Sometimes all we need is a pitcherful of mimosas for life’s dilemmas to come clear. And sometimes, as in Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 6, we need to dig deeper.
The time loop premise is the ultimate do-over scenario, but Oliver is trying to solve the puzzle without all the pieces, just as Elena has been afraid to acknowledge the truth of Helene’s situation.
So it’s pretty perfect that Dr. Nancy’s on hand to diagnose problems and prescribe action plans with push-button efficiency, if not ideal effectiveness.
Oliver and Emilio’s relationship is possibly the most understandable rut two people can get into.
The unique element may be that Emilio is dissatisfied enough to pull the plug. Most partners on the receiving end of a gift-wrapped utopian long-term liaison would go along with it.
That’s not to say there isn’t blame to lay at the feet of both men.
Oliver willingly acquiesces his happiness in order to ensure the relationship’s equanimity, fueled by his fear of being unworthy of Emilio’s perceived perfection.
Ruby: You’re so in love!
Oliver: More than that. I actually like him. Y’know, he’s kind, he’s thoughtful, he’s hilarious, and he has a great sense of direction, which I very much do not. So, complete package.
His ability to keep up the façade even becomes a source of pride and accomplishment.
Rather than growing a vibrant interpersonal connection, his goal is to maintain a stagnant status quo.
Elena: Of course, no relationship is perfect.
Oliver: Ours is pretty close. I make sure of that.
But not disagreeing doesn’t foster intimacy. Emilio recognizes the artificiality of their partnership, even if he’s not sure where the sense of wrongness is coming from.
But as much as Oliver fears rejection and loneliness, Emilio is just as much a coward.
Rather than discussing the things that are bothering him openly and truthfully, Emilio avoids the uncomfortable environment at home. He buries himself in work, which only heightens Oliver’s need to please him even more, causing him to hide his personal anxieties and polish his “show-face” to a blinding glare.
The more you paper over the issues, y’know, the more artificial it is.
Oliver
Both Oliver and Emilio contribute to the state of their relationship — the emotional distance, the secrets, and the dishonesty.
Dr. Nancy names the truth when she points out how easily and automatically Oliver lies about his unhappiness.
Not sure how healthy it is that this epiphany drives Oliver to a binge spree with Elena, but every avenue needs to be explored.
Oliver’s energy is impressive if misdirected. There’s the song-and-dance proposal, then the on-the-beach proposal, and eventually, the perfect glamping proposal. He pivots like a whirlwind, with Emilio as the eye of his storm.
(Funny, that. It’s high winds that force the guests to arrive by helicopter and Jeep at the start. Good foreshadowing for an adventure that broke the show’s template somewhat.)
Javier: Is everything okay?
Nancy: Fantastic. Yeah, no holds barred therapy. I’m helping people at warp speed.
Javier: Huh. Do they feel helped?
Nancy: Real change is scary. And hard. And often doesn’t feel good at first.
Javier: Can’t argue with that.
And that brings us to the fascinating Dr. Nancy.
She is another incredibly relatable character. She is a professional care provider dedicated to helping others but has worn herself out in the process, frustrated with the time it takes to heal, believing things would be better if she didn’t have to worry about sensitivities or feelings.
LOL. I love Dr. Nancy and her entire vibe. Not to mention Keiko Agena was a freakin’ amazing addition to Doom Patrol Season 4 as the brilliant Dr. Margaret Yu.
Agena has a talent for delivering unlikely phrases with great authority and an air of reasonableness.
Nancy: Look, I believe in therapy. I’m committed to the process. Clients need to find solutions themselves.
Elena: But?
Nancy: But I know more than they do. And I know how that sounds. I promise it’s not conceit. I’ve just been doing this a long time. I know what people need within three minutes.
With Dr. Nancy, she’s caught in a trap where her intellect is out of sync with her discipline.
Her feeling of ennui and impatience subverts her ability to help her clients effectively. With therapy, it’s more than a simple answer. The journey matters.
Elena: Isn’t everyone’s story different?
Nancy: Oh, we all want to think that. We want to believe that we are some rare, beautiful flower.
Elena: What are we?
Nancy: Dandelions. Every one of us. No one has an original problem and I’ve seen it all. The solutions don’t work if clients don’t get there themselves so I have to wait for them to catch up. Y’know, months, years. I just want to help people quickly.
If there’s a flaw in the double plotline format, it’s that there are times I’d like to see more of the secondary one.
We see every instance of Oliver waking up to restart his time loop, but what’s going on with Dr. Nancy?
Clearly, she has different breakfast partners on each loop. First, it was Roarke, but then she’s already seeing clients when Javier sees her. Later, it’s Ruby.
The work can drain the cup. Talking to someone, taking care of my own needs, even just a little. That can help refill it.
Nancy
And Ruby is an inspired solution for Nancy’s tedium. Nothing cures a know-it-all-seen-it-all faster than someone or something new and unexplainable.
Mind you, Nancy’s holidaying on a magical island that grants wishes. You’d think she’d find that somewhat novel.
Nancy is also a part of the Island’s magic this time around.
Her insights provide Elena and Javier with keys to unlocking their personal issues. Her analyses become touchstone phrases that both repeat later in different contexts, leading them to separate conclusions.
Javier’s helper role is in full effect as he connects Oliver with Nancy even as he reaches out to include Elena in Helene’s birthday celebration.
However, similar to Oliver and Emilio’s situation, he and Elena focus on the surface symptoms around the birthday dinner and miss the critical issues at play for Helene.
Just as Oliver is fixated on getting Emilio to accept his proposal, Elena and Javier have tunnel vision on creating a happy family with Helene, forgetting that this is her first birthday without her mother and that she may not be ready to be part of what they have together.
And while it took a pitcherful of mimosas to get Elena to a place where she could ask the difficult questions and face the sad truth, she does let herself be vulnerable with Javier and Helene and makes the difficult decision to step away until Helene is ready.
For the first time in the series, we are left with a true long-arc narrative development. How will things sit when we return now that Javier and Elena are back to only a working relationship?
As you watch Fantasy Island online, speculate on how this will affect Island life.
Considering that they recently introduced Cora, Javier’s predecessor, could he and Helene leave the Island entirely?
Would you sign up for Dr. Nancy’s no-holds-barred therapy?
Will Oliver and Emilio stick to their commitment to emotional honesty?
How tingly is Ruby’s tattoo going to get with Elena in a tailspin and Javier feeling helpless?
Hit our comments with where you see things heading!
Diana Keng is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.