Make It Or Break It Sings Kumbaya

I just picked off all my nail polish watching Payton and Lauren compete in the mini-meet for team captain on Make It Or Break It. And I promise I wrote that sentence before new coach Darby (Meagan Holder) called it a “nail-biter!”

In a post I wrote earlier this week, I said that part of the reason I like this show is because the killer routines are so out of my league that they are fascinating to watch. My favorite is the uneven bars, but they are all great. So I relied on this competition between Payton and Lauren to detract from the fact that the rest of the episode was fairly predictable.

I’m not surprised in the least that the girls don’t like their new coach, Darby. She’s, like, omigod, soooo stoked to be there! Payton is ten times more mature than she is, and she’s nine years younger. I’m wondering how long Darby’s new method (no rules about dating, no official starting time) will take to backfire. I don’t know if the girls will drive her out, or if she will prove herself to them.

In other news: Summer and Steve’s reinstating of their relationship was about the most unromantic thing ever. As Steve said, “Ok…?” It was like a business exchange. And Lauren seriously needs to see a therapist. I mean, I guess they all do; that much is obvious. But if Lauren looks at Summer with those puppy-dog eyes one more time and asks her to be her mommy, I’m going to cry!

I realize that, to these families, the girls’ place in the World team is the most important thing in their lives, and other “minor tragedies” can wait. But get a clue, people! Get these girls some therapy! Payson broke her back and had to start from scratch, only to throw all her faith and love into Sasha, who ended up leaving. Lauren’s mom was an addict who abandoned her, so she always felt betrayed, and then when she died in an accident, Lauren had no closure because her dad had kept all her mom’s communications from her. Emily has to act as the provider for her family, because Chloe, while charismatic and loving, is extremely scatterbrained and irresponsible. Kaylie — with all her relationship troubles, family drama, and pressure to be the National Champ manifesting itself into an eating disorder — is the only one getting the help she needs, and even that is unreliable, since she and America’s Next Top Model over at the rehab clinic have a plan to fake their way out of really healing.

Thank goodness Kaylie’s mom is enforcing the no-Rock rule for now. But can’t the other parents get their acts together? I guess they’re doing the best they can. It’s all “bad timing” right now, with Worlds. But in a sport like gymnastics, and with the Olympics looming in the distance, there’s always something to work towards. There really is no break. Except, of course, to stop and meditate with new coach Darby. Om.

I am looking forward to Damon using Kaylie’s mom’s old recording studio for his work. It would be great to see them sing together … although this is undoubtedly setting us up for Damon to cheat on Emily with Kaylie. Kaylie seems like too good a friend to do anything, but you never know. She’s been hurt, and she might end up rebelling. And I don’t care if he and Emily are “cute;” I still don’t really like Damon too much.

Until next week … namaste.

Clacked by Rachel Blum-Jose
on Apr 05, 2011 @ 10:00 EST5EDT