The second episode of Physical Season 3 had Sheila finally talking about the sexual assault she faced as a teenager at the hands of a close family acquaintance, and it gave her a sense of relief to share this with women she hardly knew. Sheila was also successful in finding a weekly spot on a morning talk show, which she knows is her first step towards becoming a known television personality.
Spoilers Ahead
Sheila gets an endorsement deal
With Sheila and Greta on the path to becoming a duo to watch out for, there is nothing that could stop them from achieving success. Sheila is gaining a lot of traction from the morning show segment, and it is helping her gain plenty of attention. Unfortunately, the projection of Kelly never leaves her behind. She constantly discourages or disses her for being an underachiever. The projection that comes to her from time to time implies that she still feels under confident about herself, and there are many other aspects of her life she still isn’t satisfied with. This hints at the fact that Sheila will probably never be satisfied with herself or her surroundings. She always faces the rude Kelly whenever she is alone or around people she does not know that well. The projection disappears whenever she is around Greta or her support group. She probably finds herself in a safe space while surrounded by these women, who always support her in being a better version of herself. Sheila has a truckload of issues, and an identity crisis is one of them because she is still a different person to many outside her home and a real person when talking to herself.
Greta shares the good news of having been approached by a regional diet food brand, who want Sheila to be their brand ambassador. Her fitness guru avatar is what drew the brand to her. Before they start any work with their diet cookies, they ask a pertinent question about her favorite flavor. Her rampant bulimia and unwillingness to eat as much food stop her from answering because it has been a while since she has tasted good food. Her body image issues were responsible for her erratic food habits, which is why it is difficult for her to answer their questions. The world only knows her as an up-and-coming aerobics instructor and not as a sick individual who has a lot of issues.
John and Mary discord
Since John’s big reveal about the affair with Sheila, Mary has finally started to snap back at him, and it seems as if she is done play acting being a dressed-up doll who never has any emotions. Her vandalism and constant arguments with John puts a light on how everyone forgot about the real her, especially her husband. Mary wanted to break out, but so far, there has been no discussion on divorce as such. Mary also loses her mind when John is discussing a potential business associate. The squabbles between the two have not been well elaborated, for only in the last season was Mary the dedicated wife, and it felt as if the sudden change in their dynamics left the audience baffled and wanting the right kind of answers from the screenplay. When John accuses his wife of losing a business contract, she does not think twice before reminding him of his misdeeds and why it was tough for her to accept it with a straight face. She implies that he never made her life easy, which makes it hard for her to be herself. Hopefully, Mary will receive the closure she deserves by the end of Physical Season 3.
Danny’s Dilemma
As Sheila is having her regular support group sessions, Danny runs into them, and he is taken aback by this different activity his ex-wife has taken up, and he is appalled to witness how different Sheila seems to him. Sheila has a plan for him to keep him at bay so that he does not reveal the secret sessions she does with women who face similar health-related issues. Danny is put on parental duty to take care of their daughter when she is busy expanding her business. Danny comes from an era where he feels he is not obligated to take care of his child. He takes up the duties but is very quick to understand that he is not cut out for parenting. Danny also comes across the idea of pursuing running, which might help garner attention for his social cause. Danny, at this point, has no goal as such, and he is desperately looking for one.
Why does Sheila finally decide to taste the cookie?
Sheila has a tough time trudging between finding a taste for herself, and along with listening to Kelly constantly put her down and never using a word of encouragement to help Sheila conclude making a decision on her own. Kelly showing up at random instances is nothing but Sheila allowing her mind to play with her self-confidence and questioning every decision she makes. Kelly chides Sheila for not understanding what food tastes like and having no idea about any of the palettes because of her health issues. It has been years since Sheila subjected her mind and body to bad food intake habits, and it’s all been in the name of maintaining a proper body, but she forgot how it affected her mentally. Kelly is a manifestation of all that; it comes out in the most deranged hours.
As Sheila heads to a local restaurant to try the different kinds of food available on the menu, she finds it difficult to choose because she has never consumed any of them in the right way, and in her mind, food is the enemy. The show did a good job of showcasing how eating disorders affect not only young girls but middle-aged women as well, who are expected to remain pretty and in shape without realizing how much it affects their mental health and body in the long run. Sheila is quick to dismiss the idea of dining at this place when she is stopped by Carlos, who charms her with his love for food. The man comes across as the produce man for the restaurant, and he is one of the first people who made her eat, which is an achievement. Despite her resistance, she is drawn to this man for some reason because he comes across as honest, something she never found in Danny. Danny was selfish and dishonest throughout. Ever since the divorce, Sheila has appreciated candor. She reveals the same to Greta as well, who is more than excited to see Sheila putting herself out there and finding a potential man who is sincere about being himself. Her conversation with him changed her perspective, and she was finally able to choose chocolate as her favorite diet cookie. Along with Greta, they finalized the endorsement deal. This collaboration will change the face of not just the brand but also Sheila, for it is her first step towards success.
Greta is elated to share the news of the brand-new deal, but Ernie is not as excited as she expected. It could be because he is not comfortable seeing her success in the same business he has invested in. A typical male chauvinistic narcissist husband who is never happy with his wife’s small successes Greta, sensing his discontentment, politely asks him to back down from the business, which further antagonizes him. Ernie suddenly feels irrelevant, but it is his insecurity that leads to this reaction. Greta honestly deserves better, and she is probably on the right path from here on.
Episode 3 of Physical Season 3 ends with Sheila finally deciding to go on a date with Carlos, and even with Kelly’s projections constantly demoralizing her at every step, she goes against all her judgment and invites him over to her place instead of heading for dinner at a restaurant. Is this the end of Kelly in Sheila’s life? Probably not, but slowly she will learn to get rid of her. Her date with Carlos will also pave the way for the healthier relationship she is looking for. Sheila has never felt happy in a long time, and hopefully, things will go as she wishes.
