Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies episode four kicks off in Jane’s bedroom with the Pink Ladies having a sleepover. Unfortunately, their night of makeovers and hanging out turns into an evening of worrying about what will happen Monday at school after they learn they’re being blamed for Buddy’s broken arm. The school newspaper has a scathing article blaming the Pink Ladies for injuring Rydell’s quarterback.
Cynthia (Ari Notartomaso) points out the newspaper’s run by Mr. Daniels and that he and Olivia (Cheyenne Isabel Wells) have a history. Jane (Marisa Davila) approaches the touchy subject very carefully and asks for more details. Olivia confesses they were in love.
It began with Olivia hanging around after class, progressed to discussing books and their lives, and that led to something much more inappropriate. She claims they were crazy for each other but their relationship ended after Asst. Principal McGee caught them.
Mr. Daniels blamed everything on Olivia.
The girls decide Mr. Daniels is a fink. (That’s putting it mildly.) They also suggest he should drop dead on fire in a ditch covered in maggots. (That’s more like it!)
A new week of school begins and Hazel (Shanel Bailey) chats with Buddy (Jason Schmidt) before class. They’re getting along after spending time hanging out on Hazel’s roof. However, just because she’s formed a friendship with Buddy doesn’t mean Hazel’s less of an outcast. Buddy’s football buddies and the snobby cheerleaders still stare at her as if she doesn’t belong at the 99% white Rydell.
The Pink Ladies are also being snubbed in the hallways. Susan (Madison Thompson) makes a big show of sympathizing with Buddy over his broken throwing arm while placing the blame squarely at the feet of Jane and the Pink Ladies. Buddy wants her to knock it off, insisting he doesn’t want pity votes.
Jane thinks they should remind their fellow students why they shouldn’t vote for Buddy, but that idea is quickly quashed. As campaign manager, Olivia orders Jane to lay low and let things blow over.
On a lighter note, Richie (Johnathan Nieves) does a little flirting with Jane in the hallway. Olivia admits she doesn’t know how she feels about their budding relationship.
Asst Principal McGee (Jackie Hoffman) announces all gang-affiliated attire is now forbidden at school. Jackets are to be turned in until school’s over.
The girls are still serving their punishments for flashing the crowd at assembly, and McGee has a special top-secret assignment for Nancy (Tricia Fukuhara) to carry out. The job? Play the part of the school’s horse mascot at the football game that evening. McGee admits she also filled the position when she was in school.
Nancy agrees to do it only if McGee gives her money to make new costumes for the school play. It’s a deal – as long as Nancy keeps her identity a secret.
Meanwhile, the drama club receives terrible news. They won’t be able to put on Berthold Brecht’s provocative anti-war play Mother Courage and instead have been forced to, once again, settle for Romeo and Juliet. This is yet another punishment being blamed on the Pink Ladies.
Cynthia thinks playing Mercutio might be fun and is shocked to learn her fellow thespians believe all the roles have already been filled. Auditioning is just a formality, according to Lydia, the drama club’s star.
Olivia’s ready to deliver a report in class when she’s sent off to the principal’s office for wearing something that her male teacher describes as distracting. It’s a cute outfit with just the tiniest hint of cleavage, but apparently this uptight teacher believes Olivia is at fault, not the boys who can’t take their eyes off her body.
Olivia breaks out in the first song of the episode, apologizing for causing a scene while pointing out how unfair it is that it’s her fault boys can’t control themselves.
Olivia wraps up her song and bursts into the school newspaper’s office, demanding they print a retraction. Mr. Daniels (Chris McNally) refuses, claiming the article was well-written and well-researched. Everyone’s stunned when she asks to be allowed to write a response, and Mr. Daniels explains Olivia is an excellent writer.
They need the help, and the newspaper club members jump at the chance to add Olivia to the group. It’s obvious Mr. Daniels did not anticipate that reaction.
