Summary
Soundtrack Season 1, Episode 6, “Track 6: Joanna and Eleanor” expands the story further, allowing us to learn more about the two women.
This recap of Netflix series Soundtrack Season 1, Episode 6, “Track 6: Joanna and Eleanor” contains spoilers. You can read the recap of the previous episode by clicking these words.
There’s only one song presented in Soundtrack Episode 6, “Track 6: Joanna and Eleanor”. It kicks off with Joanna driving through traffic and listening to her Social Services voicemails; most of them are parents angrily shouting at her. During the day she meets loads of different parents; some mad, some upset and others lost about what to do next with their children. She speaks to a colleague about her cases but highlights the perfect client — Sam.
On the way to a baby shower for an old friend, Sam rings her about a wonderful job opportunity and asks for advice in terms of Barry’s schedule with school. Despite being miles away, she offers to meet him to help out. She sorts out a schedule for him and then proceeds to ask why he does not ask his mother-in-law for assistance. Sam opens up about how his wife was always the anxious one, and now he is the one all over the place. Sam is glad he has Joanna’s support. The chemistry between them is obvious.
Back in the past, Eleanor is in bed with Sam talking about her drawings while ignoring her mother’s calls. The same day, she gives a student a tour of the school. The student’s mother Rebecca is from a literacy agency and asks for a manuscript of Nellie. She tells Sam about her opportunity and asks him to read her graphic novel draft. Nellie nervously watches Sam while he reads the draft, constantly encroaching his area while he concentrates. The good news is he believes it’s brilliant.
Sam and Nellie decide to host an evening dinner. Gigi wonders if Sam is going to propose because he’s always around. Dante and De’Andre come around and also Troy, Gigi’s partner. Sam makes a toast about Nellie finishing her book, and then explains to the table what he believes the graphic novel is about. He describes it as past, present and the future all connected, a graphic novel for adults about losing one’s identity. More questions are asked at the dinner table so she gets out the book and appears overwhelmed by the feedback. Sam tells her not to worry because she’s the graphic novel expert, despite feeling it’s a little “heady”.
Episode 6, “Joanna and Eleanor” flits back to the present. Sam rings Joanna and explains he has a childcare problem. Joanna offers to pick Barry up, which is blatantly a breach of her job. The teacher tells Joanna about Barry’s behavior and starting fights with other kids. Barry gets angry at Joanna when she tries to speak to him. When Barry finally gets home, Annette argues with Leah for her lack of support. Leah makes a snide comment about kicking Dante out of the house.
Sam and Joanna bond briefly once Barry is in bed. He offers her a beer but learns she does not like that alcoholic beverage. Curious about her past, Sam asks about her previous arranged marriage and past. They then get on to her job, and Joanna explains she’s very good at knowing what people need. “What about what you need?” Sam asks. Joanna is moved by that question.
Back to Nellie who is staying up extremely late making modifications to her drafts. “Fast Slow Disco” by St. Vincent kicks in, and it brings her graphic novel to life. Nellie goes out to meet Gigi at a club and explains that she’s finished her book but desperately needs sleep. Gigi explains that she’s trying to catch Troy cheating in this club and Nellie is annoyed that she’s dragged her out for that. The pair argue about how much support they always require, and Gigi makes a comment about Nellie making it “all about him”. Nellie walks away.
The next day, Nellie meets Rebecca from the literacy agency. Rebecca serves Nellie plenty of compliments but the bad news is that another author is about to release a similar book, which is going to be published and made into films and that they cannot publish a similar story. Nellie returns home and argues with Sam about it; she asks why he gave her so much advice in finishing the book, but he states he was just trying to help. Nellie selfishly blames her failure on Sam and her friends and tells him he cannot sleep in the same bed that night.
Soundtrack Season 1, Episode 6 briefly brings us back to Joanna who is helping Barry get ready for school while Sam prepares for his job opportunity. Annette looks at Joanna and Sam suspiciously, believing there is more to it.
Back to Nellie, and she is at her mother’s house. She’s still mad at Sam. Nellie asks her mother a question; she wonders why as soon as she is with someone, why is it that what they want becomes more important to her, but once she’s alone she knows what she wants? Margot states that Sam is a wonderful person but that Nellie needs room to breathe. Nellie suddenly expresses that she’s pregnant and Sam doesn’t know.
Back to the present in Episode 6, and Sam is struggling with Barry; his son has drawn permanent marker all over him and Joanna tries to help. Sam asks his son why he’s drawn on himself, and he breaks down — the little boy blames himself for Dante being kicked out. Barry tells Sam and Joanna about the gun he found. Sam is furious and confronts Annette about this incident as he did not know about it. Joanna says she has no choice but to report it as part of her job. Sam looks at her like he’s been wounded and tells Joanna to leave.
Soundtrack Season 1, Episode 6, “Track 6: Joanna and Eleanor” finishes with Nellie. Sam apologizes to her in the car about getting inside her head. Nellie explains how much she loves him, more than she could ever imagine was possible — a car then hits them. There were not many tracks in Track 6, but it ends in shocking circumstances.
You can read the recap of the seventh episode by clicking these words.
