Summary
“Transpose” is a broody, realistic body swap story where two boys decide to be each other for a day.
Episode 2 presents a story we’ve seen many times – a body swap – but there’s something depressingly accurate about this one. This is what would happen if two “friends who’re opposites” decided to do it.
Episode 2 presents Jakob, a quiet, smart kid who spends most of his time drawing, getting good grades, and hanging out with his friend Danny. There’s a heavy expectation that Jakob works at the Loop. His friend Danny is the opposite; he’s popular with the girls, doesn’t get good grades, and his family wants him to work at the quarry — there are low expectations.
Danny and Jakob check out this object in the woods that looks like a sea mine. When Jakob enters the object, there’s this whooshing sound that suddenly stops, and they both realize they have swapped bodies; initially, Jakob freaks out, but then, after realizing it is really easy to keep swapping by using the object, they both agree to be each other for the day.
Jakob (as Danny) continues to paint the barn that Danny was working on. Lauren heads over and shows him another barn. She kisses Jakob (as Danny), but their teeth clack. They kiss again, and this time it isn’t as awkward. Later, in the shower, he checks out his temporary body. There’s a slight issue, though; his sister speaks using sign language, so there’s a barrier. Jakob hears Danny’s parents arguing at night about Danny’s future.
The next day, Jakob (as Danny) is woken up by his father, and he drops him off at school. Jakob and Danny meet up to discuss what has happened in each other’s bodies. Jakob raises how Danny’s mother keeps going on about the quarry – Danny says he is smarter than that and wants to remain in each other’s bodies for another day.
At the midway point of Tales from the Loop Episode 2, Jakob (as Danny) is frustrated by the body swap, so he heads to his actual house to see Danny (as Jakob). Jakob wants to switch back and be himself again, but Danny says he does not want to smash rocks for the rest of his life – they both start fighting, and then Jakob’s father walks in and asks Danny to go home.
At this point, we are witnessing how Danny has become accustomed to a more introverted life where he is expected to be important at the Loop.
An upset Jakob (as Danny) enters the sea mine object to see if it swaps them back. Afterward, no one can find Danny in the town. Danny (as Jakob) gives May a drawing, but then feels guilty, knowing that the real Jakob liked May. He goes looking for Jakob and checks out the sea mine object; when he looks inside, he screams for help. Jakob (as Danny) is in the hospital on a ventilator in a coma. The parents are understandably distraught.
Danny (as Jakob) heads to the object, and the construction men are dismantling it, losing all hope of swapping back. He meets his sister and uses sign language to tell her, “I’m still here”. Danny (as Jakob) speaks to Jakob’s parents about wanting to work at the Loop and that he no longer wants to draw. He suddenly gets emotional and tells them he misses his friend.
Episode 2 ends with Danny (as Jakob) heading outside to see a robot looking at him. Danny (as Jakob) says, “Jakob?” and the robot walks off.
This is a strong second chapter.
Other-Worldly Observations
Here are other points from the episode that are worth noting:
- Jakob lends his laces to his brother Cole.
- Jakob tells Cole that his drawing is getting better.
- Danny (as Jakob) tries drawing for Cole, but he can’t.
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