The Curse – Season 1 Episode 7 “Self Exclusion” Recap & Review

Self Exclusion

Episode 7 of The Curse begins with Nala trying to practice her cursing. We saw earlier that the little girl feels she has special powers. Nala doesn’t feel comfortable about them when it comes to strangers. However, if they are for the class bully, like Josie, Nala doesn’t think it is problematic. She curses the climbing rope that Josie is on to “fall.” But nothing happens. When it is Nala’s turn, she is unable to climb the rope. Josie offers words of consolation but Nala isn’t receptive, which prompts Josie to keep the divide between them. Nala goes to their teacher to complain. But he simply throws it under the rug and asks her to keep a positive attitude.

Whitney drives to the mini-golf course with the intent to pick up the offensive Native American decoration outside. She buys the thing, puts it in the backseat, and goes to Cara’s home. Cara is surprised, offended, and confused but lets both Whitney and the decoration in. Whitney immediately brings up the release form issue. And Cara refuses to sign it.

This has been a long time coming but perhaps Whitney kept on hanging to the last sliver of hope. She is thrown off when Cara says her refusal to sign is because of Paul and Lizzy, Whit’s parents. They do unjust things to poor people. Whit knows the accusation is true but tries to distance herself from them. She even tries to emotionally manipulate Cara by bringing up her “unhappy marriage” with Asher. Although it is for show, there is a hint of truth in it as well. Whit explains how Asher doesn’t let her artistic side take precedence, worrying only about money.

She offers Cara the job of an art consultant, something that Asher came up with in Episode 3. Cara is instantly taken by the amount being offered but is reluctant to have her name attached to the show. Things get even more uncomfortable as we switch our attention to the comedy class that Asher has been taking. The teacher uses Rodney Dangerfield’s class self-deprecating humour to show how people are attracted to other people who are self-aware. Asher had earlier told him in private about his “small penis.” And now the teacher has brought it up.

When Asher cannot make a proper joke, the teacher uses it to tell a joke. This offends certain people in the group, who say he has “crossed a line.” The buck is turned on Asher and he is essentially expelled from class. Asher has an outburst as he exits the room. When he reaches home, Whitney gives him a stare and walks into another room. Asher plays a clip from Monica’s report on the casino gaming board on the TV, where we see footage that he stole. 

In one of those moments, we see Asher laughing at the woman who was wronged by the casino. Whit is disappointed that Asher partook in that entire sequence. We also see a moment where she checks her phone with notifications about the credit card being charged by the jeans shop. The next day, Whit reports to the set for filming. But the shoot is not about flipping homes; instead, Dougie interviews Whit about Asher and the marriage. 

This is when Whit really delves into the questions around the marriage. She seems unsure if it will last or if they are strong enough to withstand obstacles. The next sequence playfully forebodes the chinks getting wider and a new entrant in the equation. Whitney laughs her socks off on some dumb Dougie story as Asher walks in, clueless. She then refuses to go to Shabbat dinner with Asher. 

When it is Asher’s turn to face the camera and lay some of his frustrations on the table, Tonya whispers to Dougie that they don’t have time. Just like that, the shoot ends and Asher is left with the embarrassment of having never invited Dougie for Shabbat dinner…even though he knows Dougie is Jewish. Whitney goes with Paul the next day to get 40k in cash. She makes it clear this is another “loan” and that it has to be paid back. She gives half of that to Cara, who is surprised by the promptness. 

Very slyly, Whit slips in the question of Cara’s art featuring on the show. Only this time, Cara agrees. Whit gives her the release document and Cara signs it. Not just that, the girls also play basketball together, thus cementing their unusually crafted friendship.

Asher reviews the fight he had with Whitney at the start of the episode to make notes. He really wants to work on their fraught relationship. Meanwhile, Nala casually chats with another classmate as we learn her “curse” has finally worked. Josie falls down and hurts herself while playing, giving Nala food for thought in relation to her “powers.” 

The Episode Review

Despite Asher being shown as a complete idiot, I guess Episode 7 shows how Whitney considers herself superior to him. She comes across as cocky and self-serving. The contract move with Cara perhaps exposes who she really is. We don’t have to wonder too much. The epic proportions in which the cringe element is present in the storytelling are obnoxiously rich.

Whitney and her “good friend” trope comes to an unusual conclusion in the episode. It is also probably the first occasion when the divide in Whitney and Asher’s marriage emerges as a potentially valuable avenue. Nala’s curse trip isn’t out of turn but it is gaining prominence with every passing episode. The Curse continues to rewrite the narrative around unconventional stories in television.