‘Sprung’ Recap: ‘Chapter Seven’ & ‘Chapter Eight’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episodes Seven and Eight of ‘Sprung’. To revisit the previous episodes, click here.
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Over the course of the past few weeks, our discussions revolving around the Amazon Freevee series, Sprung, have focused heavily on the show’s fascinating reflections and observations regarding the Covid-19 Pandemic. For this series has not only encapsulated the confusion and fear and sudden change that said pandemic brought forth upon all of us, but the show has done a phenomenal job of exploring the lessons that so many of us took away from this event. Such as how it prompted us to really look at our past and ponder upon it, and our mortality since there was a chance this virus could have taken any one of us out no problem, and that’s made for some deep storytelling. The kind that has never been that heavy thanks to the fact that the humor in this show helps to balance out the darker stuff.
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But of course, the best stories out there, do more than just offer observations and memories… they teach us how to grow through growing their characters and it just so happens that this week’s pair of episodes do just that. For when we catch up with the gang in the next two chapters, they were not only inching closer to the heist in question, since Paula was starting to sell her wares for a ridiculous amount of money, but they were also coming to understand that some life changes were a necessity if they wanted to enjoy the spoils of this heist, much less complete it. That led to the growth based moments in question. One of which, involved Barb. Because in order to finish the heist, she needed to get cozy with Stan, something she refused to do because she was convinced, she was in love.

Which prompted Gloria to put an end to this romance, because Barb was obviously being scammed through and through and thankfully, since she sent her lover boy the smartphone that Gloria got for her… Gloria was able to track his location. Which led to a hilarious and touching road trip. One where Barb really expressed how much being loved and needed was important to her and where… her fake lover was exposed. For he turned out to be nothing more than the father of the model she fell for and seeing him face to face, taught Barb a valuable lesson on knowing her worth and following through on the truth regarding love and just like that… she came to understand that this was all a lie and that she could do better. But for now… Stan was going to be her poison of choice, and she wasn’t the only one who experienced great growth here.

For Rooster finally came into his own in this tale by going above and beyond to snag the maid’s driver’s license despite the doubt the team sent his way regarding his ability to complete such a task, and Jack… well he went on the quite emotional journey here. Mainly because he ran into Spike after all these years and was furious over the fact that Spike’s weed business was thriving legally. Only because Spike should have gone to jail with Jack but escaped prosecution by dumping everything on Jack, and seeing him again and facing that pain, prompted Jack to snap and teach Spike some hard prison style lessons to make things even. But it didn’t take long for Jack to realize that this was fruitless revenge, and that in order to really find peace in life, he needed to forgive and release, and reconcile his own actions in this matter and he did… and finally found a little bit of calm in his soul.

If anything, this was just… a brilliant episode through and through. Simply because it was just wonderful to see these characters, who were in a far tougher and more broken place mentally when we met them… find growth and agency and peace at last. An arc that serves to remind us that the pandemic had its merits since it also forced so many of us to look at our lives and what was good and what could be improved and to take action accordingly, and it is just wonderful that this series continues to celebrate the better aspects of this life changing event, and that it keeps inching us toward an epic finale. For minute by minute, the biggest heist of their lives draws closer, and it will be fascinating to see how these grown individuals handle their greatest challenge, now that they’ve tackled their own internal demons. Until next time.

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