‘Me’ Recap: ‘Turning Point’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Brock Duncan and Arianna Nuckolls as Jason and Danielle in Episode 107 of ‘Me’ – ‘Turning Point’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

​Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘Me’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

If there is one particular moment that fans of the phenomenal Apple TV+ series, Me, have been waiting for… it would have to be the moment that Ben realizes his potential as an outright hero. And fans have been waiting for that moment, simply because… Ben has instead gone on a vastly different journey. One that has taught him a great deal about growth, family life and the changes our lives go through in our teenage years and those are not bad stories to explore. Since they take us back to days gone by where we learned those lessons, or they inform a viewer of big moments to come. 

But as we inch toward the end of season one of this brilliant show, it is clear that creator/writer Barry Levy and his team are ready to move the story into superhero territory that means the next episode served as the right time for Ben to begin his hero’s journey, the right way of course. Because a hero has to earn their standing and for a teenager in this scenario, the best way to make that happen… is to humble them and help them understand that they must use their powers for more than a teenager would use them for. A feat that ‘Turning Point’ accomplished, by having Ben make one hell of a mistake.

Because when we caught up with him in this tale, he was… living the good life. For he was using his powers for parlor tricks and righting teenage wrongs. Since he would often impersonate people vocally and enjoy the attention that brought him. Plus, he even decided the time was nigh to do right by Max by handling some bullies she was dealing with at school. But that’s when Ben began to learn a valuable lesson about the nature of his powers and what they should be intended for. Because while he was disguised as Max, he was tasked with joining her mom on a search for dresses for the upcoming school dance and that… led to all kinds of embarrassing disaster.

For Ben was in a pickle and basically said all the wrong things and did all the wrong things. For Julia was deeply offended and deeply wounded, by ‘Max’ and what she had to say, and his actions in trying to right simple wrongs, led to all kinds of trouble for Max at school. Since it cost her a date to the dance and she of course… felt abandoned and alone when mom didn’t show. But once she figured out where here stepbrother was, she went to him and confronted him and spoke aloud to the mistakes he was making and the pain he was causing, and she was right. Because Ben was simply selfish when it came to his powers, and worried more about being everyone else and solving their problems, rather than focus on doing the right thing and doing right by himself.

Which opened Ben’s eyes to the reality that he wasn’t doing anything worthwhile at the moment with his powers and he was hiding behind them instead of embracing them and embracing himself and his true potential. That… finally prompted him to quit goofing around and reach out to Carter to learn, to find his path and that brought forth the beginning of the hero’s journey and not a moment too soon. After all, Yates was making moves and causing harm and this little cadre of heroes that exist need new blood and new direction and Ben might be the young man to give them that and give them the fighting chance they badly need.
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All of which gave rise, to one amazing episode. One that provided us with a far more realistic genesis for a hero. For this didn’t involve great loss, directly, nor was there some epic moment where sacrifice was needed. Just an understanding that we must be better, we must find our potential and understand who we are, and those are some incredible lessons to find here. The kind that everyone needs to hear. But lessons aside, this was also a great superhero story. One that really did set the stage for an incredible journey for Ben, one that will hopefully prepare him properly for the pending battle that awaits between good and evil. Until next time.

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