Following the events of Episode Two, Heels on Starz Episode Three is where Jack Spade looks to get matters back on track. However, it isn’t long until new problems make their collective presence known. Get the full rundown in our Episode Three review.
https://youtu.be/TcgvN0dZfGo
Heels on Starz Episode Three Review and Recap
Heels on Starz Episode Three starts with a very dark flashback from the Spade family’s past. Tom Spade, the father of Jack and Ace, is shown jogging around Duffy. Tom arrives home to see a deer in his garden, eating his plants. Tom dashes inside to grab a handgun but when he steps back out on the porch, he shoots himself in the neck. Ace was the only one at home when this occurred and was the person who found his father dead on the porch.
After the opening credits, Heels on Starz Episode Three proper begins with Jack Spade talking on the phone to wrestling star Ricky Rabies (CM Punk). Rabies is coming into the next DWL show to boost attendance and interest after the last show turned out to be a disaster.
Ace Spade is still feeling low on the confidence side of things and attempts to rehearse his promo before the show. Jack notices that Ace is still feeling down and tries to uplift his spirits and helps him with his promo.
Ace is also feeling reluctant to go into the locker room again, as he’s afraid they’ll make fun of him for crying at the previous show. Crystal convinces him to go into the locker room, where he’s met with a beer and friendly conversation almost immediately. Ace played off his nervous emotions really well in this scene.
The locker room has a very good vibe in it up until showtime, which is in part due to the arrival of Ricky Rabies. Ricky brings his son and his valet, Vicky Rabies, to the show and is immediately bombarded with questions from the boys. Rabies expresses his excitement to main event the show against Jack, but when Ace finds out about this, he loses his mind. Ace cusses out Jack and walks away.
Vicky Rabies ends up becoming friendly with Crystal as they are both valets. Rabies shares the same frustrations that Crystal expresses about wanting to be a wrestler and not just a manager, which leads to the two exchanging advice with each other.
By the time the show rolls around, Ace has calmed himself down and gets ready for his promo/match with Bobby Pin. He goes out and tries to cater to the crowd in multiple ways, but they completely reject him and pelt him with bottles, cups, and more. Before Bobby can even come to the ring for their match, Ace storms off to the backstage area.
Locker Room Frustration
Ace completely blows up on Jack backstage and the two exchange very harsh words, including where Jack tells Ace that their dad knew he was home when he committed suicide. Ace disappears from the gorilla position with Crystal shortly after. Crystal and Ace hook up in the laundry room in the backstage area to relieve Ace’s tensions after the dagger that was Jack’s brutal word-lashing.
Rooster Robbins expresses great frustration with his role in DWL after Bobby Pin gets shot straight to the main event. Rooster discusses leaving the league and/or quitting wrestling all together with his former locker room mates, which sees some people take his side and some people not. Robbins is quickly becoming another one of my favorite side character story arcs in the show.
Rooster eventually finds the courage to speak to Jack about his concerns, but he’s immediately met with the same stubbornness and “all about me” attitude that Jack presents with almost everybody. Jack ensures Rooster that his time will come, but he isn’t buying it.
Ace eventually finds his way around the backstage area again where he runs into Rooster. Ace explains his frustrations to him, to which Rooster agrees and shares the same experiences. Robbins attempts to convince Ace that his “babyface” days are over, something that multiple people, including Jack, have told him.
Jack faced Ricky Rabies in what was supposed to be the main event, but the match fell flat to the crowd. Jack rushed backstage in a panic looking for Ace, trying to convince him to main event the show against Bobby Pin.
Ace Spade is Finally “Heel”
Ace takes note of Rooster’s advice and finally becomes a true heel. He takes multiple cheap shots and does things to play up to a heel persona in his match against Bobby, signifying his status as a “heel”.
Ace is met with universal praise backstage from his peers about his performance, but he’s still extremely unhappy. He essentially tells Crystal that she isn’t his girlfriend and to leave her alone, while also calling league manager Willie Day a b-word. When Jack pulls him aside, pushes him up against a wall, and questions his actions — Ace only is able to mutter the words “I’m a heel now. Isn’t that what you wanted?.”
While all this is happening, Staci Spade is attending the show with some friends from out of town. Her friends are impressed with the league and encourage her to flaunt the tons of money she must make from being associated with the league. Staci doesn’t reveal to her friends that her family is practically in a financial pit.
After the show, Staci and Jack drive to pick up their son, Thomas. Staci asks Jack about going on vacation, something he had mentioned in the past, but is met with immediate denial and a ton of excuses. At this point, Staci had enough of Jack’s issues and completely berated him.
Moments before the episode went off the air, Staci went off on Jack about not spending any time with Thomas and only caring about the League and not his family. Jack’s mom makes a smug remark, saying “I thought he was gonna live with me,” as the couple-on-rocks pick up their son.
The show goes off the air with Jack in tears, standing on the same porch that his father committed suicide on.
Heels on Starz Episode Three Review
Episode Three was ramped up a few notches from Episode Two in the categories of “Eventful Things” and “Tearjerkers”.
The show starting by confirming Tom Spade’s suicide was something that I don’t think anybody could have expected. It was hinted at multiple times throughout the first two episodes, but I didn’t expect them to actually show it. It wasn’t unnecessary though and played a key role in some segments later on.
Between Jack spiraling downwards, Staci getting fed up, Willie Day considering jumping ship, Ace’s downward spiral, Crystal’s desperation to be a wrestler and Rooster’s desperation just to be great, the show has multiple intriguing, consistent and ongoing storylines.
I’m loving the show more with every episode and I’m excited to see all of the loose ends get tied up in the end. Thus far, this series comes highly recommended.
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