Everyone enjoys a frolic on the beach. In episode 5 of The Avenue, ‘everyone’ includes amateur videographers, alleged drug addicts, possible lesbians, and boys who dress like girls. The beach at Toronto Island: the city’s most inclusive playground. Gregory makes the wise decision to wear hot pink heels in the sand, because comfortable footwear on the beach is paramount. It proves to be the only good decision he makes on the beach, because in this episode Gregory learns a harsh lesson about money and friends. Dun, dun, dunnnnn!
Gregory has fully recovered from his gay bashing of yesterday. After such an ordeal, it is important to relax, unwind, and catch up with your best friends. For some reason, the gang separates on the sand, and everyone pairs up. First up, Gregory and Rachel. A lot of sitting happens. There’s an apology and Gregory tells Rachel that he doesn’t hate her, and he wouldn’t be hanging out if he did. Then Rachel tries to lick a rock because it reminds her of a Cadbury mini egg. Typical drug addict behaviour. Then Gregory spends most of his time reflecting on what he calls Claire and Arta’s date (they are dating, you see, because the two are sitting next to each other on the sand).
It’s interesting that an out-and-proud gay man like Gregory would make quick generalizations about two female friends on the beach, but that’s the reality of the show. Soon after a gay bash, Gregory is back to his typical, vapid self. And then there’s Clarta (Claire + Arta, duh)–the two spend a nice day on the beach, with Claire probing Arta about her work, and whether or not she can visit her on the job. Apparently Claire wants to be a journalist now–much in the same way that Rachel wants to be a model (in that, they have no credentials and have not once spoke of these wishes once ever).
Ultimately, this episode builds up to Rachel chasing away seagulls, asking Gregory for money for drugs (actually, a “car payment” she doesn’t have the money for “right now”) and then yelling at Gregory for telling Claire that Rachel was asking for money for drugs (“car payment”). For some reason, Arta’s possibly-gay friend Patrick awkwardly tries to record the whole argument which makes no sense at all, and frankly it should have been cut from the episode. And just when I thought Patrick was the only attractive guy on the show. Sorry, you bother me now.
Stay tuned for more lesbians and drugs.
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Kevin Naulls is a Toronto-based writer and former editor of The Goods and The Hype at Torontolife.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevinjn.
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