‘Grand Crew’ Recap: ‘Wine & Bachata’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

GRAND CREW -- "Wine & Bachata" Episode 208 -- Pictured: (l-r) Aaron Jennings as Anthony, Grasie Mercedes as Fay, Nicole Byer as Nicky -- (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 208 of ‘Grand Crew’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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We like to believe that when we make a big change in life, one that will potentially uproot us and shake everything up… that our closest friends will support that change and believe in us and reinforce that we are making the right decision. Because that is what true friends do, they stand by us no matter what and indeed support us and are there for us regardless of where we are and how we live our lives (provided that our choices aren’t harmful or toxic). All so we can continue on with that change, secure in the knowledge that people have our backs, and when we have that… we do indeed feel complete and happy and genuinely at peace. But what we can never forget, is that while those we love support us, that doesn’t mean their feelings don’t matter, nor does it mean the transition to a new chapter will be easy for anyone involved.
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So how then, do we support one another, when the reality of a big change settles in? Well, it just so happens that the next episode of Grand Crew on NBC explores that in great detail and that made ‘Wine & Bachata’ quite the beautiful and bittersweet tale. Because that exact conundrum was facing the crew in this story. For Fay’s final days at the bar were upon the group and while Fay was excited… Nicky was struggling. For this was family leaving and since she still harbored some echoes of trauma over the loss of her mother… this hit her hard. To the point where she was just listless, in a quirky and sometimes silly manner, and while Fay and Anthony did indeed pull her out of her rut with some good honest talk as friends, there was more sorrow to be found over this big move. 

Because Anthony also struggled with Fay leaving, in an equally quirky manner, especially now that he truly knew how he felt for her. Granted, Nicky might have accidentally egged his worries along, but she was good enough to step in and help keep him out of a funk as well. All of which had a deep impact upon Fay. As though she was responsible for heartache and pain for her choices. Which prompted her to call off her promotion and move and stay, and well… that’s when she was reminded of the healthy relationship she had with her friends and where we received the answer to that question. In fact, that was answered throughout this segment. For it really boils down to acknowledging our feelings and feeling them and expressing them in a safe and honest manner with those we love. So, we can process them, move past them, and get to the universal support stage everyone needs in the moment. Which came about at the end of this story, where Nicky and Anthony expressed their feelings about this at last, but also expressed how selfish they would be in denying Fay a grand opportunity. Bringing about peace and a new chapter for Fay. 

However, since this series knows how to perfectly balance the bittersweet with the hilarious, Sherm, Noah and Wyatt’s storyline in this episode leaned heavier into the funny. Since Sherm came into possession of a prestigious reservation that Fay wasn’t going to use and well… since Wyatt and Noah were interested in being his plus one to this reservation… he used that to his advantage. To pit the two men against one another in a battle royale designed to declare who was worthy to eat that incredible meal. Which led to some wild moments and wild challenges, the kind that really did see Wyatt and Noah try to best one another in an epic manner before realizing… this was silly… and they quickly bowed out. And… so did Sherm. Because he couldn’t decide who to elevate here because he loved them both equally, so instead… he sold the tickets off for a going away gift for Fay and set a reservation somewhere down the line where he and his pals could eat together.

In the end however, this was just… a magnificent story. One that presented the tough realities of change and the unique ways we deal with it, be them good or bad. But what mattered more, was the show’s message on what healthy friendships look like and how our interconnected world makes maintaining them easier than ever before, even when distance divides friends, and it really is a wonderful thing that Nicky and Anthony handled this the right way, since that likely offered great solace to anyone unsure of how to find that path as they currently deal with change. And well, it will be interesting to see how the show handles Fay’s new chapter in the weeks to come and how the crew regroups without her. Because there is indeed that transition period where we figure out a new normal. Until next time.

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