‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’ Recap: ‘The Machine’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There are few things we celebrate more with a person, than when they announce… they are ready to make some changes to their life. For that means they have recognized their current situation, one we’ve likely noticed as well, and how the time has come for them to fix that in order to be happy and find peace. So, we support this moment, and we toast to them because they should soon be on their way to true happiness and peace. But what’s funny, is that sadly… that celebration tends to be nothing more than an uplifting moment that passes as gently as a breeze in the night. For it isn’t long before they’re back doing what is the norm and expressing their frustrations about where their life is at and that… gives us pause.
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Simply because we thought this was it. This was their shining moment and things were going to get so much better for them. But what we often forget and don’t talk about enough in this life, is that people tend to not change after making that proclamation. Sure, they are capable of it and when they commit to it, they truly do find wonders in their life. But so many abandon it quickly. Which doesn’t make sense… after all… don’t they want to be happy? So why wouldn’t the person that committed to change, be desperate to follow through in order to enjoy peace and a different lifestyle? Well, those are questions, that we don’t often ponder upon or search for the answers either. But it just so happens that the next episode of Kevin Can F**k Himself, explores those answers in great detail.

For when we catch up with Allison and Patty in ‘The Machine’, they’re on the precipice of the change they’ve demanded in their lives. For Patty is preparing to move in with Tammy. A change that would bring forth the stability she’s always wanted in a relationship and stability in general, since it would move her away from the toxic lifestyle of her brother and his bestie. As for Allison, she had the death certificate in hand, and all she had to do now, was properly ‘die’ and fade away into oblivion so that she could start over in life anew and find the agency and happiness and progress she has desperately craved. Which meant this episode should have been an uplifting affair, one that saw both of them rise to the occasion.

Only, that wasn’t the case in the slightest. For Patty, was genuinely struggling with the prospect of leaving her house behind and moving in with Tammy. To the point where she began to do everything and anything to stall having to do so. Including such habits as say… packing super slow. We’re talking, a book at a time slow, and of course… she spent her evenings getting drunk with Allison. Wherein she would justify her actions and point out that she was making progress and doing her best to make this happen, when in fact, she wasn’t. She was just stalling and doing her best to avoid having to make change when she said she wanted it in her life and of course… she wasn’t the only one taking part in such toxic behaviors. After all, there was mention of the fact that Allison was drinking with her, and she was stalling too.

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In fact, Sam even called her to the carpet on such matters, since day in and day out, she was offering up half-assed and silly plans to bring about her end. For she ‘believed’ that the right plan was the key and just a little more time to figure that out would go a long way in making her genuinely happy. Plus, she also spoke to a need to save money and save big so she could finally escape. Something Sam pointed out was easy to come by. But that’s really about as much effort as she put into planning in this tale, and what was wild… is she was even making nice with Kevin for a change. Agreeing with him and lightly encouraging his shenanigans. A reality that was shocking to say the least when one considers how much she’s spoken to despising him, and believe it or not, this stunning behavior extended beyond Allison and Patty as well.
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For Neil was finding happiness with Diane, in fact, they were genuinely getting on as lovers… but despite having a way out of the misery that tended to surround him, he stuck with Kevin through thick and thin like always. And to top it all off… Allison was even enlisting Kevin’s help in getting her friends out of trouble. Since she suddenly saw his toxicity as something that could be used for good and in doing so… made a stunning decision. One that took everyone in her life aback, and the audience as well… especially since she came into the money, she was so eager to find. For in the closing moments of this tale, she announced to Sam… that she didn’t want to leave and wanted to figure out a way to use the toxic nature of her life to her advantage. Which just… made no sense in the moment since she’s been trying so hard to get out. 

However, when one takes a moment to reflect upon everyone’s actions here and what they had to say… it becomes clear that is where the answers to those all-important questions lie. For the behaviors present here, speak volumes to the fact… that change is in fact, terrifying. Simply because… we are creatures of habit, and we find comfort in those habits and in routine and even in the negative stuff that surrounds us. For that requires us to be on edge and push toward something more. So, the thought, of leaving that behind and changing everything that makes us who we think we are, is frightening. To the point where it is easier to let those aspirations go and rationalize letting them go, so we can stick with what we think works. Which is precisely what happened here, and it does put the audience in quite the conflicted place.

Simply because… we’ve been pulling for Allison since day one to find agency and freedom from what is a supremely toxic and abusive relationship. And we now wonder if she can do that or if this story is going to end in a far more realistic manner than it has already portrayed, where the abused simply cannot pull themselves away from the abuse despite having everything they need to be free, and that question… is going to make the wait for next week’s episode, so supremely painful. Because we simply have to know, if Allison can indeed overcome this roadblock that so many encounter on the path to change and well… it will be interesting to see what she decides as we barrel toward the end of this powerful and engaging, and painfully realistic story. Until next time.

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