[For Mozart in the Jungle “It All Depends on You” or any other recaps on Fetchland, assume the presence of possible spoilers.]
Amazon.com Summary:
It All Depends on You. For Mozart in the Jungle Episode “It All Depends on You” Rodrigo gets evicted, Hailey thinks about her future, and some musicians get heated.
Episode three, “It All Depends on You,” is titled ironically. Many people think they know what ironic means, including Alanis Morissette, but many people are wrong. The true definition of ironic is “happening in the the opposite way of what is expected” which actually has nothing to do with coincidence or cuteness, the oft-cited but still incorrect usage of the word irony. So, in an ironic twist, the episode is titled, “It All Depends on You,” but then the events in the episode revolve around characters quickly and easily being replaced, often to their great dismay. Turns out it didn’t all depend on them and we could all learn a thing or two from that Beyonce song and just accept that nobody is Irreplaceable after all.
We open on Rodrigo waking up after the night of his drum circle debauchery with some consequences to face. Turns out last night’s loud cries of passion may have just been the last straw for his free ride in the apartment of our dreams. The building manager tells Rodrigo it’s time to go and he’s fine with it. One thing that’s lovely about his character, he knows how to go with the flow of life. So, Gloria takes him in because she’s got plenty of room in her townhouse and, as head of the orchestral board, she’s kinda like his caretaker. When he comes over Rodrigo hears Gloria singing in the shower and (seeing as how she’s Bernadette Peters) he’s captivated by her gorgeous voice. He tells her she must get back into singing for an audience again because, “We are notes in this beautiful concert of existence. If we don’t play ourselves, nobody will,” which, luckily, inspires Gloria as much as it does us.
Meanwhile Hailey also gets inspired when she visits a famous old oboist that Bradford interviews for his classical music podcast. The oboist tells Hailey she can’t be so shy if she wants to be first chair, she’s got to be a showoff – a prima donna. Essentially he gives her exactly the same advice that Rodrigo just gave Gloria. Hailey’s inspired by it and even tells Lizzie maybe it’s time to get her own apartment so Lizzie and Bradford can play house while Hailey has adventures.
Back at the symphony there’s another changing of the guard at hand because their appointed guest conductor has just unexpectedly died and will need to be replaced pronto. So, Rodrigo sends condolences and then discusses potential replacements but isn’t at all pleased with Pembridge’s first choice. It’s Lennox, a hot young prodigy that people say, “can conduct all night long,” and has the same bad boy reputation Rodrigo did when he began conducting for the NY Symphony. Rodrigo’s clearly intimidated at the prospect of being replaced. Then it immediately gets worse when he encounters Lennox conducting his orchestra in Beethoven’s fifth, a baby strapped to his back, cause he’s cool like that. Lennox immediately tells Rodrigo and Pembridge they’re two of his idols “from the older generation,” … the horror. But everybody pretends to like each other, except the baby. It’s the first ever to not be in love with Rodrigo. A real blow to his RodrEGO.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the only disappointment for Rodrigo because later he goes to the park and finds his symphony playing the softball he forbade. Hailey sees him hiding in the trees and walks over. She asks why he’s spying when he could just come on the field and stop them. Rodrigo says he got conflicted because the game was getting so good. Then they stand awkwardly, arms crossed and he asks about her oboe practice. Good good, it’s going really well, she says. Rodrigo snarks that he’s glad she’s not getting distracted by “social distractions” and Hailey says, “Like donor events?” and then points out that he told her the falcon must take wing and she’s the falcon. He asks what she’s talking about and she says he knows and what’s he talking about? Then they have the hilarious back and forth, “I’m talking about what I’m talking about,” followed by her responding, “I don’t think you are because we never talk about what we’re talking about,” which does indeed seem to be the case. But before they can reach any clarity there’s an accident on the field with Betty, the first chair oboist. Her finger appears to be broken and she won’t be able to play for awhile. “Hope you’ve got your passport in order because it looks like you’ll be going to Mexico,” Betty says to Hailey. Thus, the episode concludes with yet another unexpected changing of the guard. There was a lot of change packed into this one but it all gets kicked into even higher gear soon when they finally go to Mexico. Yes that’s right, Rodrigo goes home.
–Katherine Recap
