Nezir continues to coach Bling on getting his comedy up to snuff. He continues to practice on newby nights. He gets better and better, while he and Nezir become closer friends.
Does Aïssatou forgive Nezir?
Nezir gets revenge on Tifflot, the Talk Tonight host, for what he did to Aïssa, by giving him a plagiarized sketch to read on the show. Grinning, Aïssa tells him he’s crazy. But he says he doesn’t care; he wasn’t planning on staying there. With everything forgiven between them, Nezir and Aïssa party with Bling for the rest of the night. Later, Laurent breaks the news that Tifflot contacted the manager of The Olympia. They are now barring Nezir from opening for Aïssa. With all the progress Bling has been making, they decide to use him instead.
Does Apolline break up with Nezir?
Apolline and her mother continue to argue about her future. Her mom says it isn’t too late for her to go to London and continue her studies. Apolline becomes discouraged when Nezir tells her it will take years before she has her own show. But she wants to keep trying. It’s only when her mother has a nervous breakdown that Apolline starts listening to her. She thinks her mom’s distress is her own fault, so she agrees to go along with her mother’s plan for her life. Apolline leaves a voice message for Nezir to say that things are complicated. She says she has to focus on caring for her mother, so they should stop seeing each other. She doesn’t tell him that she plans to move to London.
Does Aïssatou get an abortion?
Although Vlad wants to have a baby, Aïssa decides to go through with the abortion before her show at the Olympia. After she takes the abortion pills, she curls up with stomach pain. Vlad holds her, joking about how annoying another child likely would have been.
Does Bling make it to The Olympia?
The night before his act at The Olympia, Bling plans to go to bed early. But his friends persuade him to go drinking with them, and he parties all night. He wakes up the next day in The Baconnets. Because of a transit strike, he can’t easily get back to Paris. Bling calls Nezir to say he’s on his way. He rents a scooter, but is pulled over by a cop. Aïssa insists Nezir open for her instead, which Laurent says will get them into trouble.
How does Standing Up Season 1 end?
Despite being unprepared, Nezir charms the crowd before Aïssa’s performance. Aïssa panics before she goes on, stating that everything has been moving too fast. Vlad stays with her, comforting her before she’s called onstage. Meanwhile, Corinne comforts Bling at the police station. Apolline, in a car with her mother and Victor, passes by the Olympia, where Nezir and Aïssa are standing outside after the event. Season 1 of Standing Up ends with Apolline getting out of the car, running toward Nezir, and calling his name.
The Episode Review
Standing Up wraps up its short season with a true-to-life representation of life in stand-up comedy, in keeping with the rest of the season. It’s this gritty realism, balanced by a light and easy-going tone, that makes this French drama so compelling. We see this especially in Bling and Aïssa’s arcs in this episode, as both face down challenging obstacles in their paths to success. For Bling, it’s falling into his own expectations of himself–that he can’t be good enough. For Aïssa, it’s relationships and responsibilities holding her back from everything she knows she can accomplish. Apolline’s arc with mother comes to the most disappointing conclusion, having ended before it could even begin. The most rewarding end of the season, however, is Nezir’s, whose humble charm embodies the life of the series. With this tangle of storylines behind, Standing Up concludes on a bittersweet note, leaving us curious (and a bit nervous) for where these four comics are heading next.