Olivia’s piece gets published and it’s a hit with the students. She has a satisfied smile on her face as Jane praises her for reminding their classmates why they wanted to vote for a Pink Lady in the first place.
However, Asst Principal McGee isn’t jumping on the Pink Ladies bandwagon. She reacts to the article by issuing a school-wide dress code. All boys must wear long sleeve button-up shirts. Sneakers and T-shirts are banned, as are jeans. Girls can’t wear tight clothing, and their skirts must reach below their knees. Shirts must be up to their necks.
All jackets, including letterman jackets, are strictly forbidden.
The new rules put the Pink Ladies on the outs, again, and this time they’re definitely to blame for the new school dress code. Jane’s not sure they can fight back because everything they do seems to make things worse.
Richie’s looking quite square in his button-down shirt, but Jane doesn’t care. She suggests they cut class and have some fun and Richie’s more than willing to teach her how to be a rebel.
McGee gives Mr. Daniels a tongue-lashing over Olivia’s article, and when Olivia offers to write another rebuttal, Daniels turns her down. She reminds him it’s censorship and Mr. Daniels suggests she keep in mind that as a teenager, she doesn’t have any rights – or any power.
Instead of a hard-hitting piece on First Amendment rights, she can write a short article on the football team’s prospects of beating the Titans. Olivia has no interest in writing about that, but if she wants to keep her spot in the club, she has to.
Elsewhere, Jane’s so stressed out that she can’t just have fun with Richie. He suggests she needs to care less and relax. They have their first duet of the season as they hang out in a park, playing on playground equipment and kissing. Jane acknowledges she can’t save the world in one day and needs to release some of the tension she’s feeling over the election and over her place at school.
Back at school, Wally (Maxwell Whittington-Cooper) is promoted to starting quarterback.
Cynthia challenges the status quo and tries to rile up the drama club and get them to audition. She believes they all stand a chance at earning roles in the play and that no one should be guaranteed a spot – not even Lydia.
Cynthia suggests that Hazel should try out, but Hazel turns her down.
Buddy’s seated in the bleachers watching his football team when Hazel asks if he wants to walk home with her. He can’t because he’s going to stick around and provide a little moral support. Suddenly, Hazel realizes they should both fill their free time by trying out for the play. Buddy agrees.
The drama teacher, Mr. Vaughan (Marc Senior), is happy to see new faces, and Buddy announces he’ll be auditioning for Romeo and believes Hazel should try out for Juliet. Hazel’s shocked; she never intended to try out for a significant role. She wanted one with just a couple of lines since she’s shy.
“You keep saying that. Look, do what you want, but personally, I think you are the only one smart enough to understand this thing,” says Buddy.
Hazel’s nerves get the best of her, and she races from the stage, but Buddy actually delivers a decent audition.
Later, Mr. Vaughan posts the results, and Buddy’s Romeo and Cynthia is Juliet! (She auditioned for Mercutio.) Lydia can’t believe she’s been cast as the Nurse. Mr. Vaughan‘s ecstatic he has a tomboy Juliet and a maimed Romeo and is looking forward to shaking things up at school.
Olivia calls an audible and changes her assignment from reporting on the football team to discussing Rydell’s blame game. She fakes Mr. Daniels’ initials and hands the article in to be printed in the newspaper.
Jane and Richie wind up at the Frosty Palace after their day of skipping class and discuss their futures. Jane has big plans, but Richie just wants to travel the world – without any idea of how he’ll accomplish that. Jane offers to help him improve his grades, but Richie’s not into that. They have their first minor disagreement when Richie admits he’s not serious about his future.
The time for the big game arrives, and McGee stands at the entrance making sure everyone drops off their jackets. (The T-Birds sneak in a side entrance so they can keep theirs.) Olivia hints that a big change is coming soon but doesn’t explain what she means.
