'Encore' episode 2 walks down memory lane triggering bad memories and jealousy
Disney+ launched on November 12, with a slew of series premiering on the streaming giant. One amongst them was Encore that is co-created by Kristen Bell.
The series reunites castmates who performed together in their high school musical and help them recreate their production in just 5 days. Five days does sound like limited time, to rehearse a play years after you've performed it, but these castmates somehow make it happen no matter the mishaps. Who wouldn't want to relive their high school days again, even if it is just for a week?
Though it might seem fun to walk down memory lane again, it is a known fact that drama will arise with that. We get to see past relationships arise, rekindled friendships, hardships they faced while growing up, and much more within these five days of each high school's encore musical.
In episode 1, we saw the series reunite castmates from Santana High School who belonged to the class of 1996 and staged a production of 'Annie'. Though there wasn't much drama revolving around the castmates, they did have problems when it came to the production on its own, because it has been around a quarter-century since they performed the musical last, and for some, it was the last they ever performed on stage. But nonetheless, it was a very entertaining episode especially to get a sneak peek into the past and present the lives of the castmates.
In episode 2, the entire production takes a turn and we get to witness as much as drama offstage and onstage. There is jealousy, bad memories, relationships, that rise back from the ashes once again. For episode 2, the series reunited castmates from Saginaw High School, Texas who staged a production of 'Beauty and The Beast'. What one should remember about this production is, unlike the first episode, where the original production was around 25 years ago, this set of castmates performed their original high school musical just around 12 years ago.
This leaves most of the castmates still in their 20s, but that's where the drama lies. While most were eager to come back and stage their production of 'Beauty and The Beast again', there was one castmate who had bad memories on stage and didn't want to come back on stage. But in the end, he does fix that, and this time he performs in front of his family, nailing the parts he missed in the original production.
We see jealousy arise as well when the castmate who played the role of Mrs. Potts, reveals that she actually wanted the part of Belle. The episode showcases how she learns to accept herself, not only with the casting but in life too. The same woman then gets her palm read by a guy she was casually seeing, he reveals she has some issues with her health. And right enough she gets allergic to her costume and is sent to the hospital in an ambulance.
There is one particular part of the episode where the director comes up with an exercise that would bring them closer. Bring them closer to themselves, and not their characters. We see the castmates open up about their fears and what they would tell their younger selves or what they would change about it. That is a definite tear-jerker. Secrets also unfold during the rehearsals where the castmates get to know that two of the characters used to be makeout buddies during practice.
Overall, episode 2 of 'Encore' is fascinating, entertaining, and has its share of dark moments, but never ceases to surprise the viewers. It's worth the subscription, and it will leave you wondering, which production you're going to see next, and what drama to expect.
