The Eight Most Brutal Moments from the UnREAL Season Finale, “Future” 

Did you make it through the entire finale without hitting pause? I did. Although there were a million times I really wanted to stop the action for a moment because I couldn’t believe what the characters were putting each other through. So much manipulation went down in the Season 1 finale of Lifetime’s UnREAL. Some of them reached brutal status.

Rachel leaves a break-up note for Jeremy and slips out of the house to go run off with Adam.

I’m not someone who really hoped Rachel and Jeremy would stick it out and become a true couple. But I felt really bad for Jeremy, who woke up alone in bed. Well, he wasn’t completely alone. There was a note. From Rachel. That said, “I don’t deserve you.” While I feel Rachel thinks this is true, that’s still not a way a relationship should end. It’s pretty much on the level of the “Post-it Note Break-up” Carrie Bradshaw received from Jack Berger in Sex and the City. I empathized for him…until I saw the end of the episode, that is. More on that later.

Quinn gets to Adam which results in the Everlasting Suitor changing his mind about running away with Rachel

It could have been one of those classic romantic moments at the airport. But in true UnREAL fashion, it wasn’t. It was as far as you can get from that. We knew this running away scenario was never going to happen but, still, the way this went down was painful. I’m a big Rachel and Adam fan so I always wanted them to end up together. However, I’m realistic. I don’t think that can happen in this dark and twisted universe. Adam describes their relationship as heroin: “It’ll burn out and leave one of us dying in a bar in Paris.” Is this simply another toxic relationship for Rachel? She’s got so many of those in her life. What we do know is she didn’t want to play it safe. That’s what Jeremy represents. Rachel took another risk and she paid the price. Is it karma because of all the awful stuff that she’s done? I don’t know why but I still want to see her experience some happiness.

The network exec’s assistant calls Quinn and cancels her pitch meeting…pretty much forever

Apparently Quinn’s machinations can go too far. Last week, she tried to get Madison the PA to bring up sexual assault charges on Chet. Quinn had caught Madison giving Chet a bj and tried to use that to her advantage. Of course, Chet found out and put an end to Quinn’s ambitions. No more meeting with the network guy (Brad played by Martin Cummins). Then she gets confronted by Chet, Madison and Dr. Wagerstein. Madison’s now a producer, for those playing the home game. Then later she learns Chet exerted more control by bringing Britney back. Quinn’s not happy. Later, she’s able to show who’s in charge.

Rachel tells Grace she’s sleeping with Adam

We know Rachel’s a master manipulator but even she can fail every once in a while. She was dead set on Adam choosing Anna instead of Grace. The problem is…Grace has a one-track mind. She’s not in the competition for love. She’s in it for the exposure — she’s got a bikini line to think about and a wedding to Adam could only mean good things for that line. But Rachel’s determined. She ends up coming clean about the fact that she and Adam have been sleeping together thinking it’ll take care of Grace. But Grace won’t budge. Seeing Rachel’s desperation was brutal as was Grace’s rejection of said desperation. The woman knows what she wants and she’s not deviating from her mission. Ultimately, she loses out to Anna leaving her the runner-up.

Jeremy unloads all over Rachel in front of the entire cast and crew of Everlasting

This is the show at its most brutal. Jeremy figures out Rachel’s “temporary” freak-out moment wasn’t a break-up — she actually wanted to run away with Adam. Jeremy pretended to get down on one knee to propose to Rachel. Instead, he obliterates her with his words in such a public way.

Jeremy: How stupid do you think I am? I know, Rach…about Adam. How many times have you made me look like a fool in front of these people…my family. I needed them to hear this in case I lose it again and think you’re anything less than poison. You know how I used to say the show is bad for you and how it brings out the ugliness in you? I was wrong, Rach. It’s you that’s ugly. And we’re not just done. I’m gonna make sure you never hurt anyone like this again.

This hurt. Watching her humiliation was tough. Again I felt so bad for Rachel. I couldn’t help it. The things she does are ugly. The show she works on helps ruin lives. But I can’t write her off. I just can’t.

