Katy Keene season 1, episode 8, while an interesting episode, highlights the series’ biggest issue, continuing to develop the characters in quite bizarre ways, which really raises the question: Where is the series headed right now?
On Katy Keene season 1, episode 8, the aftermath of Jorge and Bernardo’s confrontation is revealed, while Pepper’s birthday comes with a few twists and (majorly surprising) reveals, including one that makes everything we thought we knew about Pepper irrelevant.
Meanwhile, Katy’s trying to get yet another job (because, like, two different positions at Lacy’s isn’t enough), and Josie’s stuck in the middle of the Cabots again, but that’s no surprise…
‘Katy Keene’ season 1, episode 8 review
Honestly, I’m a bit thrown by Katy Keene season 1, episode 8, and how the writers have chosen to handle tackling this season and the various storylines they’ve presented since the pilot.
This episode didn’t really hit the mark it was trying to, namely with Katy, because there hasn’t been enough proceeding this to set up the intense, emotional stories.
Although it was better than the previous episode, like a lot better, I feel like there’s so much story we missed out on about the characters’ lives at the beginning of the series.
This is making following their lives now feel like we’re missing half of the bigger picture, especially with Katy and K.O., and their 10-year relationship.
Literally, the only thing I 100% genuinely enjoyed about this episode is Pepper’s story, discovering more about who she is, who her family is, and digging into her dreams and her past with Ms. Fressia.
Katy and Pepper
It’s tiresome to see Katy Keene season 1, episode 8, like so many other episodes, focus on Katy’s feelings for K.O., which don’t feel earned because viewers only happened to see three episodes (full of unreasonable issues and a proposal) where these two were actually together. And since then, Katy’s already slept with someone else and had a flirtationship with Guy.
Breaking Katy and K.O. up so soon was incredibly unnecessary, and I’m sick of these two being apart and having stories bringing them back together.
Split them up forever, or put them back together, as they should have been this entire season.
Meanwhile, I could really enjoy Guy and Katy together and seeing whatever is behind the spark that’s clearly there, but now that he’s her boss, it’s too weird.
Keep them apart, unless it’s after her apprenticeship. Speaking of which, I’d really prefer to see more of Katy’s work life, you know?
(BTW, K.O. is such a nice guy, and there’s no reasonable excuse for his being with Xandra, who has been nothing but an absolute bitch to Josie all season and clearly still has romantic feelings for her boyfriend-turned-step-brother. He would never be with someone so awful, so let’s not pretend they’re a good fit, all right?)
As for Pepper, I’m so surprised to find out on Katy Keene season 1, episode 8 that the doorman we’ve seen a few times is her father, but Pepper doesn’t have any idea what the exact date of her birth is (which likely means, she doesn’t know who her mother is).
So, there are three options I can think of: Pepper is adopted, Pepper’s mother dropped her off with her father after she was born, or the doorman found Pepper in a hotel room where he works at.
Whatever the case, it’s likely that everything about Pepper is a lie, including her accent… which is going to be so weird.
No matter the truth, I’m really worried about how this is going to impact her friendship with Katy and Jorge. They think they know Pepper so well, and it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out, since Ms. Fressia can’t seem to keep her big mouth shut.
(Tell me again, how is this nosy, loudmouthed woman a competent con artist?)
And with Ms. Fressia out and about with Pepper’s money for her Pepper Plant from Chad, and as a new enemy, I wonder how Pepper is going to put an end to this nonsense and Ms. Fressia’s grip on her life.
Pepper is the queen of this show, that’s for sure, and she’s the main reason I’m sticking around.
Josie and Jorge
Once again, Katy Keene season 1, episode 8 has Josie under the grasp of the Cabots, which is becoming quite exhausting.
There’s nothing new to this story; it’s the same thing, episode after episode, where one of Alex’s family members are sabotaging Josie, and it’s more than enough already.
How many chances is Josie going to get with this family?
Alex is dragging Josie down, who was one of my favorite characters on Riverdale, and he just gets worse, and their relationship gets more annoying with every passing moment.
Pair that with Xandra and her obsession with taking down Josie / jealousy over her relationship with Alex, and this is one story that needs to be dropped ASAP.
With the Pussycats returning, I hope we see Josie take charge of herself more, separate from the Cabots, and go about pursuing her dreams on her own.
The band is what made Josie shine, really, and it’s about time we see the Archie-verse return to this iconic comic fixture. (Drop Alex right now, girl.)
As for Jorge, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Ginger Lopez should have been a trans woman on Katy Keene.
That feels like the story that the writers want to tell, but they’re using a cis, gay man and his love of performing in drag to pretend that he’s as oppressed as they want him to be.
They pretend like Ginger is an entire character of her own, and when Jorge dresses in drag, he suddenly becomes a woman, which isn’t the case! He’s not a woman; that’s not how he identifies.
Every story they tell with Jorge doesn’t come across as powerful because they aren’t stories for him; they’re stories for Ginger, who isn’t a real person!
It’s a stage name, a persona, but it’s not who Jorge is. He’s not a woman half of the time just because he puts on a wig and heels, and I really need him to stop acting like he is, please.
There are plenty of stories to be told about feminine gay men who aren’t accepted by their families. Plenty of stories about how performing in drag impacts how people see Jorge, as a gay man.
But the writers need to stop pretending Jorge is a woman, like at all, and stop telling stories for Jorge that would actually be powerful with a trans character, which is what we should be seeing.
I absolutely hate what the show is doing with Jorge, and I really believe Katy Keene would be better if he weren’t in it. Katy, Pepper, and Josie are the ones to watch, sorry.
‘Katy Keene’ season 1, episode 8 final thoughts
While I’ll definitely be finishing out the season, Katy Keene is really failing to capture my attention or tell captivating and interesting stories.
There have been so many things I’ve disliked over these episodes that from what we’ve seen of the starting points for what the future of the series is going to look like, it’s not a future I want to stick around for.
I’m really not a fan of how Jorge’s character is handled, as I mentioned above, and Katy Keene season 1, episode 8 just highlighted that entire messy story.
I feel cheated out of seeing Katy and K.O.’s relationship, which was supposedly so perfect for 10 years, only to be torn apart over ridiculous reasons after three episodes of the show, and now, Katy already has two other potential love interests (Prince Errol and Guy).
Josie’s future being entangled with the Cabots is awful. All three of them — Alex, Xandra, and Alex’s dad — tear Josie down constantly.
And yet, they consistently give her more chances, even when two out of three (the two with actual power, too) don’t even believe in her to be anything great.
I’m sick of seeing Josie take part of the Alex show. She had better stories on Riverdale, even when she’d be missing from episodes at a time other than for a brief performance.
If Katy Keene doesn’t step it up and start telling better stories, I might need to check out after season 1, assuming there is a season 2.
I really want to like this show, to support this show, but I just dislike so many things about it… It’s disappointing, really, considering how much I was looking forward to this show.
Katy Keene airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW!
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