Tensions erupt after the gang is given detention.
It's a fun prospect for Faking It to center an entire episode around the group being stuck in Saturday detection together. It's an even better premise when everyone is keeping secrets from each other that are slowly all revealed over the course of the episode. "Boiling Point" is a lot of fun. It puts all the characters in the same room for a prolonged period of time and forces them to talk about their various issues. Some relationships come out stronger and with a better understanding of one another. While some secrets and revelations only force both people to come to terms with the reality of their relationship. It is a fantastic episode that showcases everything that this show is capable of being. All of the characters have to deal with the uncomfortable truths in their lives. No secret still exists amongst these characters by the end of the episode. Sometimes that's a relief. And sometimes it creates even more pain.Amy and Lauren have to figure out what to do regarding Amy's mom having an affair with Amy's dad. First of all, it's important to know that Amy likes her dad. He's just gone to frequently as a war journalist to have a meaningful and lasting relationship with her. She doesn't want to hurt Lauren's dad just because of a foolish mistake her parents made that she's certain won't continue to happen anymore. Lauren has a right to be angry by this though. She and her dad moved to this town to become a part of this new family unit. And now, Amy's mom is ruining the happiness like it's nothing. Lauren should tell her father what's going on. Amy just has to find a way to get her to comply and keep this family as healthy as it has grown to be.
That is helped immensely by Amy and Karma discovering that Lauren and Theo have gotten back together. They've enjoyed the excitement that comes from sneaking around and no one knowing about their relationship. Sure, they have reasons to keep this relationship a secret. Lauren could lose her popularity if everyone at school learned about her still being with the narc while Theo could lose his job. Amy could use this secret in order to force Lauren into doing what she says. But she doesn't because she wants to keep the sisterly bond strong. The two of them often butt heads but they do enjoy having a sibling to talk to.
Additionally, Amy is dealing with her confusing feelings towards her dad as well as Karma keeping a massive check from Liam's father hidden. She only discovers it because she goes snooping through Karma's purse. It's hard to miss the giant check - which according to Felix is physically bigger than most regular checks. That creates a conversation between Liam and Karma that needed to happen. Karma is still holding onto the massive betrayal of Liam and Amy sleeping together. And yet, she's putting all her resentment and anger on Liam. He is right to call her out on the fact that she would never consider taking the money if it meant ending her friendship with Amy. He just doesn't mean as much to her. Yes, the money would go a long way in helping her family get back on its feet. She is working nonstop just to survive in this world. The money can't just be ignored. But that also means Karma and Liam's relationship isn't as strong as they want it to be. It's not anyone's fault that it's that way. It just is. They both want to move past these issues but they can't. It is a mature way to end things. But that doesn't completely get rid of the heartbreak afterwards.
Everyone does a lot of soul searching in this episode to understand why they do their various actions. That is the most meaningful when it comes to Shane. He has always been a fan of outing people and their various secrets. It's something that he enjoys. But it is almost always for his own benefit. He did it to destroy other people just so he could be lifted up in approval. He's done it out of spite and had to then deal with the consequences. He was so mad with Duke when he outed him. He never expected Duke would profess his love for him. And yet, that's exactly what occurred. But it also meant that the relationship was always heading to an emotional tragedy. Shane wasn't capable of being a genuine and honest people. So he didn't deserve to be in a committed relationship. That's a revelation that hits him so hard. He is the reason why he is in detention binging on all the junk food he can find. His unhappiness is directly related to his own desire to out people all the time. Just because he's sorry doesn't mean Duke forgives him though. This is a time where Shane has to analyze himself and his actions. A relationship can't do that for him. So while it is devastating for the two to officially break up, it may be the best for Shane at the moment.
So that means Karma, Liam and Shane are all dealing with personal heartbreak. They invested so much into these romantic relationships. And now, they are all over. None of them know how to go on. They are devastated. But they are able to rely on good friends in order to get through this challenging time. Sure, it's a tad weird that Karma seeks out the company of Felix. But she also just wants to be sad in a familial environment. Meanwhile, Liam and Shane leaving together can have so many great side effects moving forward. It's also important to note that Amy and Lauren remain happy by the end of the episode. They do get what they want. Though that also has the possibility to go awry very quickly. But overall, this is such a strong and confident episode as this run of episodes hits its halfway point.
Some more thoughts:
- "Boiling Point" was written by Stefanie Leder and directed by Jamie Travis.
- Amy's dad has decided to stick around town for a little while longer because Amy points out that he can't just breeze in and out of her life in between jobs. That's great for their personal relationship. But it could make things much more easier for Amy's parents to continue their affair.
- Liam notes that he pulled away when Zita kissed him. That was a secret no one else knew about and didn't have to come up during this time in detention. But it did anyway because Liam willingly shared it with everyone.
- Liam quits by using post it notes to spell out "I Quit" while also pointing to the check that has a nice big "F--- You!" written on it now.
- The gang is only able to break out of detention and get Shane to Duke on time to apologize because Felix distracts his dad, the school principal. Sure, it came with some awkward sex talk but it was still a hilarious bit that shows that he may be someone worth exploring on the show.
- I laughed more at Felix's line about Voltron than I expected - even though I, like most of the characters here, don't have a strong understanding of the original cartoon.
- Lauren to Karma: "Yeah, did you and Liam finally get caught having sex at school?"
- Lauren: "I naturally run cold." Shane: "Like most reptiles." Lauren: "Finish that sentence and I'll stab you with this pencil."
- Liam: "You can't just do the wrong thing and then pretend it's for the right reason."
- Karma: "Stick your head out the window. Dogs do it all the time and they never barf."
