Hello Tomorrow! – Season 1 Episode 9 Recap & Review

Certain Forces Once Unleashed

In Hello Tomorrow! Season 1 Episode 9, Jack airs ads of himself talking about the luxuries of Brightside’s rockets. He and Mrs. Elle Selwyn have been making things happen, but perhaps too quickly.

Her announcement that she’s announced a launch for the same week gives Jack pause. They’re technically months out from an official launch, but Elle wants to take people’s money and let them wait it out at launch pads, giving Elle and Jack time to cash out and leave lawyers to deal with the problems.

Jack tries to bring Joey in on the business again, but Joey is accustomed to Jack’s deceit and sees through him. He won’t have any part in tricking the customers.

Herb and Betty work on letting everyone know about the launch, but Betty is upset over Jack’s hands-off approach lately. She suggests that Herb report Jack’s poor performance to HQ, and they consider putting down their own names for the next launch. 

Shirley and Ed picked up the habit of cheating at cards since their departure from Brightside. But Ed’s old friend Sal finds out and sticks Ed’s hand in a toaster, demanding they pay him back for their schemes.

Ed loses his hand, and Shirley decides it’s finally time to tell her husband she’s leaving him and to tell Ed the truth about Jack’s deceit. This makes Ed happier than she expected–because this information gives them the opportunity to blackmail Jack.

Myrtle tells Lester she made the launch list, but Lester hasn’t even verified the launch. She begs him not to interfere, but he’s made the mistake before of shortcutting rules. One mistake cost him the life of his job. He violated the off-leash rule, stating he let his dog break the rules because he loved her.

Myrtle wonders for a moment if this means that Lester loves her. But he proceeds to very formally lay down the rules with her, causing her to leave in an upset.

Joey walks in on Mrs. Billings as she’s visiting his mother in the hospital. She says she wants Jack and Joey to reconcile, but that’s far from Joey’s mind.

He later tells Lester about Jack’s deceit, blaming Jack and only Jack. Lester says he’ll need more evidence. But if Jack intends to put customers in harm’s way, he could face a life in prison.

Jack has a bitter conversation with the remains of his dad, telling him he was too much to live up to. He finally gets some good news, however: Joey agrees to go to a baseball game with him. What Jack doesn’t know is that Joey has a recording device strapped to his body, supplied by Lester.

Joey asks to talk to Jack before the game to get straight answers. He asks his dad if he ever tried to build anything on the moon, but before he can answer, the device falls from his shirt.

Jack still decides to be honest, however. He speaks into the recorder that there’s nothing up there yet. But he has plans. Jack tells Joey that if he doesn’t believe him, he has everything he needs to stop him.

Putting aside the concerns about Brightside for a moment, Joey asks why Jack left them. He answers that he was terrified of being a disappointment. This is apparently not a good enough answer for Joey, who refuses to go out to see the game with him. So, Jack goes out alone to throw out the first pitch of the game, capitalizing on his Brightside fame.

The Episode Review

Someone needs to stop Jack Billings! Nearly everyone, now, has the opportunity. But it looks like Joey may be held back by sentimental reasons. Lester could be prevented from taking action by the lack of evidence. And Shirley and Ed seem more concerned with getting their money’s worth.

I do like the poetic justice of Jack’s most loyal supporter potentially being the one to (unintentionally) bring the business crashing down. Herb and Betty unwittingly hold that power in their hands, but I’m worried their plans will self-destruct.

But could it be that Jack might turn himself in? I’m not sure, after all that’s happened, what could persuade him to do such a thing. Perhaps now is the time for Joey’s mom to wake up from her coma and be the first to talk proper sense into the con artist…