UnREAL Season Finale Review: Future (Season 1 Episode 10)

I had high hopes for the season finale of UnREAL, and I wasn’t disappointed. Not in the slightest.

For starters, Britney is back. It wouldn’t be truly dramatic reality television without this element, but the best part is that Quinn comments on how overdone that idea is when she learns that Chet has brought her back.

My only complaint there is that I’d have liked to see her stir up a little more trouble, but we all know the real drama of this show lies in what goes on behind the scenes.

Rachel has to choose between being with Jeremy and living a “normal” life, or running away with Adam and living a life that is, well, something else. In making her decision, though, she loses both of them — and in the most dramatic way.

She leaves a note for Jeremy, then heads off to meet Adam so they can run away together, but he has inexplicably changed his mind, claiming that he needs to honor his commitment instead.

After breaking down emotionally, Rachel deals with the rejection in the best way she knows how — through manipulation. She goes to Quinn (having not yet cleaned up her smeared eye-makeup), and tells her a plan for the greatest finale in ‘Everlasting’ history.

Rachel’s plan involves a live wedding in London, and the ultimate humiliation as Adam is left alone at the alter on his wedding day — on live television. Among the best scenes of the episode is Rachel’s tearful conversation with Adam, and then her ability to wipe those fake tears and tell Anna it was what she needed to hear.

Of course, this is after Rachel’s own humiliation. Jeremy makes us all think he’s going to get down on one knee to propose, and instead calls Rachel out on cheating and says nasty, terrible things to her.

As much as I’m generally rooting for Rachel, you have to give Jeremy some credit for sticking up for himself. Yes, what he does is far too harsh, but I’m actually not convinced Rachel ever had true feelings for either of these guys. More importantly, this journey was never about Rachel choosing a guy and living happily ever after. For now, at least, she needs to be alone.

Consider both Rachel and Quinn anti-heroes (with their own complicated relationship) and it means they can’t end up just marrying the man of their dreams. The most interesting relationship on UnREAL has been and will most likely remain the dysfunctional one between these two.

Those “I love yous” at the end? You know they carry more meaning than what’s on the surface — and it isn’t all sunshine and roses.

Okay, so you know how basically everyone on this show is a terrible person in their own way? Jeremy has seemed like the good  guy (for the most part) until this episode. If the public humiliation of Rachel weren’t bad enough, then he does to Rachel’s mother to talk about her mental health.

It’s just too far, but it means we’re definitely going to be in for a great second season.

Other Thoughts:

• Did we really make it to the finale without more repercussions from Mary’s suicide?
• Chet wins the award for most awful human being on this show. “Just a mouth?!” Gross.
• A favorite quote from this episode comes from Quinn: “Please tell me you’re not wasting your victory lap crying about boys.”

What did you think of the season finale of UnREAL? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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UnREAL returns for Season 2 next summer on Lifetime.