Summary
Tales from the Loop Episode 6, “Parallel” has all the right intentions but is delivered with such a depressive taste that it leaves you bored.
This recap of Tales from the Loop Season 1 Episode 6, “Parallel” contains significant spoilers.
I completely understand Tales from the Loop Episode 6, “Parallel”, but it’s way too dragged into its own depression. This chapter could have been way more.
It opens up with the security guard Gatis greeting people who are on the way into the Loop. He starts fixing a tractor and then he notices a hole opening up in the ground and then it disappears.
Gatis then goes to a bar and plays pool by himself. A curious man named Kent introduces himself and highlights the song on the jukebox is awful (Gatis picked the song). The conversation goes dry very quickly. We also learn that Gatis likes to watch birds and seems to lead a very average life.
But his main objective is fixing the tractor. He finally fixes it, but when he starts it, you see an energy field disperse around it. He believes the tractor does not work so heads home. He notices things are different. When he gets to his house, he sees himself answer the door, his alternate self, who ends up chasing after him.
In the evening, Gatis explains to his alternate self that he fixed the tractor and ended up in this parallel universe. Alternate Gatis explains the Loop was shut down years ago. They end up comparing each other’s lives; an alternate Travis introduces Travis to his boyfriend Alex.
The next day, Gatis tries to start the tractor in the hope it would take him home but it does not work. Alternate Travis states the situation is not too bad, and it would be nice if he could stay. Travis asks Alex how he met alternate Travis. Later on, Gatis listens in on Alex having sex with his alternate self.
Bit weird.
At the midway point of Tales from the Loop Episode 6, “Parallel”, Travis suggests watching a movie, but his alternate self is tired and wants to go bed. Alex joins him. The next day, alternate Gatis asks Gatis nicely to stay away due to his friends coming over — he puts him in a shed which felt quite disrespectful.
Alex visits Gatis in the shed and the sexual tension is evident. Gatis asks Alex what he likes about his alternate self and they kiss — Alex suddenly leaves.
The next day, while alternative Gatis is out, Gatis enters and approaches Alex in the bedroom — they have sex. Later, Gatis hears his alternate self argue with Alex and then Alex drives off. The next day, Gatis asks his alternate self if everything is okay with them both.
A desperate Gatis who has felt lonely and understandably jealous of his alternative self’s life, writes a letter for Alex asking him to run away with him. He gives Alex the letter in the pouring rain before returning to his cabin and smiling. Alternate Gatis reads the letter and approaches Gatis.
Gatis tells his alternate self that he takes Alex for granted and also asks why he lets Alex cheat — “He’s not perfect”. Despite the betrayal and confusion, he asks alternate Gatis to stay. Unfortunately, Gatis is against the idea.
Tales from the Loop Episode 6, “Parallel” ends with Gatis hitting the road and ending up at a bar — he meets alternate Kent. He asks Kent why he has binoculars. Kent claims he is also a birdwatcher. The two bond in the cafe.
This was such a dull chapter, despite the great concept.
Other-worldly observations
- Travis tells Loretta and her husband about why he loves bird watching so much. He finds birds flying to the other side of the world to mate romantic.
