Summary
Soundtrack Season 1, Episode 7, “Track 7: Sam and Frank” deals with family tragedies, as Barry and Nellie are both in trouble in their respective lives.
This recap of Netflix series Soundtrack Season 1, Episode 7, “Track 7: Sam and Frank” contains spoilers. You can read the recap of the previous episode by clicking these words.
Episode 7 opens up with Frank going to a luxury party full of rich people with his partner Polly. In the car, Polly asks Frank to pitch his idea; his new concept he wants to propose is a vetted, insured valet that can pick up your car whenever you want. When he gets to the party, bells ring in Frank’s head as he mingles with people. He thinks of potential investors — people he can likely scam. He breaks into “Big Time” by Peter Gabriel and then a suitor asks for more information on his idea. His daughter then rings — the hospital lets him know that Nellie has been in a serious accident.
Episode 7, “Track 7: Sam and Frank” then reverts to Sam in the present day. He breaks into “Que Sera, Sera” by Sly and the Family Stone. Sam is at the Services Services Building waiting to be seen. Joanna passes him and refuses to give him eye contact. He learns from a new caseworker that on Monday social services will be standing by with a warrant for the removal of his son. An angry Sam confronts Joanna and shouts at her. She apologizes, stating that she is no longer his caseworker. Sam begs Joanna to talk to him. Joanna eventually advises that Margot could be made a temporary guardian, but unfortunately, she’s on the child abuse index database — Frank reported her when Nellie was younger. Margot and Sam have no choice but to contact Frank.
Then we go back to Frank in Soundtrack Episode 7 who has called Margot and says Nellie has gone into triage. They get to the hospital and an injured Sam is freaking out, not knowing where Nellie is. A doctor asks Frank and Margot about Nellie’s medical history. Margot mentions that Nellie terminated a pregnancy a week ago. Frank breaks into “Losing you” by Randy Newman — a heartfelt song for his daughter Nellie. Frank updates Sam and tells him that she needs surgery and then lets it slip that Nellie was pregnant but had an abortion — Sam is shell shocked, he did not know. I felt for him at this moment.
Next is a Sam segment in Soundtrack Season 1, Episode 7. Dante and Carver arrive at the hospital and Sam asks why Carver has turned up. Dante is clearly high. Gigi then turns up and Sam asks her if he knew Nellie was pregnant. She didn’t. Sam rushes upstairs and tries to see Nellie but Frank and Margot try to send him home. Both parents claim Nellie doesn’t want to see him after hiding at Margot’s home for 10 days and then did not tell Sam about the abortion. While Sam argues with Margot and Frank, Dante gets extra-nervous about hospital security — Sam busts through Margot and Frank to try and find Nellie and breaks into “Bye Bye Love” by The Everly Brothers.
It’s mashup time for Soundtrack Track 7, which is more of a mashup of past and present than songs entwining. In the present day, Sam is at a Diner with Margot — they are waiting nervously for Frank. Frank turns up and after a lot of back and forth and small talk, they ask him to sign an affidavit to say Margot did not abuse Nellie so she can be a temporary guardian. Frank throws shots, saying Nellie had to have 12 stitches, but Nellie insists what happened was an accident. Sam brings the conversation back to reality as Margot and Frank argue — “This is about Barry, your grandson!”. Frank refuses to help, but Margot asks, “how much?”. She gives him a $50k cheque but he rips it up and walks off, claiming that they both “don’t get it”. He says the reason he moved away is so he didn’t have to see them both over the choice they made over his daughter.
Back in the past, Nellie wakes up in the hospital after her surgery with Frank by her side. She asks where Sam is, and then presses Frank about the money he has taken from her when he was getting residuals from her mother. He says it wasn’t that much money and that it wasn’t enough. Nellie suddenly gets upset because Frank makes her believe that Sam left and went home. Frank breaks into “I Will Not Stop Fighting” by Leo Sayer. In the present, Sam is watching Barry sleep, but in the past, Nellie leaves her hospital room to see Sam in the waiting room. They rush to each other to embrace.
Sam and Nellie finally have the chance to talk and he tells her that he knows about the abortion. He figures out that she’d only want to keep the baby if he wanted to and she wants to figure out how to love herself. Sam shows courage and kindly insists that if she needs space or time, then she should take it. Nellie states she wants to show perfection for Sam, but he denies wanting everything to be perfect — he wants good and complicated; a balance. When Margot enters the room she tells Nellie her room is ready for her at home but Nellie calmly tells her parents that she’s moving in with Sam.
Soundtrack Season 1, Episode 7, “Track 7: Sam and Frank” closes with Sam in the present day. He gets that fatal knock on the door on the day the warrant is arriving. But it’s Joanna and she delivers the good news that Frank signed the affidavit. Absolutely happy, Sam hugs and picks up Joanna and thanks her. In the past, Sam tells Gigi that Nellie is moving in with him. He asks Gigi if she is going to be okay and she says yes. But it’s abundantly clear she’s not okay.
You can read the recap of the eighth episode by clicking these words.
