Summary
“Baskets” follows the show’s standard, tried-and-tested format, with the cast members splitting up into their own individual subplots. And again, Keegan-Michael Key steals the show with his hilarious comedic sensibilities.
This recap of the Hulu series Reboot season 1, episode 7, “Baskets,” contains spoilers.
Reboot closes in on its first season finale with its penultimate episode, “Baskets.” Following the show’s usual format, the seventh episode splits into multiple subplots, focusing more on specific character developments than any overarching storylines. Bree (played by Judy Greer) joins the writer’s room, Clay (played by Johnny Knoxville) has a breakdown on set, and Reed (played by Keegan-Michael Key) bonds with Zack (played by Calum Worthy) over an unusual basketball game, hence the episode title. It’s another reliable entry in the series that makes for an easy but highly enjoyable viewing experience.
Reboot season 1, episode 7 recap
“Baskets” starts with a casual conversation between Gordon and Hannah. Their relationship has slowly improved over the course of the series, but there are still a few unresolved issues between the two and they can’t help but wind each other up every once in a while. Gordon palms a job off on Hannah that he doesn’t want to do and Hannah does likewise. It’s a clever little setup that frames the entire episode.
Hannah finds herself directing Clay as he repeats old dialogue for the episode’s final edit. This is called looping in the film industry, where actors make sure their speech synchs up with the footage already shot. Clay is terrible at it though and continually messes up. Hannah reassures Clay, delivering her own little pep talk and he manages to correctly recreate the lines. But one final tongue-twister ruins his momentum. Things are only worsened when Timberly aces her first ever session with a perfect read through.
Meanwhile, Bree’s arrival in the writer’s room causes no end of issues. Gordon can’t stand actors on set, never mind in his sacred writer’s room. Bree says that she won’t get involved, but quickly starts to pitch her own wacky ideas to the rest of the team. When Gordon eventually asks her to stop inputting ideas, she turns to gossip instead, disrupting the room’s creativity, complaining about her cheating ex-husband. Both Hannah and Gordon reach the end of their tether and consequently switch roles.
While those two actors are busy upsetting the behind the scenes crew, Zack invites Reed to an innocent basketball game. Reed psyches himself up for this competitive match, but discovers that Zack plays with kids not grown adults. Reed doesn’t want to play anymore, worried he’ll be ridiculed, but they persuade him to get involved anyway. At first, Reed is reluctant to perform, but after a little trash talk, he soon finds his fight.
Reed gets a little too into the game though and accidentally hits a player in the face with the ball, causing a nose bleed. The faux pas is caught on camera. Without hesitation, Reed snatches the girl’s phone and deletes the footage. Although another girl records that altercation and Reed gets into an argument with the teens. Zack heads over to diffuse the situation and ends up taking one of the girls to prom as a peace offering.
Back at the office and Bree’s ideas are instantly shut down by Hannah, who is taking no nonsense today. Bree is upset and decides to leave. The older female comic, Selma, rushes out and speaks with Bree in private. She tells her how hard she fought to be taken seriously as a writer back in the seventies and she advises that Bree drops the vanity act and steps up her game. On her return, Bree apologizes and then offers a new idea. What if Lawrence (Reed’s character) has a secret obsession with ballet, but is actually a terrible ballerina. The room all agree that this is a great idea and it is added to the brainstorming board.
The ending
Gordon has similar success with Clay, although things start off terribly. His first approach is to be horrid to Clay, but this doesn’t work, so instead he just hugs the recovering alcoholic. Clay admits that he used to get through these sessions by drinking, but realizes that he can’t rely on the booze anymore. The hug seems to work and Clay delivers the tongue-twister perfectly. Afterwards, Clay lingers on the hug a little longer – he really needed that.
At the end of the day, Hannah and Gordon regroup to discuss their successes. It took Clay 87 takes but he eventually delivered his lines and Bree started off terribly, but actually contributed in the end. The writers are surprised by just how well it went, although Hannah signs off by conceding that Bree now wants to direct as well.
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