Summary
The show tries to address topical issues, but they are completely lost in this rather unbalanced installment that resorts to bizarre dream sequences and uncharacteristic personality changes.
The opening sequence in This Fool Season 1 Episode 6 focuses on Julio’s mother Esperanza, who as a secondary character, has worked around the periphery thus far. In the sixth episode she becomes more integral to the plot as the show tackles poverty and temptation. This Fool tries to address these topical issues in a meaningful manner, but struggles to hit the right tone.
This Fool Season 1 Episode 6 Recap
In that introductory scene, Esperanza is cleaning at a fancy office block. The inconsiderate staff members throw their cans on the floor and leave their rubbish on the sides. Esperanza swoops it all up into a bag. The mother then bags up rolls and rolls of toilet paper and swipes some stationery items too for good measure. She’s no stranger to this con, deftly avoiding the CCTV cameras and emptying the rubbish bags into her car. Julio’s family are quite poor and she uses her employment to help out however she can.
The scene ends with Luis using this industrial sized toilet roll and screaming in agony as the sandpaper-like material causes him pain. The next day, Luis returns from the shops with the softest, most expensive toilet roll imaginable, but Esperanza is furious. The mother is offended that Luis would by-pass her free toilet roll and waste money on buying the good stuff. It’s later revealed that Esperanza is quite the killjoy in other ways too. She won’t let Grandma eat unhealthy food or smoke cigarettes. It’s all for the greater good of course, but Esperanza is becoming a hated dictator within the household.
The Grandma offers Luis some contraband soft toilet paper in return for cigarettes and Luis happily obliges. As this midnight exchange takes place, Julio hears a thief in their garden and finds a homeless man stealing Esperanza’s recyclable cans. The man explains how he needs them more than Julio’s family does, calling Julio a good guy to sweeten the deal. Julio helps the homeless man and goes to bed feeling fulfilled, sleeping soundly that night.
Luis is now sleeping downstairs on a couch and has no privacy whatsoever. Esperanza storms into his room the next day, catching Luis up to no good. She yanks the sheets off him and finds a hidden stash of soft toilet paper underneath. Then the neighbors turn up asking about any stolen recycling. Julio pretends to check and acts shocked at the missing goods. Julio attempts to defend the thief, saying that they must be worse off than his own family. This sends Esperanza into a long tirade about arriving in this country with nothing, working three jobs and never stealing, all to provide for her family. Julio mentions the items she pilfers from work and Esperanza says that’s different. Hypocrisy runs throughout this family it would seem, but it does raise a few good social observations.
That night, Luis visits the Grandma, hoping to exchange more cigarettes for that deliciously soft toilet roll. The Grandma says the stakes are raised, she now wants a McDonalds in return for her services. Luis borrows Julio’s car (without his permission) and they enjoy some fast food. Grandma confesses to killing a man and then asks to have driving lessons. Luis wants unlimited toilet roll for his troubles and then lets Grandma behind the wheel.
This Fool Season 1 Episode 6 Ending
Whilst that unlikely duo are out causing trouble, Julio helps the homeless gent for the second time. They move trolleys filled with cans down the street, although Julio’s car ends up crashing into them all, with Grandma’s reckless driving. The homeless man flees and Esperanza catches all three family members in their deceitful acts. As punishment, the next morning, the mother overfeeds Grandma and Luis, venting again about her troubled past. The Grandma admits to stashing the soft toilet roll and pleads to Esperanza, asking for the right to enjoy the simple things in life once more.
In the final moments, Julio visits his sister’s ex, Memo, returning some items after their breakup and is persuaded to take drugs because he is called a good guy once again. Then Esperanza has a dream that involves her flirting with President Reagan, yes you heard that right. These two scenes are quite jarring. Julio’s decision to take drugs feels out of character and the dream sequence is just baffling. The show aims for these big laughs, but just falls short repeatedly. It’s an unfortunate end to this adequate filler episode.
What did you think of This Fool season 1, episode 6? Comment below.
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