The TV Chick

Last night’s episode of Make It Or Break It dealt with Kaylie’s eating disorder, a new coach at The Rock, and Lauren’s awful, manipulative ways. And there was a mini-meet! You know how I love when the girls are in the gym. The episode starts with Kaylie at the eating disorder clinic. She has gained three pounds and is none too pleased.

Back at The Rock, Payson is playing coach with Lauren and Emily and the younger gymnasts. Steve and Summer apparently found a young coach who used to be an Olympian. Payson and Emily aren’t very happy about this (and Kim is also a little reluctant). I don’t blame them. Apparently, Lauren and Darby (said Olympian) were best friends at national gymnastics camp. Darby is a bit odd and decides not to enforce any strict rules. This will not end well. Summer talks to Darby about how they girls need structure. Darby doesn’t agree. I was trying to figure out who Darby was supposed to represent in gymnastics today. My first thought went to Kim Zmeskal, who is a former Olympian and now a coach. But she’s not a National Team coach, she just coaches elites at her gym. Perhaps it was just meant as someone who would come in and stir up some trouble at The Rock. Just what the gym needs, of course.

In other news, Emily is free and off probation. Yay Emily! This “freedom” won’t last long though. And Lauren wants to change up things at The Rock. She claims she’s team captain because Kaylie’s not there, and she’s ranked highest after Kaylie. The gym decides on a mini-meet for Payson and Lauren to compete for team captain. Emily is very clearly “Team Payson,” and honestly, who wouldn’t be??

At the eating disorder clinic, Kaylie and her parents are meeting with her therapist. Kaylie “admits she has a problem.” I put that in quotes, because it seems like she’s really just acting. The therapist thinks Kaylie can leave and go to an outpatient program but not train at The Rock. Her mom and the therapist lay down the law when Kaylie insists she needs to train. I don’t know if I thought that Kaylie would be released so quickly, but I understand in TV time, you have to move the story long. I still think it can be a slow process for Kaylie, and when I spoke to Josie Loren, she said that it would last all season. I’m very curious to see what happens when Kaylie eventually goes back to the gym. Will she handle the pressure?

Meanwhile, Damon is back in Boulder and Emily meets up with him. Emily can date him and she isn’t breaking any rules this time. Damon says he’s going to finish the album in Boulder, because his songs he wrote in LA suck. I’m glad to see Damon back. He’s been a really good support system for Emily, and she really needs that in her life.

And, naturally, Darby is staying at Lauren’s house. Lauren tells Darby that Payson isn’t happy she’s at The Rock. Lauren, you are such a bitch. Seriously, what is your deal? And at the Keeler household, Kim tells Payson to give Darby a chance. While back at Lauren’s house, Summer asks Steve if he hired Darby to win back Lauren’s love. Steve clearly still likes her. Summer tells Steve that if they give their relationship another chance, he has to be completely honest with her. Steve promises he will be, and they get back together. Lauren is really excited and thinks they will get married. Oh Lauren!

Later, Emily and Damon are on a sweet date. She comes back home to find a national committee member who says she’s still on the team but has to sign a contract saying she’ll basically just go to The Rock and home (there goes Damon…) He tells her that it hasn’t been decided if she’s going to Worlds or not. Ugh. I get that Emily has to basically sign her life away to the National Team but I wish she could just get a break after the whole arrest.

The next day at practice, the girls are awkwardly led in a meditation session by Darby. Emily and Payson are clearly not into it, and Emily tells Payson about the contract. Payson doesn’t get why she wouldn’t just sign it. Meanwhile, Kaylie tries to convince her dad to let her go back and train at The Rock but he stands tough. She freaks out.

Back at the gym, it’s mini meet time: Payson starts on vault. She pictures herself sticking it and she does! Lauren takes a costly step. Lauren nails her bar routine next, though. After, Payson throws a really hard skill on bars and nails it. Payson tells Lauren she has a big skill on beam so Lauren decides to try her own big skill to compete. Payson tries to stop her (because well, she doesn’t really have the big skill), Emily tells Darby to stop her…and Payson even goes as far to concede but Lauren doesn’t accept the concession. Lauren falls off on her dismount, though, but isn’t injured. The mini-meet ends, and it’s a tie. It’s up to Darby to determine the winner. She gives a really lame speech and decides Payson and Lauren will be co-captains. Lauren storms off. I think obviously Payson is more deserving of the captain title, but maybe being co-captains will force Lauren and Payson to become closer teammates? With Lauren being Lauren, I doubt this will happen, but who knows?

Emily and Kaylie meet up for lunch and talk about Damon and the contract. Kaylie sympathizes and offers her mom’s old (unused) recording studio for Damon. Kaylie told her mom she would sing with Damon (as part of her activities outside gymnastics healing). Damon is super impressed and very sweet to Kaylie. Kaylie video chats with Maeve who isn’t out of the clinic yet. She’s clearly the one who will bite the dust, I mean come on! They wouldn’t make one of Kaylie’s parents die, so this just makes sense. I have a feeling Kaylie will get that reality check in the form of a dead friend in the next episode.

Meanwhile, back at Crazy Town, Lauren admits to her dad that she got rid of Sasha and sent the picture to Ellen Beals. You awful awful whore, Lauren. (HA! Sorry that was just my first reaction. She’s really not too much of a whore). Lauren tells her dad that he robbed her of the only thing she ever wanted — her mom. So he better tell Darby to favor her. Wow! I really hope that Lauren gets suspended from The Rock for a while. She truly has it coming. She needs someone to whip her into shape.

At the end of the episode, Emily shows up to talk to Damon and asks him what if she wants to give up gymnastics and be with him on tour, and be with him…what would he say? He tells her she’d be making a big mistake. She explains the contract situation. Damon says he’ll wait for her until after the olympics, but Emily wants to be with Damon. You know, in that way…so she loses her V card to Damon. Hmm will she get pregnant? I only say this because Chelsea Hobbs is actually pregnant (or possibly has had her baby, I’m not sure) so I wonder if they will choose to go a different way with Emily this season.

I really enjoyed this episode. The stakes continue to get higher and higher. I love seeing the girls in the gym. I also can’t wait until Sasha comes back and kicks some ass. I’m also curious to see how Sasha will react to the news that Summer and Steve are back together. And what will happen once Kaylie finally accepts she has a problem? Can Damon and Emily wait/make it work? I think this lead up to Worlds is going to be great and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

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