Only Friends 1×07 Review: Episode 7

The fur (and the water) is really starting to fly in episode 7 of Only Friends. With Boston and Top’s behavior exposed to the greater group after last week’s dramatic reveal, relationships are starting to fracture and reform in different ways.

We are getting closer to uncharted territory, folks. After episode 7, the number of trailer scenes yet to air in the show is down to maybe three, and most of them focus on Sand and Ray. This makes sense considering the way this episode ended (MY HEART, I CAN’T) but I’ll get to that later. I want to start with Mew and Top.

First off, I’d like to say something about the sketchbook. I saw a lot of chatter in the fandom where people criticized Top for his gift, saying that he’s rich and that’s what he got his boyfriend for his birthday? I didn’t see it that way at all; in fact, just the opposite. Yes, Top is rich, which means buying something means nothing. The sketchbook took time and effort and was much more personal than just tossing money at something. I believe it’s meant to signify that Top’s feelings for Mew are genuine.

So then Mew burning one of the pages – in front of Top no less! – was symbolic of much more than Mew wanting to torch their relationship. It’s Mew officially rejecting Top’s effort, effort that Top has supposedly not put into anything before. Top has said himself that he’s never really put much thought into his partners’ feelings before, and this is the first time.

I am actually lowkey impressed that when Top came to apologize to Mew, he didn’t try to explain or justify his behavior. I thought for sure he would bring up the fact that technically they were not boyfriends at the time, by Mew’s own definition. But he didn’t. He just admitted that his behavior was wrong and offered a genuine apology. And Mew lighting one of the sketchbook pages on fire at that moment was a double burn.

Now, where Top didn’t take responsibility for his behavior was his confrontation with Boston. He immediately blamed Boston for telling Mew, assuming that he was the one who recorded their encounter. There’s no self-reflection that maybe his behavior was the problem, and not that it was recorded. It’s only after he learns that Boston wasn’t responsible that he goes to Mew to apologize. Maybe he was going to do it the whole time, but I wonder if his apology would have been different if it had been Boston who told Mew.

Boston, on the other hand, is not contrite at all. He one hundred percent blames Nick for what happened (which, I mean, fair – dude did bug his car) and viciously ends things. Then he only apologizes to Mew when prompted to do so, and when he does it is clearly half-assed and not heartfelt at all. When Mew asks him why he set him up with Top if he wanted him himself, Boston is just like, “Well, you liked him, too.” This is a man who has breezed through life without any consequences for his actions. I wonder if it has something to do with his politician father.

That fight scene in the pool was hilarious. It reminded me a lot of Dynasty.

We do get to see Boston humbled, though, after Mew goes full villain and seduces Gap (Boston’s hookup from episode 1, the one who had the video of him) in order to get the video. The funny thing is, I’m sure that if Mew had just flat-out told Gap that he wanted to mess with Boston, Gap would have helped him without question. But it’s obviously way more entertaining watching Mew in his Reputation era.

In the end, Mew gives Boston the thumb drive, saying that he doesn’t need to be nasty just because Boston was nasty to him. This directly contradicts what Mew told Ray and Cheum earlier in the episode, though, so forgive me if I’m not fully convinced. Boston’s insistence that his father can’t know, that the video can’t be posted on the internet, makes me sure that at some point, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. It may not be Mew that does it, but you can’t lay down that scenario as a possibility this many times and not follow through.

Also, it is really bothering me that no one has called Boston out for having photos and video of Ray and Mew kissing from two years ago. For a guy that really hates being recorded without his consent (which, you know, perfectly valid), he seems to be ok doing that to others.

Let’s take a step back to everything that’s going on with Nick. I know people in the fandom have sympathy for him, but I don’t. He knew what Boston was like and still pursued a relationship. There were opportunities for him to realize he couldn’t handle the type of relationship Boston was willing to give him and back out, but he didn’t. He bugged Boston’s car, showed Sand the recording, and kept the recording even after finding out how much Boston hates being recorded. When he breaks down in front of Sand, he admits that he doesn’t care if Boston doesn’t love him, as long as he doesn’t hate him.

So then explain to me why he so easily provides Mew with Boston’s main weakness – the video? I really don’t understand his thought process. Surely Boston will realize that Nick was the only one (other than Gap) who knew about the video? Then Nick will be even worse off than before. I guess the only explanation is that Mew explained his entire plan – that he didn’t intend to release the video, just scare Boston.

Nick’s confrontation with Sand was heartbreaking. But Nick may have had a point when he said that Boston was so close to loving him, because during Boston and Nick’s confrontation, Boston could barely look at Nick. He seemed like he was very close to giving in to Nick’s pleas, and that’s what makes the betrayal so awful to Boston. Because he did like Nick, and he trusted him.

That said, neither Nick nor Sand really has a moral ground to stand on. Nick is upset that Sand broke into his phone and stole the recording after Nick trusted him with it, but I mean, he bugged Boston’s car in the first place. And Sand doesn’t understand why Nick is so gone on Boston considering what a jerk he is, but when Nick starts talking about how much he loves him, it hits Sand that this is exactly his relationship with Ray.

Much as I hate to admit it, Sand and Ray’s relationship is very similar to Boston and Nick’s, there’s just less sex. I don’t like how easily Sand was able to get over Ray calling him a whore, even if Ray was drunk (and possibly high) and hurt. Sand could stand to be a little less patient with Ray.

That said, there is still a lot of tenderness in Sand and Ray’s interactions. I still want these two crazy kids to get together, mainly because First and Khaotung have insane chemistry. Their scenes have a lot of non-sexual intimacy that indicates deep feelings of love and trust. When they have scenes like Sand undressing Ray to get him in the tub, it’s hard to remember little things like, oh, the fact that Ray didn’t apologize for any of the garbage he said to Sand. There were a couple of moments in the hospital where I thought he would, but then he didn’t.

One of the reasons I think that Sand is so permissive of Ray is because he has, multiple times, found him in a really bad state, abandoned by his friends. I suspect that Sand is worried that if he doesn’t show up when Ray calls, something bad will happen. 

I will, however, die on the hill that Ray isn’t in love with Mew anymore, if he ever was. I think Ray has put Mew up on a pedestal and his feelings are still habit, because I cannot look at how Ray is with Sand versus how he is with Mew and believe he’s not in love with Sand. I think Ray has fixated on Mew and can’t move on, even to the point of ignoring what’s right in front of him. So when Mew offers him a chance of getting what he thinks he’s wanted for so long, he jumps on it.

But before Ray ends up with anybody, he really needs help. And I think the preview for next week’s episode really highlights that. We also have to remember that nothing should be taken at face value with this show. Everyone is messy, and we still have five episodes left and no road map. 

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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