My Life With The Walter Boys Season 2, Episode 9: Allhallowtide

My Life With The Walter Boys Season 2, Episode 9, Courtesy of Netflix

George and Katherine are going through a lot. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to try to keep a roof over that many kid heads, food on the table, and not to mention the land in the family. With all of the expansion at the ranch – it seems more intense and that bothers me. Why? Because if there is anything that we learned in My Life With the Walter Boys season 2, episode 9, this family needs each other.

As the ranch changes, so do the characters in the show. George and Katherine are struggling to keep their family together, because the things happening on the ranch are driving them apart.

So, George and Katherine decide against the lodge and the glamping. Instead they decide that they are going to lease a part of the land out. It turns out that an unused portion of the land used to grow grapes during the prohibition.

Will may not be on board for this, but I do wish he would. He has invested a lot of time into it and I think that for him, he felt like this was his way to do something and grow. However, George is going to have to have that conversation with Will and keep him involved.

I mean, even Richard is on board and that means something. While that will be something we dive into (I think) in the future, for right now – it’s a storyline that is been set up so perfectly this season.

For now though, it’s the relationships that are front and center. It’s Jackie, Cole and Alex figuring out what they want. It’s also the friendships that are front and center. Things are changing in Silver Falls.

COLE I AM PROUD

I was worried after the last episode that Cole was going to put Dylans issues before his own. I would have been so mad if he pout what he wanted in life second fiddle to Dylan.

Coach tells the team the three players that are suspended due to positive drug tests, and one of those is Dylan. Man, I clapped so hard, because I was proud of Cole for thinking about his future first.

Dylan is blaming Cole and trying to gaslight him, but I was proud that Cole stood his ground and was like it wasn’t me. Dylan doesn’t have to take responsibility for anything, I guess. Why? Because that entitled brat is really thinking that everything that happens is never his fault.

For some one who is so afraid of their father, Dylan is one to always push the boundaries and do things that he knows that his father will react to. He doesn’t seem to be smart about his actions.

It is kinda like he doesn’t care about his future and craves the anger that his father gives, because it is attention that he wouldn’t get elsewhere.

FIRST DATE

Alex has passed his driving test on his first try and well – good for him. Some of us don’t do that. Some of us – it takes a few time for a variety of reasons. It could be anxiety, fear, and intimidation. Some driving instructors are terrifying. In My Life With The Walter Boys, season 2, episode 9, Jackie fails her driving test and is not happy about it. We can’t blame her – she didn’t even get out of the parking lot.

Luckily with Alex having passed – he has an idea – he can take Jackie on a real official date. She’s all for it, but since no one can know about them dating, they are working on their cover story. It gets awkward when Cole walks outside and sees them talking.

Lets face it, none of them are good at secrets, but they are good at being awkward.

Now, as a viewer, I know that nothing goes off without a hitch in this show. With how much Alex and Jackie want to go on a date, something was going to stop them. Life would happen. Friends or family would need them.

And it turns out that high school will be the thing that needs them.

Skylar wants to throw a party that night and somehow talks Jackie and Grace into helping him to setup for the party. Alex had me laughing as he tried to cover so they wouldn’t have to but his voice got so high pitched, I was like sir, you aren’t being subtle.

Event then, Alex and Jackie decide they’ll show up for a bit and then leave. They want to spend time together and I can respect that, but lets be real here – nothing is going to come that easy.

PARTY TIME

Skylar thought that having a party would make him forget his love life issues. He’s walking around the party, trying to take pictures with everyone and post them on his story. He wants to show that he’s having a good time and I can respect that. There is no need for Nathan or Zach to know that he’s miserable.

A high school party can be a lot of fun – but there is alway a lot of drama that surrounds them.

For Skylar, the attention that he is getting is from Zach and that’s not what he wants. He wants Nathans attention. Little does he know Nathan is sitting in the couch with Danny, eating more candy than anyone should and watching social media to see what is happening.

Kiley was at the party for a bit, but when she found out that Dylan wanted Cole to take the drug test for him. For Kiley that just means he’s like everyone else and she did think he was different.

She leaves. I think that Kiley feels safe being alone but she does need people. She needs friends.

