Platonic – Season 1 Episode 6 “The Big Two Six” Recap & Review

The Big Two Six

Episode 6 of Platonic begins with Sylvia preparing for her interview. She has everything about her technical proficiency sorted out but she feels she isn’t ready appearance-wise yet. She goes shopping with Kate, conscious that she does not want to resemble someone like Angela Merkel. While waiting in the lobby before her interview, Sylvia picks up a magazine and spots Merkel on the cover page. To her shock, she has dressed up exactly like her. She takes off her blazer in a panic and goes in for the interview.

Kirk, Charlie’s friend who took the interview, informs Sylvia that she has got it. This means a world of change in her life, which we will get to in a minute. Will, meanwhile, faces the litmus test from Peyton. Omar, who works at Will’s bar, is a friend of hers and she told her that Will called their relationship “nothing” the other night in front of Sylvia. When Will explains and mentions her, Peyton gets defensive and insecure.

Charlie leaves for his work trip. His mother, Marla, is initially brought in to babysit and take care of the kids until Sylvia gets into the flow of her new work life. She isn’t impressed with Marla’s carefree and indisciplined methods.

Sylvia is called in by Will to his bar to meet Peyton and talk to her. What Will really wants is her opinion about Peyton and to tell him if he is making a big mistake being with her despite their wide age gap.

Sylvia and Peyton’s meetup goes exactly as anticipated. She is a millennial and speaks a different language. She has her own worldview and way of being. In conversation, she reveals that she used to babysit. Sylvia asks if Peyton can work for her and she agrees to do it. Will loses it at Sylvia when he hears this. H accuses her of “undermining” his relationship and not being impressed by the age gap.

One night, when Sylvia returns home, Peyton asks serious questions to her about Will. She feels Will has not gotten over Audrey yet, even though Audrey has clearly moved on. Peyton shows Sylvia photos of her and Skaagn in Norway from her Instagram. Sylvia, in the most grown-up of ways, clarifies that Will is not into Audrey anymore but hasn’t moved on from the trauma of the divorce, implying he might not be ready for a “real relationship” right now.

That is all Peyton needed to lambast Will when she got back. Will knocks at Sylvia’s door at midnight and confronts her about it. Although she keeps up the act of being alright with Peyton and his relationship, the truth comes out from her when Will starts accusing her. Sylvia does indeed feel Peyton is too young and immature for Will and that he doesn’t know what he is doing. In the fuss, Will walks through the glass door, injuring himself and shattering it.

Sylvia gathers her kids and tells them that she is going to work again. The children are distracted and surprisingly blase about the announcement, showing that they might not be as little anymore.

She gets an invite from Will, who is now throwing Peyton a birthday party to make up for the ambivalence. The theme is “YOLO.” And it goes exactly how he imagined it would. Peyton performs a dance number with her friends and does not give “old soul” vibes to Will as she sets fire to the dance floor.

Will has an epiphany that she is too old for him and he has made a mistake. Even as Sylvia asks him not to break up with Peyton on her birthday, Will decides he cannot take it anymore. He goes to her house and breaks up with her. Even though he is mature about it and Peyton is clearly hurt, she shrugs it off like it didn’t even happen.

Peyton announces that she is going out with her friends. Will has an insult contest with her new roommate, Alan, who is clearly very old but posits he is 29. That is not enough to hide Will’s pain and heartbreak, though, as he walks away to an uncertain future.

The Episode Review

This was the first Platonic episode where Seth Rogen’s Will became the centre point of attraction. His arc has been somewhat undermined by Sylvia’s life. But it was a really nice change-up, even giving the makers a way to keep things fresh. Will was right when he said “I am a cliche” as his breakup with Peyton indeed was one.

It doesn’t reflect badly on the show, though, as the entire episode wasn’t hinging on it. Platonic has gradually evolved from the sexual energy between its protagonists to a deep, slice-of-the-life insight into their lives. The show is striking at the roots of who these people are and that is always a great touch when trying to make the storytelling wholesome.