After breaking into Ed Little’s house in the previous episode of Platonic, Charlie somehow thought he was mentally ready to get back to work. Clearly, he was not ready to process his emotions and assumed that as soon as he got back to work, everything would be magically alright. Sylvia suggested he consider therapy, but Charlie didn’t think whatever he was going through was ‘that’ serious. Meanwhile, Sylvia, Will, and Katie go on an impromptu road trip in episode 6 of Platonic. Will wanted to attend a Johnny 66 corporate retreat at La Quinta, and since Sylvia was already heading to Palm Desert to take her daughter, Frances, to a debate tournament, she agreed to give him a ride. Katie was going through a crisis; her ex-husband was about to have a child, and she needed the support of her best friend to process the situation.
Spoiler Alert
Why did Charlie head back home?
What was supposed to be the best day of his life turned into a nightmare, quite literally. Charlie had vivid nightmares, fearing that his appearance on the game show would completely ruin his reputation. After staying at home for a couple of days, he figured he would feel better if he got back to his usual routine. But the trauma continued to follow him. He could not concentrate on his meetings, and he felt the constant weight of disappointment. He realized he was not in a state to work, so he returned home, mentally exhausted. Charlie finally came to terms with the fact that he needed therapy. He was going through a nervous breakdown, and he was in need of professional guidance to process his emotions. He’d always been the more responsible one/the problem solver in his marriage, and this was the first time that he didn’t know how to deal with something so silly yet extremely nerve-wracking. He was no longer in control of his life, and that was not something he was used to. Hopefully, Charlie will finally learn to let go a little.
Did Will resign from his job?
Will was hellbent on not resigning from his job. He didn’t think he had it in him to start his own bar. He’d tried once, and he was kicked out by his team. He believed that working at Johnny 66 was the best thing that had happened to him, and he was not ready to let it go. Sylvia bluntly told Will that showing up at a corporate retreat where his ex-fiancée would also be present was just weird. But Will didn’t feel that way. Sylvia was slightly envious when Will and Katie ignored her and discussed the troubles of life post-divorce. They didn’t think Sylvia had the experience to pass judgmental comments. While searching for snacks, Katie opened Will’s massive bag and found out that he’d stuffed it with a giant penguin. By now we all know that Will and Jenna were obsessed with penguins, and a giant stuffed penguin was Will’s peace offering to Jenna. Sylvia and Katie both agreed that it was a terrible idea. There was no way things could go back to normal between him and Jenna (definitely not with a stuffed toy after leaving her at the altar!). Sylvia and Katie tried to throw the toy out of the car, and they ended up ripping it open. The chaos led to a minor accident that resulted in a crack on the windshield. The nearest repair shop needed 48 hours to replace it and estimated a total bill of $4000. Sylvia didn’t know what to do; the mechanics refused to let her drive the minivan with the cracked windshield since it was a serious health hazard and also somewhat illegal. He suggested they spend the night at the nearest Red Roof Inn. Sylvia decided to have a word with Charlie, because he was the one who always knew what to do in such bizarre situations. Charlie had just returned home from work when he received Sylvia’s call. He told her that he was not doing well mentally, and she didn’t feel like sharing her troubles with him because she could already sense that he was dealing with a lot. Charlie had always been ‘the rock’ in their relationship, so Sylvia decided it was time that she stepped up and got things done on her own. She tried to have a discussion with the mechanic, but that didn’t go as planned, so she ended up smashing in the windshield. Now that the windshield was completely gone and Sylvia had established that she could go to any length to get her minivan back, the mechanics didn’t dare to stop her.
They later stopped by a bar to grab a few drinks at the end of Platonic episode 6, and that was when realization finally dawned on Will. It struck him that gifting a toy penguin to his ex-fiancée was an insane move, and there was no way he could work at Johnny 66 because she was the CEO and she would never want him around. So, Will finally decided to resign from his job, and Sylvia and Katie celebrated his decision. He also ended up buying Red Wolf Tavern’s (owned by Red, a longtime brewer who’d decided to sell his pub) brewing equipment for a good price. And while he hadn’t figured out what he was going to do with it yet, he had a feeling that it was the right thing to do.
Why did Sylvia feel emotional?
Sylvia wanted to believe that she had a sorted life, but after talking to Charlie, she realized that maybe she was simply too afraid to admit that not everything in her life was going the way she’d hoped for. Will and Katie were surprised when Sylvia indirectly tried to suggest that they were too chaotic, and that was the reason why their lives were so messy. She believed she and Charlie were quite the opposite; their lives were organized and simple. Sylvia’s refusal to admit that her husband was going through a crisis suggested how badly she wanted to live in denial. She knew that if Charlie didn’t have his life together, her family would suffer. She would have to be ‘the rock,’ and she wasn’t sure if she could take on all the responsibilities. Sylvia was afraid of failing, and that made her second-guess herself. She perhaps always thought that by her mid-40s she would have a stable life, and that was the idea of success she’d always had in mind. Now that Charlie was going through a difficult phase, she had to be the one to take charge, and in a way, she had to reimagine her life and be prepared for changes. Maybe Sylvia was also afraid of losing her fun side while having to deal with this unexpected situation. Will had decided to stay back to carry the brewing equipment, and Katie had offered to help him. Sylvia too was ready to help him out, but Will thought she should be with Charlie. When Sylvia watched Will and Katie walk back to the tavern while discussing the most random details of their lives, Sylvia wondered if she’d lost her fun side. She and Will used to be a fun duo, and for a second she possibly imagined Katie taking over her place. Even though she wanted to believe that Will and Katie were a mess and that her life was so much better than theirs, there were moments like these when perhaps she wanted to be a little like them and do what her heart desired. Sylvia felt conflicted—on one hand, she had a fixed idea of success and maturity in mid-40s, and she wanted to live up to it, and on the other, she wanted to let loose and be a little messy. Right now, Sylvia needs to be there for Charlie, because clearly he is going through a lot!
