Whiskey Cavalier’s “Five Spies and a Baby” saw our fam caring for a little baby, while somehow still looking incredibly hot along the way. You really can tell loads about people from the way they care for those smaller and weaker than them. And every single person on the team, including the nervous nellie that is Jai, cared for this child and fought tooth and nail to get him back home.
Along the way we saw that Whiskey Cavalier understands what it takes to make a rich and utterly entertaining show. This story isn’t just about Will and Frankie and the way they made me feel when Will had no problem sending his parents a pic of him and Frankie, as if they were married with a kid. It’s about Susan, Jai, Edgar, and even Emma & Ray. It’s about a collective of people that are slowly but surely turning into a family, despite the differences that say it shouldn’t be possible.
For these people, it is.
Will & Frankie
Years of TV watching has taught me that adulting of this shape, way, or form is practically impossible. A man and a woman being friends whilst the later is in the beginnings of a relationship? Seems almost impossible, especially when there are the first signs of affection and love blossoming between them. Yet here we are, six episodes into season one and with a ship that is adulting the hell out of everything they do.
Example #1: Will calling out Frankie in front of the team on her lack of experience when it comes to relationships. That was savage, and the kind of rude you wouldn’t think an unicorn like Will is capable of. And instead of dragging that slight through everything and anything that had to do with their mission…Will apologized. I know, take a moment. Process that. A man apologized for what he said to a women. No buts were thrown in there, and this wasn’t dragged along on an angst train that would take all season. Will apologized. That’s it. Done and done.
Example #2: Frankie giving Will advice about Emma. Any other show would’ve painted Frankie as an angry and scorned woman who wouldn’t utter a word about Emma because “she’s competition.” We’re not about that drama for dramas sake here at Whiskey Cavalier land. Frankie knows how to separate and compartmentalize what she’s feeling, in comparison to what Will is. As much as Frankie grumbles, Will is her friend and if she can help him out and make him less paranoid about what’s happening between Emma & Ray back home, then she’s gonna do it.
That’s what adulting is all about and the reason why I’m so here for this ship. Will and Frankie respect and care for each other. And sure, they’re going to stumble and make a couple messes along the way because that’s life, but they will end up fine because they are adulting the hell out of this friendship and partnership. No drama for dramas sake or standstills in their relationship because one person doesn’t want to budge or admit they’re wrong.
Frankie and Will are more than the stereotypes we’re used to and I can’t wait to see more!
Jai & Edgar
When I look at Jai and Edgar, I see two men who are the ying and yang to each other. Now, this isn’t born out me secretly shipping these two. If you ship it, go forth my child! My ying yang comparison comes from the fact that they provide something the other doesn’t have. And yes, they started off as rude and kind of antagonistic in the beginning, but they have grown and continue to do so.
Edgar needed someone to help him realize that this isn’t a game. He’s doing dangerous things, day in and day out, and they don’t need people who think this is all just fun and games. People can and will die if Edgar doesn’t work on bettering himself. And I think Jai plays a large role in that. He’s a mentor to Edgar, and the one to call him out on his messiness while pushing him to get better.
What Edgar gives to Jai is the opposite of this. Jai is so wound up and uptight that he can’t see that this world isn’t as crappy as Jai would make it out to be. There are moments of laughter, fun, and getting to know each other that DON’T make us weak. Some moments even have adorable babies that change our perspective on what our future holds. They make us stronger as people, friends, and family. And Edgar helps provide that to Edgar while proving that men can be vulnerable and have relationships like this.
Susan & Frankie
There wasn’t nearly enough Susan in this week’s Whiskey Cavalier. But what I got, I loved. Sometimes it seems like TV is afraid to give us relationships like this, especially when it comes to women. Writers only know how to write women that are competing against each other for jobs, men, or the mission of the episode. That’s not happening on Whiskey Cavalier.
Susan and Frankie are friends. And it’s not because they know Will. They have chosen to care, get to know, and be there for each other for their own benefit. Sure, Will pops in every once in a while into their conversations, but it isn’t the ONLY thing they are to each other. *gasp cuz I know I’m blowing some people’s minds*
Now all I need is a mission where the women handle things. Don’t get me wrong, they do on a regular basis, but I want an episode where Susan and Frankie are front and center. I want to see their bond grow, change, and solidify into one of the strongest relationships on this show. Why? Because as women we deserve it.
For all the crap writing we have endured over the years, a bond like the one that Susan and Frankie have is something we need, instead of just want.
Stop Trying to Make Ray Happen (Maybe)
We need to talk about Ray, particularly the fact that Whiskey Cavalier is MAKING me like him. It’s just a tiny bit, but it still counts. Let me explain. I was sure that the kind of person that Ray was when he got shot would continue to be the man that we got for the rest of the season. I’ve watched enough TV to know that men like him are there for laughs and not much development. Then Whiskey Cavalier had to come around and prove me wrong.
Ray is growing, learning, and listening to what others have to say about him. He’s not just sitting there, sure with the kind of person he is and rebuffing anyone’s advice on how he can grow and fix things with Will. He’s actively listening and changing his behaviors because he wants to become a better person for himself, for Will, and for the Whiskey Cavalier fam.
I never saw myself in this position. I never thought I’d have anything but contempt and anger for the man that played a part in hurting Will so badly. But here we are, episodes later, and I like that even someone as small as Ray gets the opportunity to grow. It just makes the show richer, more well rounded, and like the writers room considered every aspect of this show as it moved the story along.
Emma is Probably Evil and We All Know It
The more that I see and hear of Emma, the more I think she’s a plant to infiltrate our Whiskey Cavalier family. I understand her need not to waste time. She has a career that is go, go, go, and those you trust…well, they aren’t many. And right now Emma trusts Will. But it’s just too damn perfect and too damn soon.
Relationships like this, that go from 0 to 100, always have ulterior motives no matter Emma’s assurances that she’s not here to play games. She JUST met Will and she’s already giving him an engraved watch that looks expensive as hell? Oh no, girl. I don’t think so. This has Alias written all over it and history is absolutely going to repeat itself.
In many ways, I think Emma is like episode one Frankie. She thought she had Will all figured out. That she knew all his buttons and triggers because he was a “softie,” and that made Frankie feel like she could use his kindness against him. Frankie found out quickly that his kindness and compassion doesn’t make him weak. It makes him stronger. And Emma is going to meet the full force of that when her motives are revealed.
Also, I know for a fact that Will can protect himself. We all know it and have seen it. But when Frankie finds out the truth about who Emma is….dear lord, shits going to get ugly and someone is getting dragged down, knocked out, and deleted from the Whiskey Cavalier fam. That someone is Emma.
Favorite Scene from “Five Spies and a Baby”:
Whiskey Cavalier airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.
