USA's Dare Me - Episode 1.04 "Rapprochement"
Beth reasserts her authority by enticing the squad to a wild, adult party at the Playland Motel.
In 2019, the television industry aired 532 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of USA's Dare Me.
"Rapprochement" was written by Jamie Rosengard and directed by Marisol Adler
Does authority and a sense of power come from cultivating a system of intimidation? That's seemingly the worldview these characters embrace completely. Addy is thrown when RiRi tells her that the squad fears her just as much as they do Beth. That comes from the close association between them. Beth and Addy are always walking the halls of this high school together. They operate as the top kids on campus. In fact, they are the ones everyone else looks to for leadership and guidance. But that may come from the position of authority Beth has taken for herself. Both her and her sister Tacy are privileged because they have Bert Cassidy as a father. Their personal lives are incredibly messed up because he refuses to take full accountability for any of his actions while trying to coddle those in his life. But he also lords over this town as the vision of success. He presents as the guiding light that can revitalize this community. As such, his opinion carries a lot of weight. That means that Beth and Tacy also operate from the place of believing they can do no wrong. Their feud is the only tension in their respective lives that actually has any perceived merit. But again, the show points out just how toxic these relationships and situations can be. Beth refuses to go to Colette's house after practice. She does so because of a petty fear that Colette is the enemy for trying to change the team she has commanded for years. That's the sensible option in all of this though. These girls shouldn't be spending this much personal time with their coach in her own home environment. It's gotten to the point where Mark doesn't know what he's going to walk into when he comes home from work every night. He doesn't want to be at a spring break party. He wants to be with his family after a day of doing whatever he has to in order to provide for them. Colette remains the breadwinner of the family. As such, it seems like her priorities are elevated above all else. That means whatever she says goes. She makes it okay for the squad to spend time at her house. She makes it okay for Addy to aspire for more as a leader. She makes it okay for herself to cheat with Will. Some of these actions are better than others. Addy is realizing what she is capable of as well as just how destructive her current path has been for a long time. It's fascinating to watch Will try to recruit students from the school for the marines. He treats it seriously while also knowing that it's an extremely personal decision that will carry lifetime consequences to it. He's not perfect when it comes to respecting the personal boundaries of teenagers who are still developing and trying to get their bearings in the world. He still indulges everything Colette is willing to do to keep Addy complicit in their affair. But again, life can be a whirlwind adventure. It can be fueled by a sense of loss in some instances. However, it's more often a case of yearning for desire. The cheer squad attends this illegal party with the other military recruiters simply out of a sense of tradition. They do so because it's what has always been done. None of them should be in this environment. They welcome the looks and glances though. It's a way for them to exert power through their sexual prowess. But some of these girls are really young as well. No one questions the morality of all of this until the threat of the cops arriving pops up. Until that point, it's simply a matter of removing any fear that details of this party could be leaked. That's how Kurtz operates. It doesn't matter that Beth may have been assaulted. Addy is looking for support but is also looking for it in all the wrong places. She was made to believe it was beneficial to go to Colette with anything. She can storm into her house expecting guidance. However, Colette has nothing but contempt for the young girl she has been trying to inspire. It's such a difficult relationship. One that showcases that danger lurks everywhere for these girls. But personal devastation is just as present because Colette knows about Matt's hurt feelings and is still powerless to stop Addy from coming in when she needs help. It's a twisted narrative where even the audience is unsure how to react given the various events that have happened and the ways in which people believe they are authoritative simply because the world has propped them up for so long with no real value whatsoever.
