Bless This Mess Review: Bad Seed (Season 2 Episode 10)

After what seems like a rather lengthy holiday hiatus, Bless This Mess returns with a new episode that doesn’t disappoint. They continue with the formula of laughs and learning — and as usual — stick the landing. 

Bless This Mess Season 2 Episode 10, “Bad Seed,” dives into the typical relationship study that the show is known for, but ultimately settles on the topic of risk. As nearly anything else in life, relationships are a risk. The episode explores this fact in depth through three separate situations.

As Mike and Rio pass out fliers to advertise Rio’s therapy sessions, a man comes up to Mike asking about ordering seeds for the year. From the look and reaction of Mike, it is obvious that he has been procrastinating on this subject for way too long. 

It is too easy to leave huge decisions until the last moment, where we are cornered into making a last-ditch effort — cutting off all logic in the process. I think we do this so that if things go awry, we can blame it on lack of time and research. 

Mike does his research and a lot of it. Binders upon binders are full of every ounce of knowledge that Mike can find on each seed available. Unfortunately, this becomes another roadblock to him.

The downside to research is the possibility of information overload. With too many players on the field, it becomes difficult to see the playing ground. Every crumb and morsel of knowledge piles into a heap, blocking off multiple branches instead of guiding a clear path.

Kind of like applying to college I suppose. If you apply to every fine arts school on the map, you are more than likely going to get into at least a handful. While it seems good to open up your options, it backfires because you now need to narrow down the best of the best — which can prove to be difficult. 

Mike learns this the hard way and feels bogged down by all the pressure. He reaches out to other farmers around town, hoping for advice on what the best seed to plant is. All the stress goes a long way in making Mike look like a nutcase, therefore reflecting negatively on Rio and her therapy sessions. 

The last thing any of us want to do is shine a negative light on our significant other. At the least, it is unhealthy for the relationship. 

Rio sees this and tries to nip it in the bud. She does this for slightly selfish reasons, which she doesn’t realize until Beau points it out later on.

Beau: Use the tongs!

Beau of all people informs Rio that there is no such thing as a “no risk” seed. After all, if there is a choice, there is a risk. While some situations are less risky than others, sometimes you just have to take the plunge and hope for the best.

Rio jumps on board with this idea and decides to go all-in on this thing together with Mike. It is their future and livelihood at stake. What better way to make this important decision than to make it together?

In the process, options are eliminated, leading to the ultimate decision being made for them. Although it is a happy ending for them, things could have ended much differently — proving procrastination is never really the friend it pretends to be.

The next storyline revolves around Kay and Beau. They have been coupling since Christmas, making great strides in their physical intimacy — but not in their emotional intimacy. They are bonding with their bodies, but not their minds.

Rio tries to get them to the center of the problem, helping them figure out where they want to go from here. After a few moments of prodding, Kay spills the beans that she wants to go on the cruise Beau refused her several years ago. 

Kay gives him an ultimatum between her and the cruise. No cruise, no Kay. Plain and simple.

Kay sees his lack of effort to go on this cruise as a personal attack.

People, men especially, make promises before thinking them through. We don’t think about the consequences of these promises until they land in our laps.

Beau’s reluctance to go on the cruise has more to do with fear of risk than not wanting to be on the open sea. 

On the surface, Beau is afraid of obnoxious things like the buffet and meeting strange people. Lying underneath is his fear of risk concerning moving forward with Kay.

Admittedly, sometimes we like being stuck in Purgatory. We like not having to make any decisions, and just riding it out as long as we can.

Although this cruise can put Beau and Kay in a better place, it also has the risk of tearing down their bare bones of a relationship before it can get a firm footing.

Ironic isn’t it? 

The one thing that can bring them together, can also tear them apart. The beautiful vulnerability of a relationship!

We have to put ourselves out there, enabling someone to crush us, but trusting that they won’t.

When Beau and Rio come to this epiphany, they rush over to meet Kay and tell her all about it. Her initial response is to run away.

She feels it now too, the crushing weight of indecision. The urge to poop or get off the pot. Unfortunately, she chooses to leave the bathroom altogether.

Although we want someone we can be vulnerable with, we also hate being vulnerable. We want to control things so much because deep down we realize how little control we have over our lives in general.

Don’t take away the little control I have — I’m begging you!

Beau sticks to his guns and decides to go on the cruise alone, facing his long list of fears for himself — and not just for Kay.

Seeing this, Kay gathers her courage and joins him at the last minute. Just like Mike and Rio, they realize taking a risk together is a better investment than going it alone. If they fall, they fall together.

While these two couples explore the positive side of risk, Constance and Rudy approach the negative side. 

We finally come to understand why Rudy no longer has his farm and lives with Mike and Rio. It is an ugly truth.

Rudy took on some risks, a lot of risks, and not the good kind. 

Due to some illegal gambling, Rudy burned down his farm to collect the insurance money. This is quite a shocker to me. 

Rudy is always the quirky guy that gives us the awkward laugh. Never in a million years would I have thought his story would take such a dark spin. Cudos on the character building.

Rudy’s love of risk cost him everything. He went all-in alone and had nobody to catch him on the way down.

What a sad reality it is for this man. He made decisions that he now has to live with for the rest of his life. Not only did it cost him most of his past, but it is also quite possible that it will cost him Constance well.

The fallen countenance of Constance speaks volumes as she realizes all the truth and baggage this brings to the table. Her vulnerability has left her crushed. 

The man she trusted with everything has not only let her down, but has also hidden multiple facts from her. 

I can imagine the amount of treachery she feels. 

As much as good risks can bring a relationship together, bad risks can tear it apart.

Like I said earlier, there are always risks in life. What to do, where to go, how to live, etc.  Please don’t add to the amount of risk by taking an unnecessary gamble.

We need to calculate everything. Life choices, relationship choices, so on and so on. Adding in an unsafe bet on those calculations is a surefire way to lose it all. 

Use Rudy as a cautionary tale. His loss of everything can be your reason not to. Just because he is a fictional character, doesn’t mean the story can’t give you purpose.  

All three of these couples have their own stories to tell, giving us reason to consider risk. Sometimes it pays off, other times it doesn’t.

Use risk wisely. Make decisions with your loved ones in mind be it past, present, or future. You never know how the decision you make today will affect your tomorrows.

What did you think of this episode of  Bless This Mess? What did you think of Rudy’s dark past? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Bless This Mess airs Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30c on ABC.

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