Starz’s Heels season one episode two opens with Jack (Stephen Amell) and Ace (Alexander Ludwig) going through their morning routines. In Ace’s case that means having sex; in Jack’s case it’s all about working on wrestling scripts before heading off to work at Leckie Lawn Care.
As organized as Jack appears, he’s actually constantly late for work. His boss, Tim, chastises him about his late arrival before asking about his black eye, wondering how he obtained it since wrestling’s fake.
Jack and Timmy tag team a potential mower customer, with Jack attempting to make a personal connection by reminiscing about riding around on his dad’s lap while mowing their yard. Jack’s sales pitch doesn’t work and the customer leaves without buying anything. Of course, Tim blames Jack for not closing the deal. Jack impressed his grandfather when he ran the family’s store, but Tim lets it be known he’s not a fan.
At the end of the day, Jack arrives home, kisses Staci (Alison Luff), and grabs a beer. When she asks if Tim’s on the warpath, Jack replies, “Didn’t hit him so there’s that.”
Ace and Crystal (Kelli Berglund) have spent the day in bed playing video games, with Ace repeatedly calling Wild Bill in a desperate attempt to get out of Duffy. Heels episode one ended with his devastating defeat in the ring, but Ace continues to hold out hope bigger leagues are still interested in him.
Ace’s mom, Carol (Alice Barrett Mitchell), has whipped up a casserole that only serves two – or at least that’s the excuse she uses to get Crystal out of her house. (Ace still lives with his mom.) There’s no love lost between Carol and Crystal, but as Crystal’s leaving Carol chases her down to ask how she thinks Ace is really doing. Crystal doesn’t know – she never asked – and Carol warns Crystal everything going on between her and Ace is fake, just like everything else in wrestling.
Elsewhere, Diego (Robby Ramos) and Rooster (Allen Maldonado) check out a new video from Florida Wrestling Dystopia’s Charlie Gully (Mike O’Malley) warning the Duffy Wrestling League that he’s the big dog in this battle over the South’s wrestling fans. Apocalypse is too busy working out to care about videos but does chime in about his love of honeybuns.
Their discussion of the pros and cons of honeybuns is interrupted when Bobby (Trey Tucker) shows up covered in green paint. He spent the night as an extra on a superhero set and the color has given him inspiration for his new character, Turquoise!
Willie (Mary McCormack) barely glances at Bobby before shutting down Turquoise. Sorry, kid, the boss has spoken!
After changing the battery in a smoke alarm – something these men apparently can’t do for themselves – Willie drops the news Jack hasn’t written this week’s script. She leaves but not before infecting the room with her rotten mood. Diego’s done with the drama and thinks just because Ace is leaving doesn’t mean the other wrestlers should suffer. Apocalypse remains supportive of the league, but Rooster comes down on Diego’s side. If Jack can screw over his brother, he could do the same to any of them when they’re up for the title.
Later that evening, Willie meets up with FWD’s Charlie Gully at a diner. Charlie’s brutally honest about the state of the DWL and can’t believe Jack turned Ace – the DWL’s big star – into a joke with the fans. Charlie labels Jack a “jealous douchebag” for humiliating Ace while Wild Bill was there to recruit him. Willie claims she supports Jack’s moves, but Charlie knows she’s full of it and calls her out. He then announces he wants to buy the dome.
Willie’s shocked but Charlie’s done his research and knows Jack’s behind on bills. The sale would stop foreclosure, which is sure to happen soon, and the purchase helps expand Charlie’s empire. Charlie sweetens the deal by offering to keep Willie on his payroll.
Willie suggests a partnership with Jack, but Charlie has no interest in going into business with Jack. Charlie believes Jack screwed with his livelihood by denigrating him on two wrestling podcasts. Charlie adds “conceited little f*ck” to his description of Jack, but concedes Jack did help spur him into making FWD into a major player by publicly mocking him.
Willie doesn’t back down and claims the DWL will remain relevant because fans come for a good story. That’s why DWL can compete in bigger leagues despite the fact they have a small budget.
Charlie warns Willie to get out of the DWL before it’s too late. “Jack’s ego is going to be the downfall of the DWL,” says Charlie.
Willie rings up Jack to fill him in on Charlie’s offer. Jack’s reaction is immediate – “F*ck him” – but then he reconsiders and asks how much. Willie doesn’t say and instead asks for the script for the upcoming show.
Jack’s sure the DWL is about to blow up big and that’s why Charlie wants to buy them out.
Jack and Staci have a heart-to-heart in bed, and Staci asks him to pay more attention to their son, Thomas. Jack explains what’s going on with Charlie and confesses right now he needs to focus his attention on keeping the DWL afloat.
Staci needs to know why Jack humiliated Ace, and Jack tries to cut off the discussion by saying he did it for Ace’s own good. Staci advises Jack to cancel the next show and apologize to Ace – not as a wrestler, but as a brother.
Wild Bill (Chris Bauer) finally returns Ace’s many calls and explains there’s no contract in the works. Ace breaking down in tears in the ring made the Northern bigwigs decide to back off. Will Bill suggests Ace try and get on with the FWD if he wants out of Duffy.
Ace takes the news about how you’d expect him to.
Later that night Carol calls Jack in a panic. Ace is missing and Big Jim’s wife, Melanie, has gone into labor. Big Jim tried to call Ace, but Ace left his phone in his room and took off. Carol’s legitimately scared and knows Ace is in a bad place.
Jack heads over to his mom’s and Crystal…or, as Carol calls her, the “opportunistic parasitic tart”…is already there. Jack looks around Ace’s room, guesses he’s gone to the “lucky stand” to drown his sorrows, and takes off with Crystal. Jack’s not happy about having this particular passenger, but Crystal’s worried Ace may harm himself. Jack’s not because Ace is far too narcissistic for that.
