The Big Leap Season 1 Episode 3 Review: The White Swan Lives!
Jasmine Blu
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Our girl has a sweet new ride and a win!
Gabby was more deserving of something good to happen to her with all that she faced leading up to The Big Leap Season 1 Episode 3.
It was an hour that prodded at the vulnerabilities of many of the characters, including Justin, Monica, Paula, and Julia.
We got an opportunity to see another side of Monica when the group headed to her old ballet company to watch a live performance of Swan Lake.
And to the show's credit, they didn't go down the expected route where Monica faced awful treatment by others, hardening her to the rest of the world.
From the sound of the understudy who took her position, Monica was always a prima donna whose prickly personality and sharp barbs got under the skin of those around her.
Ulyia credits Monica's meanness as the extra push for her to succeed. With that bit of knowledge, Monica probably felt as if the chickens came to roost for her.
The experience seemed to soften her up to the contestants when previously she spent a great deal of time eviscerating or badmouthing them.
The hour rounded Monica out without her losing any of her edge or trademark bluntness. So far, the series succeeds in not taking some of the traditional routes with certain characters.
Gabby, the woman who was my understudy when I had my accident is now famous and I now have to humiliate myself in front of her this weekend. So just working hard and be prepared. your time will come.
Monica
Monica experienced something dreadful that ruined her career, but that defining moment doesn't change much about how we view her. Brittney doesn't have some deeper meaning for why she's a classic Mean Girl, she just is, and even her brother confirms it.
And Nick is fascinating in that he prioritizes the show and stirs up all types of drama, but he also seems sincere in his approach with people when he levels with them.
Monica and Justin could be a fascinating bond to explore, given how they started things. She threw a chair at him and called him names, challenged his skills.
But deep down, she does see potential in him, and it helps that Monica's perspective is shifting from looking at the contestants as peers who don't live up to her skill.
Justin: I can't.
Monica: Yes you can. You're the best dancer we got, so stop blubbering.
Her innate elitism as a ballerina affected how she viewed everyone, and it's something she didn't allow herself to adjust to until after Claude's departure. She poured everything into the only top-notch ballet dancer in the group.
It's funny how Nick lied to Justin about what Monica said about him. But it speaks to how well Nick is at assessing people and telling them what they need to hear.
He's been around Monica enough to know that she probably did feel that way about Justin, and he also recognized that Justin needed that specific boost.
And Gabby calling Monica out was probably unexpected for Monica since others act as if they're afraid to say anything to her.
They jumped right into addressing the issue at hand. It made no sense that the judges put Gabby in this position as the ultimate understudy -- and Monica told Gabby how as such, her time would inevitably come, and then Monica refused to let Gabby take over Claude's role after he left.
Good for Gabby stating it as it is and clearing the air. Monica has yet to confirm that it's Gabby's appearance keeping Monica from recognizing how gifted she is, but it always reads that way all the same.
But if that was the case, and Monica thought Gabby would be the one to throw everything off and embarrass her, then she was poorly mistaken.
By the end of that disastrous performance, Gabby emerged as the star. Ironically, Gabby's speech must've gotten to Monica. Brittney was a hot mess with her drinking and whatever else she was taking, but it also didn't seem as though it was enough to keep her from dancing.
It's probably the reason she was angry and pledged revenge against Gabby by the end of the hour.
Gabby needed this win after all the little things Brittney did along the way. Brittney starting the rumor about Gabby having a venereal disease was ridiculous.
The snide comments and other petty things are ripped straight out of a high school playbook. And it's all in part over a man.
We never got confirmation that Brittney gave Reggie oral, and he appears content befriending Brittney and looking out for her while directing his genuine attention toward Gabby.
By the whole class. After I bullied them individually, they banded together.
Reggie; You were bullied? Brittney
He was the first person to make an effort in cheering her up after the tiff with Monica. And the two of them had a blast crashing that dentist convention, dancing, and drinking.
Of course, the best dancing of the hour goes to that AWESOME impromptu dance routine to boost morale. It would be nice if the series releases some behind-the-scenes footage showing how they managed to pull that entire sequence off.
