Netflix's Spinning Out - Episode 1.03 "Proceed with Caution"
Trust issues force Dasha to get creative with training, bringing the skaters out of their comfort zones. Suspicions grow around Mitch.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Netflix's Spinning Out.
"Proceed with Caution" was written by Paul Keables and directed by Matt Hastings
A lot of time and attention has been focused on Kat's potential issues. She comes across as damaged goods that no one in the skating world should bother to care about any longer. She is prone to danger and accidents. As such, everyone is worried about her. And yet, no one is really willing to do anything to help her. Sure, she has her friend Marcus at work who is more than understanding about everything going on with her. Of course, he is also completely in the dark about Justin being her new pairs partner. When he realizes that, he immediately understands why it has been such a problem building up trust. He views Justin as the entitled and arrogant guy who walks around the hotel feeling as if he can do anything. And yes, Justin certainly does operate with a ton of privilege. He can be a dick a lot of the time. That is his predominate quality above being a great skater. His family has always been focused on who can help him win. He has always been a pairs skater. And yet, he has never been consistently paired with someone. Kat is the new flavor of the month everyone is excited about. However, there are trust issues that have to be overcome in order to move ahead and build a successful partnership. Kat operates from a place of fear on the ice. She is so passionate about this sport. She is still pursuing her dream. She just fears falling because it almost ended everything for her not too long ago. Now, she will be flying higher than every before. It's absolutely scary. She is learning how to skate in a new way. She knows how to be a solid performer when she is on the ice by herself. But now, she is part of a team. As such, she no longer has to carry the burden of excellence all by herself. She should feel the freedom to share it with Justin. He just hasn't been engaged by the process in a long time. He has the skills to always be reliable. He is never going to drop Kat. He may be hungover and late to practice but he can still perform while keeping everyone safe. That has to be the priority here. Ambition can't come at the expense of personal safety. That's why Kat is so consumed with the thought that her younger sister could be in danger from her new coach. There is only rumors swirling around Mitch. He has a rational story about what happened with the last girl he coached. However, he still lords his superiority over Carol and Serena by saying he could walk away at any moment in time. He uses that as a way to condition them into believing that they need him in order to succeed. He can provide so much. That just may give him the freedom to take as much as well. That's what Kat is worried about. Carol may see some troubling signs as well. Serena is clearly obsessed. But that only presents itself in a dangerous way because Carol quits her job instead of being a comforting and stable figure for her daughters. She may not be able to do anything helpful in the long run. That instability is so dangerous. Kat has grown used to it from her mother. There is always the hope that they can remain concerned about each other's well being without having to be a family in the same house. These are the issues Kat has to overcome in order to succeed on the ice. Meanwhile, Justin finally has to cope with his mother's tragic death instead of just trying to fill the void through sex and partying. That is the easy action to explore. It's much more difficult to truly connect with someone and build a genuine connection. He has been hurt before. He has hidden depth to him. He is more than just the guy who will continually let others down around him because they don't serve his selfish interests. All of this trust building is necessary. It may not play out in the way that Dasha had orchestrated. It still gets the job done in an effective way. Plus, it contributes to building into the frame of mind that everyone is constantly watching every move the competition is making in the hopes of any slip-up being the thing that can lead to their own personal success. That's intoxicating while showcasing the brutal nature of this sport. It's cutthroat and that only increases the danger that comes from these routines.
