UnREAL Series Finale Review: Bluff and Sudden Death
Olivia Popp
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In UnREAL Season 4 Episode 7, Rachel and Tommy indirectly face off through the contestants they're supporting as Rachel begins to realize the extent of what she's done.
The show finally gains some momentum when Rachel gains a conscience. In past seasons, even though she's good at manipulating other people and finds some joy in it, she recognizes that she's feeding into a system.
Related: 17 Reasons to Binge All Four Seasons of UnREAL
Now, when she notices that her hair is falling out and that the consequences of the season are affecting her, she realizes that she is human, after all. It takes her an entire episode, but she realizes.
There's a bit of vengeful satisfaction in Rachel competing with Tommy, as he's jealous of Rachel wanting to keep August on the show. Tommy's admiration of Rachel comes from an extremely toxic place, even if they seem compatible.
Jack: All the women here are nothing but good-for-nothing liars!
Quinn: And another satisfied Goldberg customer.
Jay: I thought you lived for this kind of stuff.
Quinn: I used to.
At the same time, Quinn's ultimate betrayal of Rachel by exposing her deeds to the members of Everlasting is heartwrenching, but Rachel needed this to snap out of it. All in all, Quinn did her a favor.
Madison: Oh, my God, Quinn, I saw that amazing picture that Chet posted with you and Chet Jr. It's seriously so adorable! I shared it, I liked it. #StepmommiesRule, #MommyBoss.
Quinn: You posted that?
Chet: #DeathByCuteness. #Quinning?
This moment also shows that Rachel really is the villain in her own story, and she has one episode to fix it. Yet, she sadly succumbs to Tommy's proposal -- but it's hopeful that she doesn't act overjoyed when she says yes.
Something inside Rachel has changed, and she has one episode to redeem herself for the audience. It doesn't make up for the fact that a one-episode turn in Rachel's behavior is rather improbable.
Nevertheless, seeing Rachel repent is extremely satisfying and very necessary. After so many episodes of sociopathic behavior, it finally makes her human again.
I don't know if you've figured this out yet or not, but Rachel's a contestant playing her own game, and all of you are just collateral damage.
Quinn
In the series finale UnREAL Season 4 Episode 8, Rachel and Quinn literally burn the house down. It marks the final goodbye to beloved dark, twisted characters Quinn and Rachel that no one may ever truly understand.
Rachel's fake breakdown is truly terrifying, and Shiri Appleby makes one final performance as the fiery, fierce, powerful Rachel -- and it's stunning.
Rachel: What's going on? We have a finale to produce! I mean, why is everybody standing around with their dick in their hands?
Noelle: Wow, nice. All class.
Yet when Rachel goes to Quinn's house and bangs on the door, it's heartbreaking and Rachel's true moment of vulnerability and self. She needs Quinn. Their relationship is co-dependent -- in a way that's unhealthy for their work, but healthy for their lives.
Quinn's final moment when she incriminates Tommy instead of Rachel is a display of true love. Twisted love, maybe, but still love.
At this moment, UnREAL's still got it. It's a surprising, delightful moment that redeems both characters, at least to a certain extent. Rachel is genuinely shocked, but her attempt at sacrificing herself was valiant.
Rachel: You wouldn’t have loved the real me anyway.
Tommy: You never gave me the chance.
Rachel's double-teaming was also magnificent, and the move to now let the audience in on her scheming allowed for even more tension to be built up before the end of the episode.
When the final reveal came around, it was jaw-dropping. Why the contestants let it play out is another story, but Quinn can't let go of Rachel.
Rachel shouldn't have needed to reach this point of redemption where she sacrifices her whole career. Granted, it's warranted, but actually going through with it would have been even more devastating.
For four seasons, viewers have been rooting of Rachel, and as an anti-hero of sorts, she still needs to win. Thus, she'll continue to win (#Quinning) with Quinn by her side.
Rachel: You were supposed to put the gun to my head!
Quinn: I could never do that to you, Rachel. Never.
They're troubled, they're ingenious, and they're true soulmates. At the core of their relationship, Quinn and Rachel rely on mutual respect, so naturally, Rachel is torn up when Quinn leaves.
In a way, they rely on each other like romantic partners, which makes UnREAL such a unique show. They're beyond friends, but that next level of relationship comes from their association at work.
Viewers may come away from UnREAL with the repeated idea that the relationship between two women may be unbreakable. However, there are also other simpler takeaways lying on the surface.
As winners, August and Candy end up on the spin-off series, which will force Candy to be away from their son when they travel. August will again not be able to spend his time helping the African communities he cares about.
So, in the end, the reality series wins. That is until Rachel burns the set of Everlasting.
There were only a few ways this show could have ended. A major character death is always a possibility, but Quinn and Rachel are such beloved characters that doing so would be devastating.
If audiences are to continue to love these characters in perpetuity, their problem must be solved. In the cast of UnREAL, it's Everlasting that's causing all of its problems.
Therefore, Quinn and Rachel strip down their relationship to its bare bones -- themselves. Then, when Rachel sets it all on fire, it's the true moment of catharsis.
Realistically, Rachel and Quinn will never get peace from what they did on the show. They'll always be haunted, and deservedly so.
However, they have a chance to start anew from the foundation that they know so well. Their relationship may still be toxic without Everlasting, but at least they aren't living directly in the wake of a disaster.
Plus, Quinn wants to try to move to scripted television -- maybe there's a market for them there.
Related: UnREAL Official Season 3 Trailer: Let's Get This Sausage Party Started!
Rachel burning the set may simply also be a cathartic act for both of them beyond the physical consequences. They are literally burning everything that has fueled their desire to do terrible things for years.
It's a satisfying finish to a series whose final season has not left much to be desired. However, the outcome of Rachel and Quinn's relationship was addressed with care.
Rachel: I'm really ready to change.
Quinn: Really, are you sure?
Rachel: Yeah.
Quinn: Because as far as I can tell, you're still the same lost, self-indulgent spoiled brat you were the day I met you.
UnREAL may be classified as a true form of "competence porn," or media involving very talented characters who do their jobs extremely well, no matter whether their lives suffer as a consequence.
It's interesting to add the latter as a distinction because Rachel's and Quinn's lives are certainly changed as a result of their jobs. Whether it is a true distinction or not make no difference.
Nevertheless, they may be different from characters who have difficult tasks to carry out because their flaws and suffering makes them relatable and grounded in being vulnerable. In this case, these women are arguably the epitome of competence porn.
As characters, they're proud of it. They are talented, high-achieving women who pay the ultimate price for doing what they do, doing what they love, and doing it well -- a bit of their sanity.
Rachel: I just I don't think there's any way that we're coming back from this one.
Quinn: Good. We can do better.
Viewers may not be crying over this finale and begging for more like other shows, but it wraps up this juggernaut of a series that changed the landscape of how people view reality television and meaningful, multi-layered female characters.
We have UnREAL to thank for that.
What did you think of UnREAL Season 4? Are you sad to see the show ending? We want to hear what you think!
Olivia Popp was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She left the site in September 2018.
