Sweet/Vicious Review: Sucker (Season 1 Episode 3)
Sweet/Vicious Season 1 Episode 3 “Sucker” is but a small taste of how amazing Jules and Ophelia’s bond will be by the time this show finishes it’s first season and how much chemistry these two actresses have with each other.
Batman and Batman (because there’s no room for Robin) bond in this episode, not just over their mutual vigilante mission, but about life and the small nuances that come with it. Maybe it’s true what they say, opposites do attract.
You can tell by the way that Jules smiles when Ophelia manages to get a hit in, that she’s proud of her and appreciates her drive to be as skilled as Jules in case she needs backup on the field. And you can tell by the way that Ophelia offers to help her with her grades and allows her in her space, that she accepts the kind of person Jules is, damage and all.
Jules and Ophelia are actually becoming friends who enjoy each other’s company.
The way their lives easily fall together leaves one feeling like fate was just biding its time until it brought these two women together. If it wasn’t the vigilante mission to write wrongs on campus, it would’ve been something else.
Jules and Ophelia is fate, plain and simple.
The intensity of their odd, yet refreshing, friendship can be seen in the ripple effect it has on their lives.
Harris feels the strain of his relationship with Ophelia and puts his foot down when he feels like he’s being used and set aside for Jules. Ophelia, in turn, sets on balancing out the new piece of her life with the old, a classic superhero trope.
Jules’ experience with Tyler is a positive step forward in her recovery because of the support that Ophelia gives her throughout the episode. Without meaning to or knowing it, Ophelia gives Jules the strength to find closure for herself and accept the good in her life.
Sucker, and the episodes before it, feel like a weekly dose of therapy for survivors of sexual assault. It feels like we’re going through the steps with Jules, holding her hand while she punches with the other, and experiencing the closure she’s feeling on Sweet/Vicious.
The respect that this show gives survivors is what makes Sweet/Vicious stand apart from all others. They don’t shy away from the aftermath or the girl that we used to be.
Sweet/Vicious embraces what it means to be a survivor, to live, to recover, to move past the aftermath, and define our lives in our own terms. It’s a bold step into something we need to see more on our TV’s and discuss more in our lives.
Additional Notes:
- Sharing of food is the ultimate sign of friendship. The ramen sealed the deal!
- Showing the survivor what they did to her attacker, is the next logical step in making these women feel safe.
- How can Kennedy not see that Jules is uncomfortable around her boyfriend? It’s obvious to anyone that has eyes.
What did you think of this episode of Sweet/Vicious? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Sweet/Vicious airs Tuesday at 10/9c on MTV.
Sweet/Vicious Review: The Writing’s on the Wall (Season 1 Episode 2)
Lyra Hale
Lyra is a TV and movie enthusiast. It all started on a dark night when she turned on Fox and fell in love with the X-Files. It was all history after that as she got lost in Doctor Who, The Marvel Verse and most recently everything DC. Her love for Doctor Who lead her to study abroad, where she fell into live-tweeting and the lovely explosion of fandom life that Tumblr is. Her main love for the summer (with a mega re-watch happening) is Arrow. When she isn’t sharing her love for TV and movies she’s writing fan-fiction, taking care of her family, and puttering around her kitchen.