Tamal Kundu
Created by Annabel Oakes, the Paramount+ series ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ is a prequel to the original ‘Grease’ film. Set in 1954, the musical romantic comedy series is set in 1954 and follows the four girls who form the Pink Ladies, the clique Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy Olsson is part of in the original film. According to the series creator, if the original film is an exploration of the 50s through the perspective of the 70s, the show is an exploration of both the 50s and the 70s through the perception of the 2020s.
In episode 3, titled ‘So This Is Rydell,’ after Jane (Marisa Davila) declares herself a candidate for the class president and the formal establishment of the Pink Ladies clique, the girls prepare for the election by hoping to win the upcoming debate between Jane and Buddy (Jason Schmidt). Meanwhile, Cynthia (Ari Notartomaso) joins the theatre club as part of Assistant Principal McGee’s (Jackie Hoffman) cruel and unusual punishment for the girls. Here is everything you might want to know about the ending of ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ episode 3. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 3 Recap
The episode introduces a new character to the forefront of the narrative. Hazel (Shanel Bailey) is a quiet, reclusive girl with big ideas. She will most likely play an important role in the plot in the coming episodes if her impressive debut is anything to go by. Like Jane, Hazel struggles to fit in, especially being a black girl in a predominantly white town.
As the focus shifts to Jane and her family, it seems that they are attending a gathering in the neighborhood, where a woman, not realizing that Jane’s mother is Puerto Rican, makes disparaging comments toward Latin American immigrants. The one good thing that comes out of the party is Jane meeting a man named Jim, who turns out to be the host of a local television talk show, and he seems genuinely interested in Jane’s campaign for the class president election.
At school, Asst. Principal McGee begins meting out the punishment she has promised the Pink Ladies. Jane has to perform the hall monitor duties and be loathed by the entire school, which is quite detrimental to her campaign. Meanwhile, Cynthia heads to the theater club and must learn the craft of acting — something she constantly ridicules.
With the debate between the two candidates rapidly approaching, candidates and their respective teams devote themselves to preparing for it. The problem is that Buddy and Jane find their platforms to be too constraining to reflect their ideas. While Jane has pretty much established herself as a candidate for change, Buddy is forced to represent the tradition of Rydell High, despite Jane wanting certain things to remain the same and Buddy realizing that some aspects of the school need to change.
One day, Jim comes to the school and offers Buddy and Jane the chance to have their debate on television. Realizing what that means, both candidates immediately agree. But facing constant arguments about assimilation from her mother, Jane performs poorly during the official debate.
At one point during the episode, Jane visits Olivia and Richie’s home and is introduced to the rest of the family. She makes plans with Olivia and dances with Richie before kissing the latter. Elsewhere, at school, Cynthia starts feuding with a theatre student and gives a believable performance just to that student that she can. Toward the end of the episode, Jane challenges Buddy to an impromptu rematch of their debate in a diner, and despite warnings from his campaign manager, Susan, he accepts. This time, things go horribly for Buddy. He not only loses the debate but also hurts himself by falling from a countertop.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 3 Ending: Who Will Win the Election?
As things stand now, despite certain setbacks on Buddy’s part, there is no clear frontrunner in the class president election. Given that Jane is the protagonist, one might think that she has the advantage, but this is only the first season, so again, either of them can win. For all the shortcomings of the series, and there are plenty of those, Oakes and her writers have evidently put much effort into the supporting characters, such as Buddy and Susan, and it is really paying off.
It is safe to presume that as the series progresses, the class presidential race will become further complicated, making it really tough for the audience to choose a side. But with how the story has developed until now in the show, Oakes and her team will opt for depicting Jane winning the election. We have to take into consideration that the series has received mixed reviews from both the critics and the general audience, so the chances of it getting a second season are not particularly high. If the creators have recorded more than one ending, they will probably prefer to give their viewers a sense of closure and depict Jane’s victory.
Will Hazel Become a Pink Lady or Join Buddy’s Team?
Hazel is a fascinating addition to the narrative of ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.’ Her observations help Jane immensely during her impromptu debate against Buddy, and Hazel genuinely thinks that most aspects of Jane’s platform are admirable. However, toward the end of the episode, it is revealed that Buddy and Hazel are immediate neighbors. Their interaction seems to help them understand each other.
As the narrative has spanned out until now, it is probably a safe bet to conclude that Hazel will join the Pink Ladies. But she has also begun to understand how earnest Buddy is when he is not forced to parrot his father’s political beliefs, so we can’t entirely rule out the possibility of her joining his team.
Read More: Is Rydell High a Real School? Where is it Located?