Alex and Jackie were going to leave and go to their movie marathon, but he ends up getting a text from Kiley that she needs him. Jackie tells him to go, and heads back to the party.

I can appreciate that Erin had is observant and notices that Jackie and Alex are acting strange. She asks Jackie if they are back together and of course Jackie denies it. Erin has this way of seeing things, but also this bluntness that calls out what she sees, even if it’s not the best thing to do.

What she does say to Jackie surprises me. She tells her that she thought that there was something between Jackie and Cole.

Jackie doesn’t like when people that she doesn’t want to see her – well, see her. She protests Erins thought about her and Cole and for the first time, I am really seeing that Jackie wants to be with Cole. The look in her eyes – the one that she can’t hide – is there. It’s the look of pain and fear but love that is prominent.

As Erin leaves her, Jackie is frustrated. I am kinda frustrated with Erin for a lot of reasons (like you know, Danny is at home and she’s at a party).

Jackie is upset, and very much deserves to be. When she no someone culturally appropriating Dia Los Muertos by dressing up as La Calavera Catrina. Jackie let it go the first time she saw her, but now she wants to say something.

And storms off to go find her.

COLE SEES HER

Cole stops her and if there is one thing that I can appreciate about Cole is he really sees her. He sees when she’s happy and when she’s not. He sees when she’s okay and when she’s about to loose it. Cole is the only one who asks her what is going on and what is wrong.

Jackie always has a bunch of excuses, but he keeps pressing her, knowing that’s not the answer. He presses her until she tells him the truth.

She is afraid that she’s loosing her family – the memories of them, the sound of their voices, the fact that she is a Howard. I think that is one of the scariest parts of grief – the one that you feel like you don’t have the right to move forward and doing that doesn’t mean that you’ve forgotten the family that you love.

Cole may not always have the answers, but when it comes to Jackie, he is careful about what finding them. He wants her to be happy and also stay true to herself. As the words come out and she explains all of the things that are bothering her, I find myself wondering would she be that way with Alex?

I don’t think so. I think that Cole makes Jackie feel reckless, but also feel safe. It’s the indecision between both sides that terrifies her.

Cole takes her home and they both dive into candy poker with Nathan and Danny. Somehow he really does make things better.

1250

One of the great things about Jackies affect on Cole is that we see him letting people in. I think that is such an important thing – especially because his whole life he’s really just thought football was the only thing he had going for him.

But Cole has a lot more going for him. He’s seeing how smart he is, how applying himself works, and how many talents he really has. I love that for him.

Jackie is at her Uncles place, and after getting his new SAT scores, the person he wants to tell is Jackie. Lord, I wish the one person he didn’t want to tell is Jackie.

You see Richard had given Jackie a key, as well as let her stay there after he left. She decides that this can be the perfect place for her and Alex to hang out. Cole, so excited over his score and wanting to tell Jackie heads over.

To find her and Alex making out on the couch. The disappointment and pain on his face is heartbreaking. You can see that he is second guessing himself right then and there – wondering why Alex?

I just realized something though – seeing this scene. For Alex and Jackie – there isn’t this truth between them. He lies to her about Kiley (which I do understand) and then their immediate reaction is to make out. They don’t communicate. Their relationship feels purely physical at this point.

But with Cole, it’s conversations and growth. It’s wanting to tell each other about the good and the bad and the in between. It’s about growing and learning from each other. Time after time that we really see just how vulnerable that Cole wants to be with her, it’s her comfort with Alex that gets in the way.

Because you’ll never convince me that Jackie isn’t always looking for the safe route. The safe route – in Jackies mind – causes less pain.

OTHER THOUGHTS

Alex and Kiley repair their relationship, which I do love. I hope it sticks.
Jackie spending time with her Uncle Richard – I loved that for her because she does need him
George and Richard talking civilly – never saw that coming
I appreciate that Richard has a place in Silver Falls and in NY. He can be around Jackie, whom he loves with all his heart
Grace looked disappointed when Jackie wanted to use her for a cover story
I feel like none of these kids know how to lie well
The fact Dylan’s Dad bought him back on the team is gross
Did Skylar reject Zach? I hope so
Did Erin and Danny breakup? I am confused.
Silver Falls Sparkles sounds interesting
Zach needs to go away