Nancy steps out in front of the crowd in the horse mascot costume. The crowd cheers and Nancy gets into her performance as the game gets underway. The undefeated Titans strike first blood, sacking Wally and causing a fumble they run in for a touchdown.
Rydell’s second possession ends with Wally throwing an interception that’s taken in for another touchdown.
The crowd turns on Nancy’s horse mascot and she’s pelted with food. McGee helps her from the field as hotdogs and popcorn fly.
Olivia’s disappointed to learn Mr. Daniels threw out all the newspapers. She confronts him, reminding him they used to be more than student/teacher. Mr. Daniels insists that can’t happen again just as his fiancée joins the conversation. Hurt, Olivia forces a smile while his oblivious fiancée makes small talk.
Nancy’s still wearing her horse mascot costume when she sits on the bench next to Wally after he’s been pulled from the game. She gives him a hug as he confesses to being upset that Buddy was never taken out when he was horrible. Nancy breaks her silence, revealing her identity as she commiserates with Wally over being outsiders. She remembers being called a dirty Jap as a kid and being blamed for World War II. She explains it’s easier to blame the person who’s different, which is what Wally – one of the few Black students – is experiencing now. Sure, he’s popular, but he just presented his classmates with a reason to turn on him.
Nancy explains that once Wally realizes he’ll never win with this crowd, he’ll have the freedom to do whatever he wants.
Nancy listens to her own advice, runs onto the field, and tackles Rydell’s quarterback. She whips off her horse head and does a little dance while Wally asks the coach to put him back in the game.
This time, Wally keeps the ball and runs it into the endzone for the Rangers’ first touchdown of the game.
Cynthia and Jane cheer on Nancy as Olivia declares she’s going home. She can’t believe Mr. Daniels threw out her article and is disappointed she won’t be able to make a difference. Jane assures her that her first article made her feel like she wasn’t alone – which is what their campaign’s about.
Nancy puts on her horse costume and joins Jane, Olivia, and Cynthia on the sidelines. They scream for attention, but it’s not until Nancy grabs a cheerleader’s megaphone that anyone listens.
Olivia tells the crowd that together the student body can be a force to be reckoned with. They can’t allow the authorities to pit them against each other. Together, they have the power to demand change.
Olivia gets her second musical number of the episode as she reminds her fellow students that she’s not their enemy. They need to stop pointing fingers and stop playing the blame game. Only then can they successfully fight the powers that be who want to control them.
Even the band and cheerleaders get in on the act of rebellion and stand up for themselves. The result? They get their jackets back and the dress code is relaxed.
Plus, the Rangers only lose by two points.
Everyone gathers at the Frosty Palace to celebrate, and Hazel tells Buddy she’s decided to help out with the play by doing props. Buddy confesses he’s having second thoughts and doesn’t want to play Romeo. He doesn’t think he’s good enough to do Shakespeare.
Hazel offers to help him run lines. She admits she’s realized that even though she’s a shy science nerd, it’s possible to be more than one thing. Buddy glances at his football and cheerleader friends and decides that, yes, he will play Romeo.
The Pink Ladies and T-Birds meet up outside the malt shop, and Jane and Richie simultaneously apologize to each other. He likes that she’s committed to accomplishing her goals, and she likes that he’s able to relax and enjoy life. Opposites do attract, and these two balance each other out.
The Pink Ladies are greeted with cheers and applause when they enter the malt shop. Even the cheerleaders and football players clap, and Olivia jokes that she’s starting to like school as episode four ends.
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 1 Recap and Review
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 2 “Too Pure to Be Pink” Recap
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 3 “So This is Rydell?” Recap
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 4 “You Can’t Just Walk Out of a Drive-In” Recap
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 6 “Sloppy Seconds Ain’t My Style” Recap
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 7 “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ Recap
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 8 “Or at the High School Dance” Recap
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 8 “Or at the High School Dance” Recap
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 9 “You’re Dropping Out of Rydell?” Recap
- Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 10 “Racing for Pinks” Finale Recap
