Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys

Lore & Background

The episode's cold open is set in 1994, depicting teenage Cal Jacobs and his friend Derek sharing a mutual sexual attraction. Cal begins a relationship with classmate Marsha, and after graduation, he and Derek go to a gay bar where they share their first kiss. The next morning, Cal learns Marsha is pregnant; he feigns excitement but cries afterward. In the present, Cassie Howard obsessively perfects her appearance to impress Nate Jacobs, who only notices her when she resembles his ex-girlfriend Maddy Perez. Rue Bennett schemes to get drugs, tricking her sister Gia into believing she only uses cannabis, and later proposes to Laurie to front her a $10,000 suitcase of drugs, with Laurie threatening human trafficking if Rue fails.

Reader's Guide

The episode is significant for its exploration of Cal Jacobs' backstory and its parallel to Robert Rauschenberg, a gay man who left his wife. It also highlights Cassie Howard's mental breakdown, which was widely praised by critics and parodied by Brian Cox on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The episode's ratings were strong, drawing 3,600,000 viewers on its first day on HBO Max, a 41 percent increase from the previous week. Sydney Sweeney received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance. The episode's use of music, including "Watercolor Eyes" by Lana Del Rey written for the episode, and Zendaya's performance of "Call Me Irresponsible," contributed to its cultural impact.

Did You Know?

• The gay bar scene where Derek and Cal kiss was filmed at Hideaway Country Bar and Grill in Sylmar, Los Angeles.
• Sydney Sweeney gave an interview with The Independent days before the episode aired, discussing the stigma against actresses who get naked on screen.