Hi, all! It’s time for another Love, Victor recap! We’re now more than halfway through the show’s final season, and goodness, what a ride! Last time, Victor (Michael Cimino) had a scare … down there. And Georgina (Leslie Grossman) actually apologized to her daughter, Lake (Bebe Wood), for being the worst.
In Season 3 Episode 5, “Lucas and Diego,” Victor’s still trying to get over his broken heart by dating. Will it work?
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As this is a recap, it’s got more spoilers than Victor has storylines about being gay. You’ve been warned.
“Look out, Adam Levine.”
We open on Benji (George Sear) playing his guitar in his room. His dad (Kevin Rahm) bursts in on him. Good news, their lawyers have expunged his record. Legally, Benji has no longer extremely misinterpreted the phrase “drive-thru” at his local Wendy’s.
Benji didn’t even know you could make things go away like that. His dad assures him that with enough money you can, especially ’cause colleges don’t like to see DUIs on applicants’ records. And now, they never have to think about that “embarrassing day” again.
Flashback time! Benji’s in his room playing a computer game on his double monitors. His dad wants to Talk. Benji turns around — OMG he has braces! Anyway, his dad accidentally saw Benji’s porn.
Benji tells his dad he’d lent his laptop to Lucy (Ava Capri), the boy-obsessed-lesbian*, and she must have been the one to download all those pix. THANK GOODNESS, sighs his dad. Not that there’s anything wrong with being gay, of course; just he never thought his son would be. Oh Benji’s dad, Georgina’s on the phone. She’s ready to pass her worst-parent-of-the-year mantel over to you.
Benji pours some vodka into his OJ. It doesn’t seem like this conversation started his alcohol misuse, but if I recall correctly, this flashback is the day of his accident.
*I know Love, Victor hasn’t labeled Lucy, but it’s implied she’s gay.
“Rugged corduroy.”
At the coffee shop, Victor and Rahim (Anthony Keyvan) catch up. Rahim can tell Victor has something he wants to ask but isn’t. Fine, Victor says, “How’s tutoring Benji going?”
Then, our lovely Andrew (Mason Gooding), who has not been given enough to do this season, pops his head from behind a chair, ready for the gossip. Victor and Rahim move to a table far away from him. Someone needs to learn how to eavesdrop better.
He follows them. Both Andrew and Rahim start up again on the “don’t obsess over Benji.” Andrew even says, “The best way to get over someone is under someone else.” I’m pretty sure Victor tried that.
Instead of telling them about Nick, Victor slides over his phone to show Rahim that he’s downloaded In-show Grindr. His profile doesn’t have anything on it. Don’t worry. Andrew and Rahim have got him covered.
Victor’s alias is Diego; he’s strong and a bunch of other things I won’t write about a character who’s supposed to be a minor. Also, the boys’ individual reactions to Andrew’s phone being filled with mildly NSFW selfies is priceless.
Over at the apartment building, Pilar (Isabella Ferreira) and Felix (Anthony Turpel) have no idea what they’re about to walk into. While they’re bantering about hand-holding, the parents Salazar (Ana Ortiz, James Martinez) are inside plotting how to best murder the two of them.
“You are under the mistaken impression I am on your side.”
When the door opens, Felix shouts “mi familia” in a decidedly Italian accent, so there’s that. Mando tells him to leave and never come back. Not because of his poor Spanish, but because Isa found Pilar’s birth control pills.
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This following scene is infuriating. Pilar tries to explain that, yes, she’s on the pill. But she’s not having sex. Felix doesn’t even know she’s on the pill. Her parents won’t listen. She’s grounded and they take away all her gadgets; they no longer trust her.
Did they learn nothing from how they dealt with Victor’s coming out? This is just … not how you handle this.
Back at the coffee shop, Victor’s working on his flirting game. “A gay sunset that’s learned how to spell” texts him to tease “Diego” (Victor) about his faceless, shirtless pic. Victor’s still texting when he walks back home and into his room. Pilar’s there.
She wants his walkie-talkie to talk to Felix. Victor agrees as long as she tells him what’s going on. Pilar does, then leaves.
Victor gets back to flirting. He double checks this new guy isn’t a 64-year-old axe murderer. How specific. Then the guy asks Victor out to see some drag queen bingo. So, Victor heads off to a bar on a school night. While his sister is grounded for having the audacity to be on birth control. #BurnDownThePatriarchy 🔥👙
“I can’t believe you said you’re 5’11.””
At said bar, “Diego” meets his date, “Lucas,” who turns out to be none other than … Benji. Wowww do they have types. They tease each other about the lies they told in their respective In-show Grindr bios.
Victor asks Benji if he’s even supposed to be going on dates. Considering they only broke up ’cause relationships were a no-no during recovery. Benji says no, but he could really use the distraction. Victor tries to respect the boundaries Benji set and leave.