He reluctantly explains the lucky stand is a place they used to hunt when they were kids. Whenever things got rough at home, Jack would take Ace there to hide out.
Jack’s right and Ace is drinking. Ace tosses a glass bottle at the Welcome to Duffy sign and takes off running while screaming like a banshee.
Jack and Crystal check out the lucky stand, but Ace isn’t there. Instead, he’s made his way to a bar where Rooster works when he’s not wrestling. Ace is clearly inebriated and continues to pound down shots.
Rooster takes the stage to introduce the next karaoke singer and Ace heckles him, demanding a spot. Rooster, reluctantly and against his better judgment, gives in. Guys playing pool loudly joke about Ace singing a sad song, and Ace recognizes one – Travis – after grabbing the mic.
Ace starts singing and sounds like a drunk Bob Dylan. Needless to say, he’s not winning over the crowd.
Rooster alerts Jack and Crystal and they arrive as Ace is singing to a chorus of boos. Ace becomes belligerent as the crowd turns mean. He tells everyone, including the town of Duffy, to f*ck off which does nothing to calm things down.
Ace challenges Travis but Rooster manages to hold them apart. Unfortunately, Travis continues to shoot off his mouth and says wrestlers can’t actually fight. Ace launches himself at Travis, but Travis sends him sprawling. Jack steps in for this brother and demonstrates wrestlers can indeed fight outside the ring.
A brawl breaks out and Crystal throws a few punches before Rooster pulls her from the action. Ace, Jack, and Crystal are tossed out, and Rooster’s livid they’d pull this stunt where he works. Jack volunteers to pay for everything and is about to leave when Travis, accompanied by a couple of his pool-playing buddies, calls Jack and Ace’s dad a loser.
Crystal leaps into action, pulls off a sweet wrestling move, and takes down Travis before Jack and Ace can react. The fight’s over in the parking lot before it can even begin.
As they drive home Ace is pumped up his big bro had his back. Crystal’s equally excited after slamming Travis to the ground. Jack tries to tamp down their enthusiasm but gives in and takes them out for burgers.
Burgers munched, Ace waxes philosophical. He wonders about black holes and the possibility humanity will be swallowed up. Jack thinks they’ll all immediately die, but Ace believes there could be a moment when everyone screams simultaneously. Or maybe the end will be greeted with silence.
Jack appears concerned about Ace’s state of mind as Ace drifts off to sleep.
They arrive back at their mom’s place and Jack dumps Ace in his bed. Ace is lucid enough to tell his brother he hates him. “You act like you’re some kind of genius but you’re not. You’re just a lawnmower salesman,” says Ace, adding, “You ruined my f*cking life.”
Jack and Crystal chat before he takes her home, and Jack confesses Ace never wanted to wrestle. Jack pushed him into it following their dad’s death. Crystal has her own confession to make; she admits the Main Event script was perfect for the story and Ace’s character. She also believes Ace would make a great heel.
Jack finally makes it home and discusses Charlie’s offer to buy the dome with Staci. He admits it might be time to sell and she responds with a kiss that leads to quiet lovemaking in the kitchen.
The following morning Staci, Thomas, and Jack arrive at the hospital to meet Big Jim’s new family member. Jack’s still unsure what to do about Charlie’s offer, and Staci says she just wants him to spend more time at home but that doesn’t mean he has to completely leave wrestling behind.
Apocalypse, Rooster, and Diego help Bobby decide which stuffed animal to buy in the hospital gift shop. Diego suggests a panda’s the perfect gift because they signal hope. Rooster’s still stuck on getting a shot at the title and puts together a string of “sh*ts” that causes another customer to see herself out of the shop. Apocalypse thinks Rooster’s taking the wrong approach; he needs to stop being negative and think about how he can win over Jack.
Their discussion reveals Apocalypse won the belt years ago but lost it when he went to rehab. He’s grateful the DWL took him back after he got clean. Apocalypse, again, tells Rooster to just talk to Jack and Rooster finally agrees to do that out of respect for Apocalypse.
Bobby opts for a stuffed elephant as the group gathers in the waiting room. Diego announces mom and baby are doing great and are currently sleeping. Bobby lets slip Charlie Gulley sent Big Jim flowers with lures in it. The card reads: “Congratulations from your wrestling family in Jacksonville.”
Carol shows up and confronts Jack, blaming him for the fact Ace refuses to come inside the hospital. Jack doesn’t react to his mom, but just an exchange of looks with Staci sends Jack outside to retrieve his brother.
Jack admits Ace was right when he called him just a lawnmower salesman but adds that Ace is an unemployed, washed-up high school quarterback. That’s just who they are, however, Jack never thinks of any of that in the ring.
Their family by blood might be messed up, but their wrestling family needs them. Ace confesses he wants to be scouted again but needs more input into his storylines. He never wants to get booed again. Jack promises he won’t.
By the time they step back inside, everyone’s made their way into Melanie’s hospital room. Ace watches from the doorway as Jack cradles the new baby. Crystal’s the last to arrive and Jack asks her to join them. He gently hands her the baby as everyone chuckles. (Crystal’s clearly not used to handling babies.)
It may just be a fleeting moment in time but for now the wrestling family is happy to be gathered together in celebration of Jim and Melanie’s new arrival.
Later that day Jack tells Staci he’s not going to sell. He believes everything will work out now that Ace is back in the fold.
Staci realizes this means he won’t be spending quality time with the family after all.
- Heels Season 1 Episode 1 “Kayfabe” Recap
- Heels Season 1 Episode 3 “Cheap Heat” Recap
- Heels Season 1 Episode 4 “Cutting Promos” Recap
- Heels Comic-Con@home Panel Recap and Video