The way we followed the one contestant with the fan, leading into different rooms and following Paula with the cart to others dancing in various rooms -- it was mesmerizing and warranted a rewatch or three.
The camera direction during those scenes was great, too, and it was a glorious scene all around. We haven't gotten the chance to learn much about some of the other background dancers, but they stand out all the same.
Everyone's personalities came out, and it looked like an all-around fun time. It's also part of the reason Gabby got her car, so good for her. She sure as heck needed it.
The hour also delved into the strained relationship between Justin and his father. Nick continues to be an orchestrator of chaos, and how they fall for it is beyond me.
But the story between Justin and his father was more complicated than his father kicking him out because of his sexuality. The Lions angle was an unusual direction to take this.
Justin interrupting his father and brothers in a middle of a game to come out didn't go over well for his father, the superfan. And his father seems prideful, too.
Wayne said this was a gender-bending production. I know what this is about. It's about what I look like, right? You don't want a big girl in a lead part? You know it would be a lot easier if you just came out and said it instead of telling people that their turn will come and then when their turn comes be like "oh yeah, guess what, still not your turn!"
Gabby
But more than anything, Justin laments how different he was from his father and brothers. He didn't share the same interest, and he was the outcast for his diverse passions.
He also reminded his father of his mother. Justin's mother was the artistic one, so he likely got that passion from her. But his mother also being queer is what got to his father.
Her best friend was actually her lover, and Justin's father still harbors some ill feelings and hurt about that. Justin coming out was painful because it reminded his father that his wife fell in love with another woman.
Justin's confrontation with his father was upsetting. He couldn't even finish the routine and caused the entire thing to go sideways because of the shock of seeing his father in the audience.
Nick doesn't even think about the negative impact of his instigation. But somehow, he always manages to bring it around.
Nick doesn't have an off switch regarding the drama he stirs up for the series, but he does have a pause button. And during that pause, he somehow comes across as a much better man who doles out the best advice and has a touch of sentimentality.
He told Justin what Justin needed to hear from his father, and his advice was sound. If you can't get your emotional needs fulfilled by the family you have, then you seek it from others who can live up to that task.
He need only look at how much Gabby cares about him, and if he sets aside some of his issues, he'll notice that Simon could be one of his people too.
Simon is the best. His comfort in his skin is refreshing when so many of the other characters are struggling. Simon is the good twin, and he won't let you forget it.
If only Justin would let him in more.
Paula is letting Mike in, and this installment was a nice switch for their relationship. Usually, Paula is the one uplifting Mike or prompting him to get his crap together.
But Mike got to step up for Paula this time, and in doing so, you could tell she developed deeper feelings for him.
That was invasive. Seriously, I've had friendlier mammograms.
Contestant
Beneath Paula's confidence, she's a woman who still feels insecure in her body after her cancer fight.
The costume fittings stirred up some of her insecurities as a woman who had a double mastectomy and got implants.
Mike is such a good guy when he gets out of his way and focuses on other people. His antics to get them out of the dress rehearsal were charming.
And he was a perfect gentleman when she asked him to check out her breasts. Mike's attracted to her, and their chemistry is there, but Mike is obsessed with getting Paige back.
He made her jealous with success thanks to Paula, but is it worth it? Mike should be working on himself, and Paula is good at getting him to do that.
Weirdly enough, the chemistry between them could easily be of the romantic and sexual variety if it heads in that direction. But it also works well as a platonic friendship.
The show wouldn't miss anything from the two of them only staying friends.
Julia was starting to develop something akin to a friendship with Raven after getting the scoop about Kevin. Some of what Raven had to say helped Julia understand things better, and Raven was understanding once she realized why Julia resented her so much.
Maybe she shouldn't have shared that Kevin spent money that could've gone to their daughters on sending Raven to school for a life coach certification.
If we weren't already on the "Kevin is trash" train, Julia found out that he abandoned his daughters at home and fled to Costa Rica after emptying out their bank accounts.
Julia can't catch a damn break!
Over to you, Big Leap Fanatics!
Did you appreciate the backstory on Monica and Justin? Hit the comments below!
You can watch The Big Leap online here via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
