Additional contributor: Emily
Love is hard. Being a teenager makes it harder. And being quarantined gives a person a lot of time to think. Episode 2 is the product of that. And it isn’t pretty.
Spoilers ahead for Everything’s Gonna Be Okay Season 2, Episode 2 “Jungle Centipede.” You have been warned.
The episode begins with Matilda waiting for Drea outside, all dressed up. Drea arrives with her parents (Suze and Toby), who are excited about the pair’s reunion. From inside the house, Genevieve watches from the window while Nicholas lies on the bed, Alex soon joining him. Genevieve provides commentary, mentioning how Drea’s parents are sitting in the car eating popcorn. This prompts Nicholas to wonder if he should invite them in, though he’s not sure how. Eventually he decides to go talk with them.
Matilda and Drea sit socially distanced, awkward, but seemingly happy to be around each other again. As they try to make small talk, Nicholas appears outside and approaches Drea’s parents, and the three lament about their experiences with cruises or lack thereof. The conversation ends with Nicholas going to make frozen mojitos for everyone, heading inside to prep them. Genevieve sits at the counter and asks about Matilda and Drea. Alex enters, looking confused and upset. He reveals that his parents are getting a divorce, and as he’s 25, he’s not quite sure how to react – and apparently neither is Nicholas. Alex says he can act normally. Nicholas then doubts whether mojitos are a good idea, and Alex tells him it’s fine. Shortly after, Alex receives a video call from his father. While the two talk with sign language about the divorce, Nicholas tries (and kind of fails) to continue making the mojitos quietly.
After the call, Alex and Nicholas head outside, frozen mojitos in hand, and rejoin Drea’s parents. They ask Nicholas about becoming a dentist, leading into how Toby is a commercial property evaluator. Nicholas asks Toby to evaluate the house, and Alex becomes uncomfortable. He leaves to go to the bathroom but chooses to take a dip in the pool for a little bit. When he returns, everyone is now comfortably camped out waiting for Matilda and Drea to finish talking. While Nicholas and Drea’s parents mingle, Alex notices a dead bird, growing increasingly impatient that no one else has noticed. He soon points it out, and when Nicholas is unable to get rid of hit, Alex does it himself, clearly annoyed with Nicholas and Drea’s parents.
Meanwhile with Matilda and Drea, Matilda suggests that her and Drea discuss what will happen sexually with them once they’re able to touch again. Matilda easily conjures up scenarios in which they’re kissing. Drea, however, doesn’t seem into it, struggling to process what Matilda is saying, unsure how to respond. Before Matilda continues, Drea states that she needs a moment to process. Matilda agrees, sneezing a moment later and adding to Drea’s discomfort by mentioning that a sneeze is part of the way to an orgasm.
That night, Nicholas gets ready for bed while Alex reads, stating that he doesn’t like Drea’s parents, suprising Nicholas. Alex continues by saying that they aren’t fun, but Nicholas tries to convince him otherwise and soon gets him off the topic. Genevieve walks in wanting to talk to Nicholas, requesting that Alex leave them, so he goes into the bathroom and plays music. Genevieve then shares that the stuff she found on Matilda’s computer was Matilda searching sites about helping her decide whether or not she’s a lesbian. She warns Nicholas that what she thinks about it will be upsetting, telling him she thinks Matilda is using social distancing to avoid touching Drea and that she is straight.
Genevieve and Nicholas go question Matilda, who’s adamant that she wasn’t trying to trick Drea. She then states that she thought she was pansexual because she “read everyone is.” She continues that she loves Drea but doesn’t want to be with her, because she “[doesn’t] like vaginas.” Genevieve and Nicholas support her decision, but they also urge her to break up with Drea.
Drea and her parents return to the house, with Drea’s parents, Alex, Nicholas, and Genevieve mingling while Matilda and Drea talk. Matilda gives her pre-written break up speech to Drea, in which she says she’s breaking up with her because she is not queer. Drea is rightfully taken aback by this 180. She asks Matilda how she knows (the categories she chooses when watching pornography), and Matilda officially ends the relationship. Drea becomes stressed and overwhelmed, ready to leave. She heads to the car, Matilda following and trying to apologize, where everyone is fussing over a drone Toby brough that got stuck in Genevieve’s hair. Drea’s parents are confused and when they ask what happens, and Matilda admits that she’s straight, with Nicholas repeating it. Suze becomes angry, defending Drea and stating that she’s a person who shouldn’t be used. Toby has Suze ground herself, and they and Drea leave.
(The episode and surrounding promotion seem to make this breakup and Matilda’s non-queerness pretty cut and dry. However, during the premiere Lillian Carrier, who plays Drea, replied to some tweets hinting there may be more #Dratilda in store later in the season. And with Drea’s parents being recurring guests, my guess is there may be a more nuanced discussion to come.)
The episode ends with Suze calling Nicholas, who thinks she’s still upset. Instead, she tells him that Toby accidentally took home Nicholas’ salad bowl and asks him if he’d like it back. He says they can keep it as an apology, but Suze insists on returning it and bringing along Pavlova cake.
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on Freeform.
