Name: Reboot season 1 episode 8
Director: Chris Koch
Released: 2022-10-25T09:30:00

In the season finale of Reboot, a change at the top puts the future of the show at risk while the actors themselves make huge life-changing decisions. The episode is now streaming on Hulu.

Recap

The writers are deciding on lunch when Elaine walks in and asks to speak to Gordon and Hannah in private. The others worry that the show is getting cancelled but Gordon assures them that won’t happen.

Elaine tells them that there’s been a change in the leadership at Hulu and the new network president is firing people left and right. Gordon is confident that they don’t have to worry but when Elaine says that the new president is Tyler Griffin, Gordon loses that confidence.

Bree is being interviewed on camera when the interviewer brings up the fact that her ex-husband, the duke of Fjorstad is getting married to his assistant and they’re having a baby. Bree is shocked by the revelation and blurts out that she and Reed are back together and thinking of having a baby.

Gordon and Hannah are back with the writers as Gordon explains his beef with Tyler. He says that Tyler is the reason Step Right Up was cancelled the first time around and as revenge, Gordon slept with Tyler’s wife.

Elaine comes again and tells them that Tyler would like to meet Gordon and Hannah.

Zack finds Clay sleeping in his car and asks him what’s wrong. Clay says that he’s buying a house and is worried about the fact that it’s such a huge step against his entire image.

Zack tells him to go for it no matter how nervous you feel because it’s a huge moment in one’s life. Bree talks to Timberly about her admission on camera and accepts that she has to warn Reed.

She goes into Reed’s trailer and finds his girlfriend Nora waiting there. She has come in from New York to surprise Reed and he walks in soon after.

Bree freaks out and doesn’t tell Reed about what she told the interviewer. Nora is worried that something is going on between Reed and Bree so she goes back to the hotel.

Hannah and Gordon meet Tyler who initially praises their show before telling them that he’s taking away Timberly to lead another show while also slashing their production and marketing budgets. He’s doing this out of spite.

Gordon gives him a piece of his mind, calling him stupid and petty before walking out. Tyler suggests that Hannah can work on the show by herself and Hannah refuses the offer.

Hannah chastises Gordon for his tirade because he just put so many people’s jobs and livelihoods on the line. Elaine calls Zack to discuss the new president and how she’s worried about her job.

She also lets Zack in on the fact that they could be cancelled due to Tyler and Gordon’s history. Zack wants to tell Clay because he plans on buying a house which wouldn’t be a good decision if he doesn’t have a job but Elaine tells him to keep things a secret.

Zack and Elaine disagree over what their relationship entails and Zack leaves to Stop Clay. He goes to his trailer to convince him to hold off but fails.

It’s Reed’s turn to be interviewed and when he finds out that the interviewer already posted the news about him and Bree on Twitter, he freaks out and leaves. He sees Bree outside and asks her why she lied to which Bree simply replies that she panicked.

He asks her if she still wants to get back with him and she hesitates before saying no. He heads back to his hotel to talk to Nora.

Gordon takes a walk around the set and the offices, taking in his surroundings before visiting Tyler once again. Clay is sitting alone in his empty house when he receives a package from Hulu. It’s a bottle of alcohol as a housewarming present.

Zack is headed to his car when he gets a call from Elaine but he chooses not to answer it. Reed reaches the hotel room and immediately tells Nora that what Bree said was false. He insists that he’s in love with her and then proposes.

Nora says yes and then goes into another room to take a call from her mother. Reed gets a call from Bree, who tells him that she lied earlier when she said she didn’t want to get back together.

She actually loves him and hasn’t loved anyone else in her life the same way. He tells her that he just got engaged and she ends the call.

Hannah goes to Gordon’s office to tell him that Tyler cannot sabotage their show for a personal grudge but Gordon says that he’s solved the problem by quitting. Hannah says that he could have just apologised and instead he’s choosing to leave her once again.

He tells her that she’ll do fine on her own and they’ll still keep in touch.

Clay is eyeing the bottle of alcohol in front of him when the doorbell rings. He opens it to find Bree who says that she didn’t feel like being alone at that moment. He welcomes her in saying that he shouldn’t be alone at this point either.

Review

The season finale of Reboot is an emotional one that ends with several plotlines on the edge, building anticipation for a second season. Reed and Bree’s future, Gordon leaving the show, and Zack and Elaine breaking up are all major developments.
The contemplative walk Gordon takes around the set against a mellow song playing in the background is another sitcom trope that is used to great effect here.
Gordon’s monologue putting Tyler down is hilarious. The entire scene is tense and funny at the same time as Tyler not so subtly lets them know that he’s going to tank their show.
Another key moment is Clay staring at the bottle of alcohol, struggling with his sobriety. The anxiety in that scene must be very real for addicts and is portrayed expertly.