After what was, effectively, a two-part pilot, Étoile is getting to the good stuff. Étoile Season 1, Episode 3 “The Fish” introduces new conflict and character beats worth digging into. And, for the shippers among us, it’s an episode packed with potential. It’s the best episode of the bunch so far. Here’s what happens when the Étoile family has a very, very stressful few days.
A Family Matter
In Étoile Season 1, Episode 3 “The Fish,” the MBT board suggests renaming the Fish Theater for Shamblee. Jack takes it very personally, given that he’s a member of the Fish family. A later tour with donors doesn’t help, as they giggle at the silly “Fish” name. Although the tale he tells of a little boy (obviously him) sitting with his mother in a box seat is deliberately rehearsed and cheesy, there’s real feeling to it.
Then, things take a turn for the weird. Jack goes to confront Shamblee at a restaurant, and promptly runs into several doppelgangers. It’s creepy – and intentional, Shamblee admits. Turns out, Shamblee holds a grudge against the Fishes and all the other old-money families, who snubbed him for being rich but not of their class – very Gilded Age of them! Now, he’s got enough money to get his revenge.
I have to say, Shamblee is a (perhaps inadvertently) perfect villain for 2025. A sociopathic gajillionaire with money in place of morals, happy to burn down the world, hit everyone’s weak points, and make people suffer just to soothe the fact that he never got to sit with the cool kids. Sound familiar? His near-supernatural ability to stay ten steps ahead of our heroes is creepy-comic in a very classically ASP way now, but I suspect it won’t stay funny for long.
Jack now has to break the news to his mother and his uncle. And it’s Kelly Bishop, aka Emily Gilmore, and Patrick Page, aka Hades himself! At first, they take it with bittersweet resignation. Then, Jack’s grandfather pipes up from his wheelchair slumber to insist they sue. So, Jack is about to be on both sides of a lawsuit! Fun times!
Geneviève’s Very Bad Night
Over in Paris, Geneviève has the publicity she wants. Unfortunately, it’s not for the swap, but for the bull that wandered into the press conference. Then, Tobias summons the entire company of dancers to what they think is a rehearsal for his new piece. It’s actually a sizing-up, as he rapidly dismisses almost everyone, one by one. Geneviève has to mollify the dancers, but not before asking Tobias to give Gabin, their “resident little bad boy,” a shot. Tobias was already planning to pick him, though.
Geneviève and Jack’s storylines continue to parallel each other with the introduction of her family. Hers, however, is not an old-money powerhouse, but a very ordinary, working-to-middle class family. Geneviève and her sister, Leonor, couldn’t be more different – something the sisters clearly recognize. Leonor works an office job and takes cooking dinner very seriously; her husband hangs out in his garage; her daughters seem normal, and her son is a monosyllabic skateboarder.
When Geneviève’s nieces ask “Tante Vivi” about her job, it hits a sore spot with Leonor, who believes Geneviève thinks herself above them. The sisters fight, and Geneviève storms out.
Getting the Role Is Half the Battle
Let’s check in with our dancers in Étoile Season 1, Episode 3. Gael shows up for rehearsal, warning Cheyenne that he’s rusty. Now is a great time, if you haven’t already, to revisit David Alvarez’s excellent dancing in Spielberg’s West Side Story. When Jack (and his donors) stumble across their rehearsal, though, he’s furious. Specifically, he’s furious about Gael returning. Hmmm…
In Paris, Mishi has unknowingly landed a plum role as Gamzatti. She suspects that her mother has pressured the company, but Clea insists she had nothing to do with it. (Sure). Clea also insists that Mishi attend a big welcome-home party, ignoring Mishi’s discomfort. The ballet mean girls insult her, her parents embarrass her – really, it’s not her night.
Geneviève then shows up and awkwardly joins the dinner. Like Jack, she rambles when things get awkward, then bails on the party. Mishi follows her and demands to come with her. Instead, Geneviève apologizes for cutting her years ago – but promises to find somewhere else for Mishi to live. She visits Cheyenne’s mother, Bruna, and asks if she’d be willing to take Mishi in.
A Lesson in Pride
Coming back from his disastrous family meeting, Jack stumbles upon SuSu, her mother, and Cheyenne. He’s understandably confused and a little upset, but Cheyenne insists they make room for SuSu in the school. The conversation devolves when Cheyenne brings up Jack’s kids – and the fact that they’re not there.
Cheyenne follows him to a restaurant across the street. And if you’re getting episode 3 of Maisel vibes from Étoile Season 1, Episode 3 “The Fish,” you’re not alone. Jack isn’t thrilled to spend more time with Cheyenne, who has been adding to his headache. He vents all his frustrations – about Shamblee, about Gael, about the lawsuit. Luke Kirby is a master of the Sherman-Palladino rant monologue here.
In her typically blunt way, Cheyenne cuts to the chase. Jack is a man, she says, and all men’s pride is located … well, you can guess where she points. Cheyenne hilariously asks Jack’s “pride” to let Gael back into the company. It’s funny, but also rather sweet and vulnerable. It’s hard not to notice the contrast between Shamblee, the board, and even the Fishes’ dismissal of Jack, versus Cheyenne’s plea to him “from one artist to another.” Wait… do I ship this? Maybe a little? It wouldn’t be an ASP show without at least one power-dynamic-mess of a ship. In any case, Jack agrees to let Gael dance with Cheyenne. And he goes back to the theater and tells SuSu’s mother to bring her to class. Aww!
Curtain Call
- I appreciate that the opening montage of Étoile Season 1, Episode 3 shows the un-glamorous, effort-filled side of ballet without veering into full-on Black Swan territory.
- Jack calls Geneviève to beg her to find something in Paris for Shamblee to name after himself instead of the Fish. One, I giggle every time Jack switches to French when he’s particularly annoyed. Two, their way-too-comfortable-exes energy is off the charts. Do I ship them, too? (Come on. You all know the answer is yes, yes I do).
- A mysterious board member calls Jack and praises Cheyenne and Gael’s pairing. Jack is certain it’s Shamblee, but later, Board Member Charleston (I’m sorry, but Dakin Matthews will always be Headmaster Charleston) tells him it was a real board member. Do we believe him, though?
- Charlotte Gainsbourg really nails the physical comedy for Geneviève’s night of horrors. Comedy is hard, and she makes it all seem like just an extension of Geneviève’s chaotically cool messiness.
- Leonor’s dedication to brisket is a very French version of Midge. Does ASP just really, really love brisket?
- Jack’s loathing for Gael seems to go beyond Gael’s apparent unreliability. It seems personal, doesn’t it? And not just Cheyenne-focused, either.