Benji has found a loophole. Sure, #Venji can’t hang, but Diego and Lucas can. Oh honey.
Meanwhile, #Pelax have a heart-to-heart via walkie-talkie. Felix wants to know if her parents flipped out over his Spanish. I kid. He asks what happened. When Pilar tells him, he wonders why she has BC if they’re not having sex. Then he panics because maybe they are having sex and he just doesn’t understand how sex works.
Pilar assures him that they’re not currently having sex. But that considering they’re in love, they might be soon. She just wants to be ready. Felix looks like he’s gonna explode. He recovers and asks if she explained that to her parents.
Felix understands why they don’t trust her; they lied about being in a relationship for weeks. Then, he asks if it’d help if they took a break from seeing each other. He doesn’t want to lose his second family, the one who took him in when his mom was in crisis. My heart literally hurts for these fictional kids.
I can’t be mad at either Pilar or Felix. They’re both scared children. I’m disgusted by the parents Salazar and the patriarchal nonsense that got them to the point where this is even an issue.
I get it. No one really wants their 14 year old having sex. But if they are, wouldn’t you rather they’re being responsible? What’s the alternative? They get pregnant? Then what?
“I also like to 69, but that’s a different game.”
At the gay restaurant, Victor asks Benji if he’s OK being around all the drinking people. Then Victor realizes he’s being a little awkward. Benji tells him to chillax and just play along with the Diego/Lucas thing.
They start asking each other first-date-type questions. It devolves into them throwing straws at each other. Benji gets a bingo. He goes on stage to claim his prize. It’s a shot. He doesn’t take it. Benji’s ready to leave.
Flashback time! Woo the camerawork’s making me dizzy. We see Benji drinking a lot. He gets into his dad’s car. Next, he wakes up in a hospital bed.
Benji’s dad tells his kid how scared he was. What was he thinking? Benji says, “I was thinking I can’t do this anymore. There’s something you should know about me.”
Back to the present. Victor asks Benji if he’s OK. He tells Victor that the whole record expungement is bringing up a lot of memories. He apologizes for bringing down the mood.
Victor doesn’t care about that. He wants to talk to Benji. They discuss rehab. It was intense, but good. He learned that drinking is his coping mechanism for anxiety.
“What makes you anxious?”// “It’s more like what doesn’t.”
Victor can’t believe Benji has anxiety. He hides it well. Benji fears that no matter what he does in life, he’s gonna disappoint someone. Victor says Benji has never disappointed him. Not once.
Benji doesn’t believe him. Victor insists it’s true. And he’s not trying to interfere with his recovery, but maybe hanging out could be healing for Benji. Whether as friends or something more.
Benji doesn’t know. He’s just trying to listen to the adults around him. They insist he ought to keep his life around him simple. He and Victor are anything but. Benji says goodnight and peaces out.
“I just don’t think we should be having sex to spite your parents.”
Next, Pilar knocks on Felix’s window. She figures that if her parents are gonna punish her for having sex, they might as well be doing it. That’s a different spin on hate sex.
Felix isn’t so sure. This isn’t how he imagined their first time. But Pilar insists this isn’t about her ‘rents. She’s scared that she’s going to lose Felix and wants to keep him. She dips before they can talk it out.
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Back home, Benji has another flashback. He’s home from the hospital. He overhears his dad asking his mom (Embeth Davidtz) where they went wrong. As in, why is Benji gay, why is he a bad student, why does he “have a drinking problem?”
Then … “He’s not the son I pictured.” 🤯🤬
Boo friggin’ hoo, dude. If you can’t handle that your kids are actual humans with their own personalities, don’t have them.
“You’re not good for him, Victor.”
Back in the present, Benji’s dad shows up at the Casa Salazar to “ask” Victor not to see Benji anymore. He blames Benji’s relapse on the problems that #Venji were having. He’s terrified for his son.
Victor rightfully tells Benji’s dad that there’s no way to know exactly what caused Benji to relapse. But dude insists that Victor creates chaos. If he really cared about Benji, he’d stay away. I’m speechless. My blood is boiling.
Victor heads to Pilar’s room to check on her. She’s not doing so hot either. Felix needs the parents Salazar’s approval more than he needs Pilar. Pilar’s sure that as Felix’s best friend, Victor will take his side.
Nope. Pilar is Victor’s sister. He’ll always be on her side. She asks why he’s so glum. Victor tells her he realized he’s bad for Benji. They’ll probably never be together. Sigh.
They close out the episode sharing some Swedish Fish.
That’s a wrap on “Lucas and Diego!” What an episode! Does Love, Victor realize how unreasonable and toxic its parents are? Do y’all love a good sibling relationship as much as I do? Let’s hurry up to the next episode and see if any of these other ‘rents can make amends as well as Georgina did!
Inappropriate line of the ep: “You look like one of those teenage movie vampires. All pale and horny.”
All episodes of Love, Victor are streaming on Hulu now.
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