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Red Oaks S1 Ep 9 “Bar Mitzvah”

Red Oaks

The moment of crisis for Season 1 of Red Oaks does not come in the finale as one might expect for a 30 minute situational comedy. It comes in the episode just before it, in this episode, where David is riding high on a new crest of his life, where he can see the shores of adulthood just over the next wave, like the top of a skyscraper peeking out through a fog haze Jersey morning. But all of that is about to come crashing down as David’s inner child is challenged and found wanting.

The day kicks off with a special event at Red Oaks today, little Jeffery Glassman’s Bar Mitzvah. Karen is asked about her relationship and is told that David was seen heading into the city on the Red and Tan bus with some girl. She is not amused.

Wheeler gets his first refill of cocaine from Gantz. They’re a quarter of a key of cocaine hidden in a cassette player. Herb pulls up and while Wheeler is distracted by an accident, he grabs the wrong bag by accident.

Herb breaks David’s balls about going out with Getty’s daughter but admired his hutzpah. Getty clearly doesn’t know that David went out with Skye.

Wheeler goes into panic mode when he realizes his bag was switched.

Nash and Getty have a conversation in the sauna. Nash is prepared to buy a boat with his Galexa windfall.

“If it flies, floats or f*cks, rent it.” — Getty to Nash

Sam and Judy Meyers pull up to the bar mitzvah early and David is nervous.

Karen confronts David who admits it was Skye. Karen takes it as an insult and Barry sees an opportunity.

Nash is upgrading the boat engine of his dreams when David’s parents walk in. Sam starts lecturing Nash about the tax implications of owning a boat, which Nash is going to call “The Wyndfall.”

Barry is bopping and flashing photos while the newly mature Jeffrey Glassman demands David get him some booze. Barry defends the kid and orders David off to some errand.

Wheeler gets his Walkman back but loses it again when Skip hits him with a golf cart at full speed.

Sam and Judy start reminiscing about their lives and marriage when their song playing. As they dance, they discuss David’s future and worry about how sensitive he is. They both just want David to be happy. And Sam drops a bomb of a question on her, “When did you stop loving me?” She will never stop. But he says she not happy being married to him. She doesn’t deny it. Their marriage just ended.

Wheeler wakes up and the cassette player is gone again. Taco, one of the waiters has it and can’t get it open.

David sees Skye in the lobby and she is clearly shaken by seeing him. It’s because Mark is there and he’s her “fella” from Stanford Med School.

Wheeler confronts Taco, who is cleaning up puke, and they get into an argument. Barry and David get into it also and Barry tells David he is no artist without talent. David has had enough and goes on the offensive, leveling Barry. He accuses him of lying to Karen so he can nail her. Barry throws the nude photos at him like a weapon and gets a punch to the face for his trouble, destroying the cake and completely disrupting the party. David just got himself fired. He was tested and failed.

The cassette player gets out into the kids gifts. Misty admits to her friend that something is going on but comes upon him in a state of distress. He is about to come clean.

Karen confronts David outside the club and interrupts Skye approaching David. She says she was going to show him the photos eventually and asks if he would have told her about going into the city with Skye. He says, “Probably not.” She is through with this and ends up leveling him by telling him that he’s still a little bit concerned with little boy things.

“You act as if life is one big summer vacation and it’s not, David. Summer is f*cking over and you need to grow up.” — Karen to David

 

David is dressed down by his parents as Skip flips him the bird as they drive away from the club.

David Meyers lost it all when he lost his temper, he lost his future, his girlfriend, his other girlfriend, his self-respect and those shores of adulthood are swallowed in the tempest that he finds himself in, underwater and upside down. Now, his greatest fear of being an Accountant’s son working for his father, living in his parent’s house, without even an automobile of his own to mark his independence. When we next meet David for the finale of Season 1, he will be standing 100 yards behind the starting line.

Written by JB Minton

Author of The Skeleton Key to Twin Peaks and Contributor to 25YL. Josh also co-hosts the Red Room Podcast.

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