Spinning Out Recap: Like Mother, Like Daughter

This recap of Netflix Series Spinning Out Season 1, Episode 7, “Healing Times May Vary” contains significant spoilers

• Read the Season 2 review.
• Read the recap of Episode 8.
• Read the recap of the previous episode (6).
• Access the archive of all the episode recaps.

Spinning Out Season 1, Episode 7 explores Dasha’s (Svetlana Efremova) past but also looks at Kat’s growing erratic behavior after she’s cut down her use of medication. This is an important chapter signifying the importance of understanding mental health.

Episode 7, “Healing Times May Vary” begins with a young Dasha flashback where she won a championship. In the present-day, she watches Kat and Justin do a great performance at the regionals. She tells Justin that she has low blood pressure and that she needs to eat more fruit and water; she says whatever it is, that it isn’t important. Kat and Justin finish in seventh place — Kat is furious and wants the nationals sooner. Justin tries to reassure her.

While at work, Carol asks Mandy how regionals went and then asks if she can do the mid-level home’s areas- – Mandy declines, saying it is too soon.

Jenn’s injury is getting worse. Kat tries to tell her about regionals. Jenn tells Kate that she doesn’t “give a f–k about her skating; it’s over Kat” and gives her back the lucky charm necklace.

Marcus’s mother shows up in Spinning Out Episode 7, “Healing Times May Vary”. He becomes super nervous quickly. He claims he is still going to medical school and he doesn’t introduce his mother to Alana as his partner, but as the concierge. Alana does not look impressed.

Episode 7 sees Kat’s obsession with getting to the sectionals; she is acting extra-hyper with Justin. She suggests upping their program. In the bathroom, she throws away all her meds. She’s making the same mistakes her mother did.

Carol tells Mitch that she is frustrated at the lack of promotion opportunities. She also raises that Reggie is not punctual but he loves Serena. Mitch does not like Reggie’s presence — Carol teasingly calls it jealousy. Serena drops the bombshell that Reggie is moving into the town permanently — Serena has to reassure Mitch so he does not become insecure.

If anything, Episode 7 reflects how Carol is sorting her life out with maturity and purpose while her daughter is doing the absolute opposite.

Marcus is caught in another rut with Alana. She presses him about the arrival of his mother and why he continues to lie. Marcus cannot answer Alana’s questions properly about “what they are” and whether he is still hung up on Kat.

Serena catches Kat in the changing room and asks why she is doing extra sessions. She excitedly tells Kat that she won the short program and asks Kat if she can come over for dinner to catch up. Kat immediately says no, claiming she is too busy and needs to nail the regionals. Serena notices that her sister’s behavior is a little frantic.

Carol asks Reggie why he has decided he wants to be permanently in Serena’s life now. Reggie says he had the realization that in two more years she will be gone — she will be off to college. He then raises to Carol that she wants Serena living with him. She says no.

Episode 7, “Healing Times May Vary” deals with another flashback. A young Dasha sees a woman outside and she looks upset. The young Dasha plants her hands on the window, almost in awe of the woman. In the present day, she sees her doctor who explains that her glaucoma is not progressing with pills or eye drops. She could go blind if she doesn’t take the operation. The doctor wants Dasha to take the operation the next day, but she says she can’t due to Justin’s performance.

Kat is working at the restaurant near the end of Spinning Out Episode 7, looking rather frustrated. She erratically leaves the busy shift and accuses Marcus of getting his balls in a twist due to dating Justin. She accepts the fact she has been fired and heads to practice with Justin. Her behavior is getting worse and wilder.

Mitch, Reggie, Serena, and Carol have dinner together. Mitch tells Serena not to eat her meatballs due to skating the next day. Reggie contests that, but Mitch says he is the coach. Reggie gets angry and states he wants to reopen the custody arrangement. Carol states she has kept the family together but Reggie questions that — “Where is Kat?”. Reggie says Serena should decide where she lives.

That escalated quickly.

Kat and Justin practice — she wants to redo routines over and over again. Serena goes to Dasha’s house to speak to Kat but she is not there so she asks for advice about whether to choose her mother or her father. Dasha talks about the time she met the most beautiful woman but they were born at the wrong time — she had to make a choice and she chose skating. And now she has to make another decision — surgery or no surgery. She fears that if she makes the wrong choice, she will never see this woman again.

Meanwhile, Kat and Justin keep practicing, even in the bedroom. Justin highlights that Kat’s energy is different. Kat tells him she is completely in love with him. The next day before they compete, Jenn tells Kat that she doesn’t want to be her friend anymore and Kat reacts with venom — “Then I hope you f—ing fall”.

Marcus’s mother knows about him rejecting Stanford. Marcus opens up and tells his mother he wants to ski. She begrudgingly accepts it but says he has to commit to it fully. She also tells Marcus that he needs to choose between Kat and Alana — a statement that fully caught him by surprise. Marcus tells Alana that he was right about Kat but he chooses her. Alana stubbornly brushes off his speech to her and he replies with a smile — “My mom’s gonna love you”.

At the regionals, Kat tells Justin that she wants to stick to the new program. They do their routine; Romeo and Juliet. Her mother shows up looking proud.

Due to the new routine, Kat and Justin get to the sectional by getting second place. When she sees Jenn, she kisses Justin immediately. Jenn’s routine begins — she’s still in pain and while doing a move close to the ice, she falls over in crippling agony.

Serena tells her emotional mother that she is going to stay with her. Serena is also frustrated that Kat has shut off her phone and doesn’t even know that Jenn fell. Justin leaves Dasha a voicemail saying they got to sectionals; Dasha was in surgery. Flashbacks show Dasha seeing the woman she loves walk off with a baby.

Spinning Out Season 1, Episode 7, “Healing Times May Vary” ends with Justin telling Kat that Jenn fell. In the bathroom, Kat sees a video of Jenn falling into crippling pain and she begins hyperventilating — she suddenly bites herself. Kat looks in the mirror — her mania phase is peaking.

Additional Notes

• Carol finds the perfect place for Reggie as she preps to be a realtor.
• Mitch tells Serena that her mother will always be there for her.