Uncoupled – Season 1 Episode 5 Recap & Review

‘Episode 5’

Imagine coming out of a shop and bumping into someone on the streets. You look up to apologize, your eyes meet, and you smile. But, the catch is, that the other person does the same. What are the odds? That is how episode 5 of Uncoupled begins as Michael has a raunchy make-out sesh with a stranger on the street. In the middle of it, they realize it is going to the next phase. “Condoms?”, asks Michael. To which the stranger, quite worryingly, replies, “Are you kidding?” This throws Michael off and the conversation is all downhill from there. He is made to feel older and the man eventually leaves.

Michael discusses this with Stanley and Billy over brunch the next day. The consensus is that Michael does not understand the new norms of relationships. Colin has ruined his evolution with time and changing cultural paradigms. Stanley has news to share. His mother’s new “cat”, Wilhelm Munsch, is a talented artist. He is about to exhibit his work at the gallery and apparently, local gay art collector Irwin Stossel will freak out when he sees it. Stossel is known to be an obsessive collector with great resources. So it is positive news for Stanley. Dr. Gibson is Michael’s father’s choice for a quickfire relationship.

He is Oliver’s dermatologist. Michael is surprised as his parents were rooting for him to get back together with Colin. Suzanne is struggling with making a distance between herself and her son, Kai. She even asks for Colin’s opinion on the underwear she should buy for him.

Their boss asks them to reduce the escrow for Claire’s apartment or else the commission will be shifted to the next quarter. Seeing how Michael reacts, Suzanne presses to ask him if everything is okay. Michael confides in her that he hates the dating world that Colin has left him in. Suzanne offers to take Michael to a “healer” who helped her friend Mia get over her anger issues. He reluctantly agrees.

At the healer’s convention, Michael is called up by him to the stage. The healer snaps around sixteen times in front of Michael’s face and he is apparently healed. Suzanne is told by him that he needs to get the man of out her bed. The next morning, Michael wakes up a changed man. He is noticeably less angry at everything else and feels that he is over Colin. He even cries in front of Stanley for Colin, sympathizing with him. Josh Gibson has a date with him later in the day and he is gorgeous. They really hit it off on the date but decide to take things slow. Among other things, they agree on the use of condoms and safe sex. Suzanne finally knows what the healer meant by the man in her bed: Kai. They have become too close and Kai needs to find his own place.

They also go to Stanley’s Munsch exhibition together the next day, where Stossel berates Stanley in public and leaves. Billy saves the day as he dramatically fake purchases a couple of paintings to get the buying going. While looking at the pornographic paintings, Michael and Josh decide to take the next step. They have a great time at his apartment. But there is a slight problem for which Hosh wants to use an “anal paralytic”.

Michael is scared and leaves in a hurry. Jack has apparently been trying to get together for drinks with Michael – not in a sexual manner – but just as a casual way to spend time together. Later that night, he catches him at the building’s doorstep.

It turns out great for the realtor because Jack was actually trying to rope him in to sell his apartment. He says the winters in New York bother him too much and he is thinking of moving to Miami. He also has some warm words of encouragement and sage advice for Michael about getting over Colin. Time is the best healer. You don’t even know when you are over someone without even thinking about it.

The Episode Review

Episode 5 has had the best of endings in this season. Jack always seemed an affectionate and sage character and he showed his wisdom in that final conversation with Michael. Getting wins through tough times, even small ones can lift your spirits like nothing else. It is a sign to you that the world is not squarely staged against you.

Jack is a pristine soul and must compulsorily feature more in upcoming episodes. Michael’s baby steps into a new world of dating will make for entertaining viewing. This episode showed the first glimpses of that tangent and I think the season will bring more of it. The healer bit was sarcasm at its best. All in all this episode was a steady buildup to the last episode and again underlined what the show is all about.