Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 10 Review: War of The Roses (and The Hutchinsons)
Diana Keng
at
.
There are times when the Island has a mind of its own, and the guests are just there for the ride.
On Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 10, two couples arrive with very straightforward relaxation fantasies in mind -- the Roses would like to forget about the major stressor in their life, while the Hutchinsons would like an idyllic retirement scenario.
Instead, the Island disrupts all their calm by forcing them to hash out their complicated feud and air their personal pain. Whose idea of a vacation is that?
Ultimately, the Island knows best, and the Roses and the Hutchinsons are able to find a better way forward because they see things more clearly.
The moral of the story being that the therapy you need isn't always the fantasy that you want.
The subtle parallels between the couples are quite elegant.
With broad strokes, the writers have drawn two loving husband and wife pairings, utterly devoted to each other and supportive of each other's needs.
At the same time, each couple is stuck in their respective rut, unable to grow beyond the problems they are fixated on.
Elena: Apparently, your ability to fulfill your fantasies is dependent on your resolving your neighborly disputes.
Natalie: This isn’t happening. Is this happening?
Seth: It seems to be happening.
Vivian: Why are you doing this to us?
Elena: I could argue that you’ve done this to yourselves.
The Roses can't enjoy their youth and passionate relationship because they feel the need to have children.
Their mutual desire to eliminate stress from their lives means they've kept secrets from each other.
It's not until they re-evaluate where their real happiness lies that they can make a plan for their future that is both attainable and in keeping with their aspirations.
The missteps they take in their neighborly relations are indicative of their youth and inexperience.
Rather than getting to know the Hutchinsons and giving the Hutchinsons a chance to get to know them, they underestimated how tight-knit a suburban community can be and offended them early on.
Seriously, how hard is it to tell someone you're gluten-intolerant?
Meanwhile, the Hutchinsons have spent a lifetime together, falling into the comfortable roles of director and directed.
Lou is the mild-mannered peacemaker by nature. However, in the interests of keeping the peace, he's offloaded the responsibility for making decisions onto Vivian.
Natalie: Lou doesn’t make any decisions in your home.
Vivian: Excuse me?
Natalie: The only decision he ever made was to marry you and you haven’t let him make another one since.
And Vivian, in shouldering that responsibility, has grown afraid to show any indecision or sorrow.
Turning her pain into anger is the only way she has of dealing with the loss of the tree that represented so much of her life with Lou and their children.
All this comes out when Elena takes the reins of the fantasy and imposes a trial on the four guests, forcing them to reveal their vulnerabilities and see each other's side of things.
It's not the first time guests have been dragged kicking and screaming across the clarity finish line.
On Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 5, the Summers siblings had to deal with a room where the floor was literally lava in order to set aside their differences and work together.
On Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 3, the Paymers were neck-deep in quicksand before they'd be honest with each other.
In each of those cases -- as with this one -- the guests arrive with a plan in mind that the Island hijacks to change their perspectives and improve their lives.
Elena's role as hostess, judge, and executioner to the guests can be hard to reconcile with the conflicted emotions she's dealing with on a personal level.
On the one hand, she's completely capable of bringing down the hammer when things go too far.
Now, sit your asses down. We’re going to finish this.
Elena
On the other, she's working really hard to honor Javier's request that she not explain why she broke up with him while still maintaining a working relationship.
Elena: Hydrating. Always good.
Javier: Can’t be too hydrated.
It's jarringly awkward when they try to have perfunctory conversations, drawing attention to the delightful way they used to banter even before they got into their romantic relationship.
Personally, I'm of the Harry Burns School of Thought when it comes to relationships. The sex does get in the way. And getting to the friend zone after romance -- especially one as explosive as Elena and Javier's -- is nigh on impossible.
I guess it's a good thing they're on a magical island. Hope can spring eternal.
And Ruby's always the hopeful one.
Sorry. Didn’t mean to be talking about how great your ex-boyfriend is. I’m sure he has many flaws.
Ruby
Mind you, Elena's relationship with Ruby is susceptible to potential injury due to Elena's secret interference with Isla.
When the truth comes out, will Ruby understand Elena warning Isla off, or will she take a card from Javier's deck and be unwilling to hear why?
The brilliant thing about having the Roses and the Hutchinsons hash out their differences here is that their lessons are ones that our Island residents might do well to pay attention to.
Javier's already admitted that he's unwilling to let go of his anger. Vivian realized her anger impeded her healing.
Seth kept the truth about the injunctions from Natalie out of love. Elena could make the same claim about Isla's identity and powers.
With only a few more guests to welcome this season, I suspect we'll be exploring more mermaid adventures as truths are revealed, and friendships are tested.
Here’s the thing. Are we going to spend the rest of our lives remembering? Or are we going to spend the rest of our lives living?
Lou
As you watch Fantasy Island online, consider how Javier's willful ignorance might affect his ability to protect Elena and the Island.
Are you looking forward to Isla's return? Will she come back vengeful or repentant?
Will we ever discover what Segundo locked into Suite 12?
Is there a resolution to Elena's ghostly cousin in our future? Is he somehow connected to Isla or Suite 12?
Percolate on these mysteries, Fanatics, and add your wildest predictions to our comments below!
Diana Keng was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. Follow her on X.
