That was rough.
Everyone on SurrealEstate Season 1 Episode 7 got a hard dose of reality as they were, one by one, possessed by a demon.
That doesn’t mean they’re any less a found family than they were before, though.
First, allow me to apologize to all three of you who are reading these reviews weekly.
SurrealEstate Season 1 Episode 6 had no photos or even a trailer that I could use to grab screenshots.
While I could have used old photos, if the PR team isn’t interested in promoting their show, then I’m not going to go out of my way to do it, either.
On Monday, photos showed up in the Syfy press pages, so I retroactively added the episode, quotes, and a Surreal Estate Season 1 Episode 6 review for “Roman’s Six.”
That episode got Zooey out of the office again, working with Susan, and the hours are always a little more entertaining when Zooey is a part of it.
Even better, there were many gags on the “poke your eye out” scenario, and it was fun to write about. It’s just too bad you didn’t get to read it when the show aired.
Hopefully, you’ll visit by clicking the earlier links to see what I had to say about it.
“Quarantine” was almost a bottle episode. For most of it, the main players didn’t leave the office after a demon hitched a ride in one of them and returned from the Jackson house, which we never saw but left a heck of an impression on the team.
The demon that Phil ultimately found wasn’t easy to catch. Instead of launching into brutality straight away, it toyed with its hosts, making them say exactly what they’re thinking in their heads.
Surely, you were not shocked to discover what’s in the heads of The Roman Agency team wasn’t all that pleasant.
Coming off of triggering conversations with each of their significant others, whether loves, friends, or family, they had just enough ammunition to reveal some pretty cutting remarks about each other.
August was infected first, and he cut Zooey pretty deep with his comments about her dating choices, smart remarks, and the needy vibe she emits to those around her.
The demon jumped from August to Zooey and then completely made the rounds until Susan was called out.
When possessed, the host told the truth, which also meant they couldn’t lie flat out when confronted with the question of whether they were possessed.
When Susan got physical, and Luke grabbed the demon from her, August thought he scooped it right out. Easy peasy.
The found family, though, was stricken by what they’d given and received. They were worn out.
The truth really stung, and Susan told everyone that after their ordeal, it made no sense for them to attend the Platinum Ring of Esteem Award, where she’d be receiving a lifetime achievement for her admirable work in the real estate industry.
But damn, she was so sad delivering that sentiment to them, and everyone could feel it.
You could tell that they’d all go, but not out of a sense of necessity. After what they all shared, nasty as it was, it seemed to bring them together instead of tearing them apart.
Susan really needed them, too. Her former manager, Bob, was at the awards, chatting with catty women who didn’t need a demon for them to slice and dice people verbally, and Susan was bearing the brunt of their words.
Thank goodness Susan couldn’t hear it.
Susan took her mom, Constance, to the awards, and the rest of the table, which was supposed to be filled with The Roman Agency team, was empty. She was the star of the evening, and she was almost utterly alone.
It was when Bob pulled her aside to stress how important it was for her not to mention the weirdos at that strange agency and to make her remarks brief, especially under the circumstances of her empty table, that I finally understood Susan.
Susan is annoying for two reasons. She’s almost all business most of the time, and she’s needy. August could have driven that point home with Susan instead of Zooey.
Susan’s needs may differ, but she’s needy nonetheless. Susan tries too hard. She wants so badly to be liked and accepted that she comes off as rude and unpolished when she’d much rather find friends.
As a fellow rude and unpolished gal in social situations, I get it. I don’t want to be liked, but I do want to fit in (or at least I did when I was younger), and the stress succeeding in that arena puts on your social game is a gut buster.
Similarly, the other agents in the room only hate The Roman Agency because they’re successful in areas they don’t understand, and they’ve found a group of like-minded people who support each other instead of making it a competition in which the only one of them could win.
Susan’s speech was so sweet as she thanked her new team and reminded the crowd of how awful Bob was at running his business. Setting his table on fire was a nice touch, too.
After this, it seems like they’ll continue as their contrary selves, but now they’ve got a baseline to operate with each other, and they don’t have to be pushing each other’s buttons anymore.
We’ve also got a new layer of an ongoing story since Megan is hosting the demon, and everyone but Phil feels really good about vanquishing it.
Luke dreamed of his mother strangling him, and now he will go back to Megan’s house. Who knows what will happen?
He could just let her walk, but they have a really good thing together, and he seems smart enough to know that she’s worth the fight, even if he has to reunite with his mother for a bit.
He might recognize that Megan’s not herself, too. He is smart enough to do both of those things, but she hurt him, and when you’re hurt, it’s harder to see the truth through that haze of pain.
We’ve got three more episodes to go. What do you think will happen?
Say hello if you drop by.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.