‘Mood’ Recap: ‘Fuck the Fake Shit’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season finale of ‘Mood’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. This article also contains discussions regarding sexual assault, which may be triggering to some individuals.
​
There comes a point in our lives, when we come to realize that the path we are on, regardless of the success or payout it has sent our way… is no longer sustainable. It could be related to health reasons, both mental and physical, for if the gig requires long, long hours, that’s never good for the body and if the job is supremely stressful, well that is never good for the mind or the soul. Or it could be a gig that is toxic in nature and leaves us in a dark place quite often because of that or worst of all… it could be a job that is outright no longer safe for us to be around. Where our well-being in every sense of the world is now in danger, and when that day comes… we often find ourselves in a difficult place mentally. 
​
Where we don’t understand how we let ourselves get into a situation where we are oft exhausted and downtrodden, or scared for our lives and our mental health on a daily basis and that forces us to face a crossroads. One where we have to decide to either stay on the path before us or do our best to change course and change who we are to never face such darkness again and that is top of mind today, simply because that was the journey that Sasha went upon in the season finale of Mood on BBC America. For ‘Fuck the Fake Shit’ saw Sasha at her lowest after getting back from that nightmarish weekend that Carly kept everyone hostage at, and she really didn’t know what was to come next. Which prompted her to just… escape for a hot minute and see if she could sort things out and that took her to some surprising places.

Because at first, she thought her pseudo boyfriend would by chance take her in and play domestic while she sorted life out. But he was just interested in keeping her around for sex, and that put her on the street and eventually… into the home of Anton’s mother. For she was the only person around that showed her grace and kindness and a genuine desire to help her heal and that allowed for Sasha to take some time and reflect on her journey and everything that made her who she was in this moment. Which brought up tough memories of Anton’s brother and the line he crossed when she was a child, and how that awful moment jaded her and pushed her to not trust and act out negatively in life. And that time away and those honest moments with herself, helped her to understand how that moment robbed her of her self-worth and pushed her to perform acts that gave her a false sense of that and until she found agency and value… this was to be her path. 

So, she took her time. She healed and faced her pain as best she could and eventually… found that worth. Found that agency. Plus, she even came to understand that if she really wanted more in life there would be no shortcuts, no easy path forward. She would have to work for her dreams and do things out of her comfort zone and those epiphanies… allowed for her to walk away from sex work and confront Carly for the things she did and even offer her forgiveness and clarity… before chasing what she wanted in life. A move that paid off in spades, since she finally found herself surrounded by good friends for a change, not just coworkers out to get paid, and she even garnered an honest shot at building a music career by taking a chance on a prestigious open mike night. 

All of which, put her on a healthy and sustainable path, one that would show her a different life free of guilt and anger over an act that was committed against her will and wishes and that is… a powerful way to end this season of storytelling. Since it speaks volumes to the importance of self-work and self-care in life when we are uncertain of why we are on destructive or dark paths, and a need to examine the root causes of our pain. So, we can address them and resolve them and find a peace we never thought possible. Making this a powerful finale for certain, one that offers the viewer plenty of advice and a realistic ending as well. Since while Sasha does indeed find clarity, she doesn’t just magically heal overnight and find sunshine. She merely takes a big step forward toward a better tomorrow… as would anyone working to heal from the ravages of the past and the lasting pain it leaves upon our soul.

---

Powered by JustWatch