Rachel outs Adam’s true feelings about Anna…to Anna

Quinn and Rachel get back at Chet/Adam the only way they know how — to be smarter than the sleazy Everlasting creator/the Suitor. Part of the plan was to let Anna in on Adam’s motivation for this wedding. After all, we know the benefits outweigh the negatives. At least for a year. Enter a loveless marriage and a spin-off where he can renovate his winery, hopefully get the respect of his family and set himself up for the future. But Anna admirably has some standards. Sure she’d occasionally lower herself to reality show-level tactics. But all in all, she showed herself to be a good person. On top of that she seemed to have real feelings for Adam. Shortly before the wedding, Rachel drags Adam into a confessional where she gets Adam to basically out his motivations. After they’re done, she opens the neighboring confessional and Anna’s in there. As a result she becomes a runaway bride and I don’t blame her. It’s a rude awakening and as much as I love Rachel it’s always difficult to see her play with people’s lives like this. But she had a goal — to humiliate Adam and Chet. Being stood up on live television is a good way to achieve that goal. Plus that last Anna interview/confessional — all of it was great train wreck TV but absolutely brutal to watch:

Anna: Every little girl dreams of this day, of this moment. But that doesn’t mean that I would go for it any cost. When I stopped and I really thought about my time with Adam and the possibility of a life with him, I realized, he’s a cheating slut. And while I might have eventually been able to forgive him for that I had to accept the fact that he’s just not that smart. He’s an idiot. Definitely not the man for me.

That was live TV folks. What a burn. Things between Adam and Rachel spiral even more when it turns out the way Quinn got Adam to call off his escape with Rachel were lies about her mental state. She talked about hospitalization. When there never was any hospitalization.

Adam: They told me all about last year so I mean…it made sense.

Rachel: Adam, she lied to you. And to me. And what? You just believed her? Or, you know, maybe you wanted to.

Adam: Rachel…

Rachel: Got it. Okay.

Shiri Appleby did an amazing job here — her voice just went cold and unfeeling. As for Chet, he clearly hasn’t had true control of his show in a long time. Quinn’s forced to take the reins back and she cleans up Chet’s mess which includes the decision to bring Britney back. The network exec is appreciative. Quinn now has his full support. She made him look good when just seconds before it was a disaster of epic proportions.

The final Rachel/Quinn scene

This was a fascinating scene to watch. They were laying on the chaises…Rachel’s looking so done. She’s understandably deflated and defeated. It’s a tiny bit of a post mortem on the Everlasting season that just folded. They vow to not murder anyone next season. “At least with the contestants. Behind the scenes I can’t be so sure,” Rachel says. And the way she looks at Quinn is scary. Quinn can’t stand the heat. She gives first.

Quinn: Excuse me?

Rachel: I’m sure Jeremy wants me dead…for example.

Nice deflection but the look she continues to give Quinn is like she’s planning her death in her mind. It’s this deadly, devastating stare and I’m glad I’m not on the receiving end. If looks could kill…

Quinn: What?

Rachel: Nothing.

Quinn: No, tell me.

Rachel: I love you. You know that right?

Quinn: I love you, too……Weirdo.

So uncomfortable! I’m not sure what’s in those “I love yous.” I guess we’ll find out in Season 2? I tweeted about this but the Quinn/Rachel relationship is the most compelling and complicated relationship on the show. Whether it’s Quinn and Rachel vs. the World or Rachel vs. Quinn, I’m on board.

Jeremy reaches out to Rachel’s mom

Now we know why we were introduced to Rachel’s psychiatrist mother earlier this season other than giving us some key perspective on Rachel’s past. That’s a twisted relationship and Jeremy knows if he sics her mom on Rachel, she’s going to do whatever she can to “help” her daughter. Because her daughter is sick. This is a terrifying but effective way to deal with Rachel and get your revenge. Jeremy said he’s going to make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone else. Having her mom control her life is going to break Rachel. That hospitalization that Quinn lied to Adam about? That would definitely happen if Rachel’s mom has anything to do with it.

Watching the UnREAL Season 1 finale was an intense experience. Just like it was the rest of the season. The producers/writers didn’t pull any punches. They ended things painfully which means we’ve started an equally painful hiatus. I love that this show makes me feel so many emotions and makes me feel something for these characters that you normally shouldn’t. What a fantastic experience this turned out to be. I can’t wait for the show to return with Season 2.

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