a better mom than her. She’s always been understanding, even with Kyle, who, well, let’s just say he usually had it coming.

Think about it – who’s the one cooking meals, keeping the place tidy, setting bedtimes and chores? It’s Amanda! She’s the one taking care of everyone, from cleaning up messes to planning parties, ensuring costumes for the weekly themes are ready, and so much more. If this show were a ship, she’s the one keeping it afloat.

I get that she has feelings about motherhood, and rightfully so, but there’s no doubt in my mind – if she chooses to be a mom (with Kyle), she’ll excel at it. She’s got this, sister!

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2025-05-01 05:55