Heels (Episode 7): Recap and Review—plus, a look ahead

We’re almost there, dear readers. Heels’ first season — which focuses on an independent professional wrestling promotion — is almost at a close. The final episode of the season is upon us, and this past Sunday, the boys and girls of Duffy have given us quite the lead-in to what is supposed to be one heck of a final showdown.

In this piece, we’ll be looking at episode 7 of Heels on Starz, taking a special look at what’s to come for the Duffy Wrestling League, and the family that was blessed, or cursed, to keep it afloat.

The episode undoubtedly gets 5 firm and solid DDTs out of 5, and if you read on, dear readers, you’ll understand why.

No one said it was going to be easy, and the show gave us what it promised us way back in the debut episode. The end result: one heck of a rollercoaster ride.

*As always, the article will have spoilers from all six previous episodes, but not of Episode 7

"“…As soon as you are able, woman, I am willin’To make the break that we are on the brink ofMy cup is on the table, our love is spillin’Waitin’ here for you to take a drink of…”Via Cronin Kevin Patrick /REO Speedwagon"

A review of what’s happened up until now

If you haven’t watched the first six episodes, I suggest you do. They are incredible, as I’ve been reviewing them here for Daily DDT from week to week. But if you haven’t seen them, or have and need a refresher, then here is a basic overview:

Jack Spade inherited the DWL (Duffy Wrestling League) from his father, who took his own life. The company was not doing well financially, and although we don’t know much about “King” Spade, Jack’s father, we see that the pressures of keeping the business afloat have gotten to Jack some, but he’s trying to manage as the episodes roll on.

A massive distraction is his brother, Ace, who sadly can’t seem to make the right decisions with his life. And there’s Jack, who is trying to keep it all together. At home, his wife refuses to understand why it’s important to him and presents another distraction.

"“…So if you’re tired of the same old storyOh, turn some pagesI’ll be here when you are readyTo roll with the changesYeah, yeah, whoo…”Via Cronin Kevin Patrick /REO Speedwagon"

Despite the turmoil, the promotion gets a chance to put on a show at the state fair — their biggest opportunity to date — and a massive Triple Threat main event is set up between Jack, Ace, and Wild Bill (a wrestler who wrestled with their dad back in the day).

All of this is happening while the FWD (Florida Wrestling Dystopia) is breathing down their neck, even pilfering talent from them.

Of course, it’s not that cut and dry, as the preceding episodes have been full of that aforementioned rollercoaster effect I mentioned earlier (emotion, great wrestling sequences, grit…), but that’s essentially where we’re at going into Episode 7.

Yes, it is a show about professional wrestling, but you can cut the drama with a knife, and that’s not meant to be negative. As an article published at Variety.com suggested in mid-August: it is undoubtedly a drama, after all, not a melodrama. The word ‘grit’ comes to mind, but grit with a powerful lesson about life.

What to expect from Episode 7

In Episode 6, Rooster was offered a spot at the FWD. Did he take the bait?

We also get a deeper look at the relationship between Jack and his father before old King Spade passed on. Was it as good as we thought it was, or were there serious issues that led to the problems we see now between Jack and Ace? And what about Ace’s inability to make decisions? Does that have anything to do with his father’s death?

"“…I knew it had to happen, felt the tables turnin’Got me through my darkest hourI heard the thunder clappin’, felt the desert burnin’Until you poured on me like a sweet sun shower…”Via Cronin Kevin Patrick /REO Speedwagon"

Jack is holding open tryouts for the fair, and a special entrant makes an appearance to try out.

If Charlie Gully of the FWD landed Rooster, who else can he get to betray Jack and the DWL before the state fair show? Can it even possibly be his own brother, Ace?

The decisions of many of these characters we’ve grown to care for are starting to take their toll, but is there a chance to turn it all around? Or will it all end before Jack’s opportunity to make something of this league that was thrown into his hands?

Want answers to these questions? Watch the show, folks. It’s just about an hour of your day that will not be wasted, I assure you.

So, as said at the start of this piece, the show isn’t easy to digest at times, but man, do they have a powerful story here: family (not always what it’s cracked up to be), betrayal, love, hate, big business, death, lack of support from the people who are supposed to care for you, moving on, addiction, bad decisions, and having just to keep on carrying on, no matter what the heck you’ve got going on.

The nature of the beast, as they say. It’s all in every single episode of Heels, very much like in life. So, as the song that ran through Episode 7, like a theme to the unfolding story (lyrics I’ve included here in this piece for you, dear readers), by REO Speedwagon says…

"“Oh you know, you know, you knowYou got to (keep on rollin’)…”Via Cronin Kevin Patrick /REO Speedwagon"

Yes, dear readers. “Keep on rolling,” indeed.