Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Dom agrees to the arranged marriage

Luke and George return to school. Joey has to grapple with unsatisfying results from her rape case in Grand Army Episode 8.

Grand Army Episode 8 opens with Spirit Day at Grand Army High. Spirit Day is a celebration of all things the ’90s (or ’80s? Saved by the Bell is an amalgamation of both). Luke and George are back at school and come dressed as characters from the sitcom, along with Anna dressing as Kelly Kapowski. Only Tim isn’t the mood for their hijinks. He looks terrible. Something tells me the guilt of not helping Joey is weighing heavily on him.

During a meeting with her attorney, Joey expresses her frustrations at the fact her case will not be moving forward. She wants to go to trial and let the jury decide who is telling the truth, but the defense will utilize the videos of her playing with the sex toy in the car and her reputation against her. Joey says she wants to fight back, but then she gets a vision of what Tim, Luke and George might have said about her in their statements.

Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Sid stands up to his parents.

Things are tense at home between Sid and his parents. When someone calls out sick at the family restaurant, Sid’s father discusses calling in a replacement as Sid repeatedly interrupts to volunteer as a host. They ignore him until Sid makes a pointed comment. His father claims they don’t want him to work there with his face covered in bruises from his fight with Orlov. “I don’t think it’s my face you’re worried about.”

Later, Flo comes over. “I’m trying to understand, but I have questions.” It’s the first time they’ve really talked since he was outed. Despite everything, Flo wants to be there for Sid because she loves him, even though she’s still angry that he used her. Sid explains how being with her made him feel normal. “You made me feel like who I wanted to be.”

He also admits to fooling around with a guy while they were together. Sid apologizes to Flo, but she leaves with things still unresolved between them.

Despite his parent’s wishes for him to stay home, Sid goes to the restaurant anyway to help. They’re not happy, but Sid finally stands up to them. He’s gay! It’s who he is and he can’t change that. They’re going to have to learn to accept it.

Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Jay has to decide what’s more important to him.

Jay is struggling to find his “sound” ahead of All-State, likely a case of nerves combined with guilt over taking Owen’s place. His teacher advises him to do some soul-searching. In the meantime, he mocks the fact that everyone in the school is dressing up in clothes from the ’80s, but can’t show enthusiasm for the sit-in he wants to organize on Owen’s behalf.

Dom is quick to point out that Jay hardly knew much about the history of Black protests until a few days ago, many students at the school don’t know Owen’s situation. Sonia advises him to make the issue more relatable on a wider scale: Black kids aren’t safe on campus.

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While practicing near the plaza, Jay meets a couple of teenagers his age who stop to listen to him play. He smokes weed with them and tells him the truth about his All-State performance and taking Owen’s spot. They call him cold for that, and it gets him thinking.

That night, while enjoying dinner and a performance at what I presume is a local jazz club, Owen tells his dad the truth. He also tells him about his sit-in plans to protest what happened to Owen. His dad doesn’t think it’s a good idea, especially because it’s scheduled the day before All-State. Why risk his future?

Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Dom accepts the marriage arrangement.

During lunch, Dom panics when she realizes she forgot an AP US History test is scheduled for next period. She rushes off to cram and John catches up to her. After witnessing the awkward meeting at Dom’s house the night before, he tries to help by offering her $300.

Pride severely wounded, Dom rejects his offer and harshly berates him for thinking she needs to be “saved.” John tells her not to bother trying to call him later. “I don’t need this s–t.” Moments later, Dom gets a text from Ronald (the marriage candidate), expressing what a nice time he had last night.

In class, Dom makes a big mistake by attempting to cheat on her exam. Her teacher catches her and tells her that it’s grounds for expulsion. This isn’t like Dom, and he knows it. Because of her previous academic history and good standing as a student, he decides to fail her. It sucks but at least she won’t be expelled.

The stress is seriously getting to Dom. She vents some of her frustration on the owner of the local beauty store where she buys her supplies and then reveals the truth to her friends. Her mom wants her to marry her aunt’s nephew so he can get his green card in exchange for the $10,000. Her friends are shocked that she would consider doing it, but Dom is desperate and reaching her breaking point.

When Dom gets home, she tells her mom and sister that she’ll go through with the marriage — under one condition. Some of the money has to go toward college.

Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Leila feels lost and confused about her identity.

Leila is still being bullied by the other Chinese girls in her class. One of them makes a snide comment about her “rapist boyfriend” George being back in school. On top of that, Leila’s teacher gives her a check minus on her assignment regarding Jewish groups in China. When Leila asks her to elaborate, her teacher says she needs to find a personal connection to the assignment.

As we know, Leila has been struggling with understanding her identity, both as a teenager navigating adolescence and as an adopted kid. Some good news though, Omar lets her know they need her to fill in for Kira in The Vagina Monologues performance. But Leila fails to impress Meera at rehearsal. “Leila you have an emotional wall up.”

Meera tells Omar that Leila isn’t strong enough, they need to use someone else. Dismissed, Leila throws her necklace and rips down one of the play posters in the hallway. Then she quickly gathered the evidence of her destruction and storms off, flicking the auditorium off as she goes.

She later meets with Rabbi Sadie again and expresses her discontent. No one has accepted her apologies and she wants a quick fix. Sadie points out that while she’s happy to have these conversations, she’s not a therapist. She recommends that Leila start attending services, it’s not want Leila wants to hear. When Sadie leaves to take a phone call, Leila lashes out by stealing Sadie’s wrap.

While walking along the New York streets, Leila’s mom almost bumps into an elderly Chinese woman and starts to laugh. It bothers Leila and she lets some of her insecurities and doubts spill over. Who is she, really? Why did her parents take her from a foreign country and bring her to the US? She feels like she’s living the child they couldn’t have’s life, and she doesn’t know who she is. It seems like everyone is laughing at her.

“There’s no way to mask how f–ked up you all are. So you need to be destroyed,” says the typed manifesto.

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All nine episodes of Grand Army Season 1 are now streaming on Netflix.

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‘Grand Army’ recap: Episode 8, ‘Spirit Day’

By Mads Lennon | Oct 20, 2020

Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Sid stands up to his parents.

Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Jay has to decide what’s more important to him.

Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Dom accepts the marriage arrangement.

Grand Army Episode 8 recap: Leila feels lost and confused about her identity.