The TV Chick

Last night’s episode of Make It Or Break It, titled “Dog Eat Dog” focused on one of the non-Rock girls, Kelly Parker. I was a little skeptical at first, but actually, last night’s episode was really good. I liked finding out about Kelly Parker’s life. We now know what is behind her bitchyness, and it’s not pretty. This is not to say that the episode didn’t feature The Rock girls at all, because Kaylie and Payson both play a big role. But I enjoyed KP (her new nickname) and her mom/manager, played by Kathy Najimy.

The episode starts with Payson and Max running. They find an adorable stray dog and decide to try to find it’s owner. I, for one, am hoping Payson decides she can like a boy and she won’t keep blowing off Max. Because as we see later, he’s a guy and will go running to the first pretty thing he sees (ahem, Lauren). Back at The Rock, there’s a huge tour bus with KP’s photo and name on it and a banner that her crazy manager wants to hang up at The Rock. I kind of feel bad for KP and all the pressure. KP says she’ll get Kaylie out of the picture. We then find out that her manager is also her mom! The whole mom reveal was kind of crazy. I get this though because lots of parents in this sport are coaches and managers. It’s a nice way to keep attune to the sport.

Anyway, The National Team members are preparing for the mini-meet, and Kaylie is stumbling. Austin offers to help her, but Kaylie does not react well . Austin tells Sasha he knows about the anorexia and Sasha agrees to allow extra practices to prep Kaylie for the mini meet. At late night practice, Austin wants Kaylie to just compete on vault because of the hole that Emily left. Hmm interesting strategy. It’s one they use often in gymnastics now. I like this incorporating trends into the show. Very nice!

We later find out that Mark Keeler lost his job, and doesn’t want to tell the kids, and Max and Payson are walking their new dog Phoebe and hanging up signs. Max asks her if she’d ever change her mind about them being a couple. He asks if it would bother her if he dated other people. Aw, you know it would, Payson. Don’t lie about it.

Back at The Rock, Kaylie is having second thoughts on Austin’s strategy. He wants her to let him in. Do I sense some romance? KP tries to psych Lauren out about Max, so Lauren challenges him to a basketball game so she can show Max that she’s a jock, too. That night, Max and Lauren play a sexy game of basketball — mainly because he takes his shirt off (whew). At the end of this sexy game, Lauren tells Max she wants a real date. Good for her, I suppose, but she is such a manipulator and I don’t think she’s totally changed her ways.

Then it’s mini-meet time. I love me some mini-meets. Tessa is up first on beam. She nails it. She nails bars too. Kaylie tells Sasha her strategy and Austin backs her up. Oh boy. Sasha is doubtful but Kaylie does her difficult vault and sticks it! Yay! And in the end, the risk pays off, as Kaylie gets the World team spot! That night, Kim tells Mark they should start acting like a family, and he shouldn’t move back to Minnesota. They are also going to adopt Phoebe.

And in crazy-ville, KP’s manager/crazy mom wants to leak Kaylie’s eating disorder to the press. Kaylie comes in at the end of KP’s mom yelling at her. I really do feel sad for KP. KP seems like she opens up to Kaylie but I’m not so sure. Kaylie invites KP over for dinner, where she admits she has no friends. Aw. She goes snooping and finds Kaylie’s anorexia journal and takes it. Ugh. I hope that KP sees the error of her ways, because I was just beginning to like her.

I really enjoyed this episode a lot. I didn’t think I’d be saying this, but I want to see more Kelly Parker. I think she fills the Emily void nicely and Worlds will be very interesting. I also absolutely loved Kathy Najimy’s character. The Rock girls are lucky in that they don’t really have awful parent/managers who are pushing them. Gymnastics is chock full of crazies and pressure. Also, Najimy is pretty awesome. Anyway, I really hope Payson decides to like Max. She deserves some fun in her life. Maybe she’ll let him in post-Worlds. I also am curious to see if Austin and Kaylie reunite. But I’m more concerned about all her private business going public and how she’s able to handle that. Next week is the two hour season finale and I can’t wait to see how the Worlds pan out. I wonder if KP will medal. Will Kaylie succumb to the pressure of her disease and her competition? Will Payson become World Champion? I’m very excited to see what happens.

Make It Or Break It airs Monday nights at 9 pm on ABC Family.