Dhruv Trivedi
‘Physical’ is a glitzy homage to the spandex-clad 80s in sunny California and centers on the unfulfilled housewife and former hippy goddess Sheila. In episode 4, we find the rookie aerobics teacher gaining confidence in her classes and also standing up to her boorish husband, Danny. Not scared anymore about ordering him to take care of their daughter while she steps out, Sheila seems to have a plan in the works involving a stolen video camera. We also see her, for the first time, successfully fend off one of her junk food benders after catching a glimpse of her reflection. A lot goes down in episode 4, which is aptly titled ‘Let’s Get This Party Started.’ Let’s take a closer look at it. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Physical Episode 4 Recap
Episode 4 opens with Sheila leaving Danny at home with their daughter Maya to keep her appointment with her wealthy friend Greta who needs help losing weight and gaining confidence. Despite wise words and gentle cajoling, the severely underconfident Greta cannot get herself to exercise. An empathetic yet irritated Sheila then makes off with one of Greta’s husband’s (Ernie) many video cameras, telling herself that someone as rich as him probably won’t notice that it’s missing.
Upon returning home, she finds that her husband has recruited their seedy friend from the old days, Jerry Goldman, to be his campaign manager. The two men proceed to go on a bender whilst the frustrated Sheila tolerates their mess and loud voices. The next night, Danny gets convinced by Jerry, who scoffs at anyone with wealth, to delay going to an important fundraiser.
Sheila ends up at the event alone but manages to convince many of the wealthy contributors there to donate to her husband’s campaign. Meanwhile, Danny and Jerry run into some college students on the beach and get pulled into their celebrations. Sheila returns home from the fundraiser to find her house hosting a messy, full-blown, half-clothed party with her husband at the center of it.
Physical Episode 4 Ending: What is Sheila Planning to do With the Video Camera?
The frustrated wife, already livid at having to attend the fundraiser alone, shuts down the party and confronts her inebriated husband. Danny is soon able to calm her down by promising to clean up his act. The next morning, however, he is back to his belligerent and pompous self, along with his friend Jerry who taunts Sheila for having rich parents. When Danny orders her to make them coffee, she finally cracks and walks out of the house, leaving a confused Danny behind. She then takes the stolen video camera to Bunny’s boyfriend Tyler, who initially thinks it’s to make Danny’s campaign video. Sheila, however, tells him to forget the campaign and that she’s here to make a fortune instead.
So it seems like Sheila has some plans up her sleeve for that camera. In all probability, she has finally hit upon her “unicorn” idea of making aerobics tapes and is about to embark on the journey that makes her the home video workout celebrity we catch a glimpse of at the beginning of the show. We see multiple scenarios throughout the episode that depict how Sheila eventually arrives at the idea.
Her stealing the video camera at the beginning of the episode initially seems to be motivated by the campaign video she wants to help Danny make. However, after Danny brings the lecherous Jerry on board and then misses the fundraising event, it seems like Sheila has begun to give up on her husband’s vision for public office. She, therefore, decides to put the expensive camera to better use. She also gets a subtle nudge from Greta’s husband Ernie, who compliments her fund-raising skills and unwittingly supports her idea of monetizing aerobics tapes.
Possibly the most dramatic and clear indication of Sheila’s intentions occurs when she catches a reflection herself on the static television screen as she undresses to embark on another eating binge. Seeing her reflection on the television gives our leading lady pause, and we see her subsequently give the junk food to Tyler instead of eating it. Seeing her reflection on television and being able to control her binge-eating ties into the overall arc of the show as well, which follows Sheila overcoming her mid-life frustration by building an empire funded by aerobics videos.
What is Going On Between Sheila and the Real Estate Developer John Breem?
Sheila and the real estate developer John Breem, who owns large chunks of seaside real estate, including the mall that Sheila teaches her aerobics classes in, seem to have a dynamic that is slowly developing. Initially seen to be fundamental opponents as Sheila and her husband bemoan the destruction of the coastline by property builders and Danny subsequently decides to run on the platform of “Save the Wave,” we see Sheila and Breem share a quiet moment alone on the beach during the fundraiser.
Though both of them leave the encounter confused, with Sheila wondering why Breem would talk to her and the real estate mogul surprised by how closely Sheila follows his announcements, there is undoubtedly curiosity building up on both sides. This is also not the first time that a potential connection between the two has been hinted at, as Breem is seen approaching and briefly talking to Sheila in an earlier episode.
Sheila is also seen briefly checking out Breem’s physique, hinting at some interesting dynamics between the two in the future. The two of them, given their polar opposite ideals and the fact that Danny is essentially running a campaign against developers like Breem, promises to make the Breem-Sheila story arc all the more intriguing.
Read More: Where is Physical Filmed?
