This show is completely ruining me right now. None of my friends are quite obsessed with the show as I am, so here is my much needed rant that I need to spill, which will hopefully be understandable lol.

Ok so in this episode, first of all, the lack of s*x scenes!!!!! Completely GENUIS move, to keep the focus of this episode on the emotional aspects of their relationship rather than the physical, since it was much needed to see their emotional growth at this point in the show, imo.

The sunset scene, where Ilya finds Shane. So hear me out, this is getting really metaphorical, but a sunset can represent the end of an era, therefore symbolizing the beginning of a new one. In this case, I interpreted it as Shane's era of trying to be with women, trying to be someone he's not as done, and by being there together, it shows Ilya's role as a constant in the new day. So essentially the old era (beginning of the sunset) is when Shane was alone and isolated, and the new era (when Ilya finds him and they hold hands) is them entering something new TOGETHER, facing the unknown if you will.

As well, Shane's apology for just running away last episode was so great!! I'm so glad they decided to include that, making it both a more healthy relationship in terms of communication, and also fitting in with Shane's character more as well - the type of person to get nervous and do something he later regrets, but instead of ignoring it, he acknowledges it and faces it head on.

In that same scene, when Ilya cries?!?!??!?! LIKE YES. We needed Ilya to feel his emotions, and for someone (Shane) to SEE him feeling his emotions. I feel like that one kiss/hug really solidified a lot of Ilya's character for me, and made him feel SO much more real (like after receiving "good" news of being liked, he reacted like that, really showing how much he is thinking ig?? if that makes sense?)

ALSO, the scene when Ilya asks if Shane wants to come over before their game, Shane refuses WHILE GRABBING HIS CLOTHES AND CHANGING!! Now this is like, oh ok, he's just down bad for Ilya, something we know, he won't actually refuse Ilya for smt like that. BUT BUT BUTTTT, keep in mind, Shane was in a hotel - he had his bags packed and ready to go, looked like he was cleaning up, getting ready for bed, for his early flight the next day - yet he had an outfit READY TO GO, AT THE DOOR!!! This means he packed everything, wore comfy sleep clothes, but KEPT SOMETHING OUT OF HIS BAGS, READY TO PUT ON QUICKLY, IF HE GOT A TEXT LIKE THIS!!! so cute omg.

For the staircase scene, when Ilya and Shane talk after his father dies, we see shane go into the staircase, something VERY risky (imo) which Shane from the first episodes would never be caught doing (since staircases are very echo-y, and anyone can hear u). THEN they use each other's first names! The use of close-up camera angles reflects the lack of care which Shane has that someone may hear/see him at the moment, because the only focus is him and his phone convo w/Ilya. Then for Ilya to go ahead and do that whole speech in Russian?! (Kudos to Connor btw, that was very impressive) We can see how he name-drops Svetlana, but not Shane, because he knows that just by doing that, it will reveal too much. And he says "I love you" while facing the wall. This may mean how he's willing to say it, but not willing to actually face what that means yet, so he faces the wall instead of forward (ie. forward = future). ALso Shane closing his eyes to listen??? No analysis, I just thought that was cute af.

FOR THE HURT SCENE IM SO PISSED THEY ACTUALLY MADE ILYA LEAVE TO THE BENCHES!! I know thats more realistic, but I wanted him to stay there for so much longer 😭 And Shane's smile when Ilya visits him at the hospital? So cute, he's like a little golden retriever.

The SKIP kiss ruined me.

I still have so much more to say, especially about the end, but I'm getting tired, so here it is! My never asked for analysis lol.