“Crashing” Season 3: “The Christian Tour” Recap & Review

posted March 12, 2019 in Arts & Entertainment by Zach Hall.

Another week, another new episode of “Crashing.”

Season three has put Pete through a great deal in terms of his relationship and career, and with only two episodes left these story threads are approaching their climax. In the penultimate episode “The Christian Tour,” Pete has to come to terms with his career trajectory and his relationship with Kat, as tough as it may be. As always, if you are not all caught up with “Crashing,” proceed with caution as there will be spoilers ahead.

Throughout the season, Pete has had two primary story arcs. The first being Pete moving from his breakup with Ali to a new, much more intense relationship with Kat. The second being Pete’s career as a comedian, or better put, Pete’s struggle to be himself onstage and be successful at the same time. Both of these story threads have been built up over the last six episodes and come to a head in “The Christian Tour.”

The episode follows Pete on the “Good Faith Variety Tour.” Pete Holmes has been critical of Christian comedy in real life but ultimately respectful. This episode reflects Pete’s real-life views on the religious circuit perfectly. During Pete’s first performance, he kept his material very clean and very Christian. However, it is clear after the show that Pete did not read his contract as closely as he should have. It was here where Pete discovers how clean his act really needs to be.

Pete feels conflicted about this. On one hand, he gets paid a grand for every show that he performs and is surrounding by other performers that he enjoys to spend time with. Pete understands that this tour is an excellent gig but cannot quite accept the fact that he is not able to be his authentic self onstage. Pete tells his friend and fellow comedian Jessica Kirson that he feels like he is “selling out,” to which she reassuringly tells him that as long as he is making money and is happy, all is good. She also leaves him with a piece of advice is “make sure you’re not funnier off stage then you are on stage.”    

This resonates with Pete. He knows for a fact that he is way funnier than the extremely tame religious material he is performing on tour. Despite making good money, Pete cannot go on like this. During his next set, Pete decides to be himself. His material is still centered around the Bible but is openly critical of it versus blindly reassuring. The audience loved it, but the women who booked him did not. Pete is subsequently fired off the tour but is glad that he can go back to New York and perform the type of comedy right for him.

Throughout Pete’s time on tour, he was in little contact with Kat. Following their explosive fight in the last episode, Pete and Kat’s relationship is in a free fall. Pete broke up with Kat over text while on tour which infuriated Kat. The two do not actually talk while Pete is on tour, that is until he is fired from the tour and makes his way back to New York.

The two meet at a bar for what Kat has labeled an “exit interview.” Kat tasks Pete with explaining why he thinks the relationship should end, to which he is as honest as he can be. He tells her much of what he told Ali in the last episode, that she deserves someone as complex as her and that he is “in over his head.” Kat sees this as a cop out, telling Pete that he “used her” and that she “dodged a bullet.” Pete does not have a good response for this, so the “exit interview” ends and Kat storms off. Pete knew the relationship could not go on any further, but is understandably hurt in thinking he was “using” Kat. Even if he was doing so subconsciously, Pete is taken aback by the realization that she might be right.

At this point in the season, Pete is in an interesting spot. The Relationship-Pete thought was going great turned out to be a disaster and his comedy career in New York is not much different than it was at the beginning of the season after getting denied from The Comedy Cellar. Pete had a great gig that paid great money but ultimately could not continue because it was too compromising to his comedy integrity. Pete made decisions in “The Christian Tour” that were for the best, but these decisions put him right back where he was at the beginning of the season.

In the season finale, Pete is asked to headline for John Mulaney. The twist is, however, John meant Ben Holmes and not Pete. It will be interesting to see if Pete can control the situation and turn it into a huge opportunity for his career, or let the pressure become too much and crash. Check back next week to read a full recap of the finale and the season as a whole.

 


Zach Hall is a senior majoring in Broadcast Journalism. To contact him, email zth5043@psu.edu.