UnREAL Review: Transference (Season 3 Episode 6)

On UnREAL Season 3 Episode 6, “Transference,” actual reality invades the faux reality of the Everlasting set, crushing closely-held fantasies.

As I watch, I grieve with my beloved characters as they realize their dreams are just glitter and glue, not magic.

Rachel’s fantasy world is shattered most explosively on “Transference.” The cabin in the woods that she delusionally believes will be the healing fix for her and her dad is tossed overboard so that Rachel’s dad can get help with detoxing.

The loss of her fantasy drives home a key point of the episode and the series: real healing is really hard work.

Rachel takes another big step forward in her healing journey by surrendering control and following New Shrink’s advice. When Rachel embraces New Shrink in a vulnerable, asexual hug at the close of the episode, we know that the fantasy is gone, but that she is going to keep on fighting.

It is a beautiful and harrowing picture of the mental health battle many of us face.

Importantly, Rachel does not go to Jeremy in this scene. Jeremy does not save her. The fact that he is not her savior on “Transference” gives me hope for their ship.

Yes, it is time for me to confess: I ship Rachel and Jeremy.

I realize that their current relationship is not healthy and they should not be together — yet, anyway.

Jeremy is incapable of saying no to Rachel. He will do literally anything when she needs him. He seems to come alive when Rachel needs him.

Rachel allows Jeremy to embody the fantasy version of himself as a savior, and Jeremy allows Rachel to embody the fantasy version of herself as an activist with a mind that is richer and deeper than a reality series.

Those fantasies have to die. Otherwise, there is no hope for either of them to be in a real relationship.

I feel that if they can work through the death of those fantasies with each other, their friendship, genuine connection, and general zeal for an interesting life could carry them into a real romance.

Quinn and Jeremy love Rachel. When Rachel’s dad comes on set and reveals the assault that Rachel experienced as a child to the entire cast and crew, Quinn’s and Jeremy’s reactions prove their love.

Jeremy reprimands people for laughing, and Quinn keeps the show moving.

Their love is important because Rachel is going to need people in her life who will accept her stages of healing.

She is undoubtedly going to push both of them away at some point, but the way they react to her insides being spilled in front of them tells us that they can deal with her real self.

Jay has to face some of his lies on “Transference,” but he is actually building up a delusional wall around himself.

Xavier is a sincere, loving, fun, and creative boyfriend, who calls Jay out on his deception. Rather than be vulnerable, confess, and lean into his love, Jay is defensive.

I think Jay is deeply afraid of failure.

Not only has Jay not been able to get the show that he wanted (with Xavier as the host), he has also not been able to be the boyfriend that he wanted to be. He cheated and wants to cheat more.

Jay severs his relationship with Xavier, because he is not ready or willing to face his fear of failure.

I am heartbroken for Jay, but I am glad his character is getting development and screen time.

Jay’s storyline isn’t about or dependent upon his sexual orientation or race. It is not the story of a gay black man struggling in his romantic relationship.

It is the story of an ambitious and kind person who is struggling to maintain his integrity while working in a viciously competitive and sexualized industry.

His sexual orientation and race are part of his identity, of course, but they are not the basis of Javier’s (Xavier and Jay’s) issues. This is good representation.

Quinn eats people’s fantasies for breakfast and plops them into the toilet at night. Creating fantasy is her business, but she deceives herself by thinking that she doesn’t have some sparkly delusions in her personal life, too.

Her main glittery lie is that she and Rachel are fine. But drowning trauma in vodka or sex does not kill it. Eventually, Quinn’s going to have to face reality.

Instead of facing reality, Quinn focuses on producing and on “Transference,” Quinn goes too far.

Quinn manipulates the contestants to create an absolute lie that they are interested in each other, not Serena. The secret (and entirely false) love is ratings gold, and so Quinn moves forward with the story.

Faking LGBTQ identity in order to get ratings crosses the line for me.

But I still love Quinn.

That’s one of the greatest things about what UnREAL is doing. Quinn is supposed to cross lines and make big, tragic, and even cruel mistakes.

But it feels strange to still love her because she is a she, and we don’t let women characters be both loved and bad.

Walter White, Tony Soprano, Don Draper, Dr. House — the list goes on of male antiheroes who we watch with a mix of horror and admiration.

Quinn is right there beside them, unafraid of being “unlikeable.” What a hero.

UnREAL once again shows us that the reality can be so much more satisfying than the fantasy.

Real Talk:

• Jaime Callica’s Xavier is a delight on screen and even though he’s heading back to New Orleans, I hope it’s not the last we see of him.
• Xavier’s jacket is the thing I need.
• I wish we saw more of Guy than just his foodie nature and his shady agreement to be fake-bisexual. We need more leading Asian men on TV, and giving Guy more sex appeal and conflict would help.
• I could write a whole dissertation on the costume choices this season. The inherent vulnerability of sweatpants, I tell ya!

What did you think of this episode of UnREAL? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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UnREAL airs Mondays at 10/9c on Lifetime.

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