The Ballad of Jesse Wheeler
Episode 3 of The Premise begins at Victory High School as Jesse Wheeler returns to where he studied. He’s a bona-fide popstar and returns to make good on his promise to donate $1 million for a new library. When this announcement receives zero cheers though, he spices things up with an all-expense-paid trip to his next concert for the student who becomes the school’s valedictorian. And after touring his mansion? Well, he’ll make love to them. This announcement obviously causes shockwaves, as the students hurry out the hall to go and study. After a rousing round of applause of course. Jesse’s manager worries that this is sending the wrong message out and warns Jesse not to get ahead of himself. Given there’s a religious schoolboard in charge, and Jesse is oblivious to the moral ambiguity here, this situation is just waiting to blow up. One of the students, Abbi Miller, begins to challenge the established order in the wake of this competition. She speaks up in class, discussing the “white savour” trope that Jesse Wheeler has offered himself up as. This is particularly amusing given Abbi is the one who actually wins the competition. Caleb manages to get an A+ on his history project preceding this but it’s Abbi that blows the competition away. She manages to create a VR video about the future of history. When Abbi arrives at Jesse’s mansion, they take some time away to discuss school and how Abbi has memories of him from before. Jesse used to be rebellious in school just like Abbi but along the way he grew up and changed. The whole reason Abbi was so dead-set on becoming a valedictorian was so she could speak to him about this, and in particular their shared memories as kids. Before we see what they actually did together, the scene cuts to show Abbi back at school, accepting her prize and confirming that she did sleep with Jesse. As the crowd erupts into applause and woops, she gives two middle fingers to the world.
The Episode Review
The Premise returns this week with a provocative episode, one that hones in on the education system and how sex can be used in a perverse way to incentivize and motivate people. The entire episode is designed to shock and stimulate conversations about this, with Jesse Wheeler doing a good job encompassing the traits of a “real” pop-star who used to be a rebel just like Abbi. While there isn’t a lot of depth to the supporting characters, a part of me wishes that Caleb actually won the contest. It would have added something a little different to the story and included a slight edge to what’s otherwise a pretty straightforward angle toward the end. Although we’re told at the end that Abbi slept with Jesse, we don’t actually see them kiss or anything. Given how they were both sitting at the pool, a part of me would like to believe they didn’t do anything and she’s just lying as her own persona F-U to the school and hierarchy. Although the episode isn’t as hard-hitting or dramatic as what we’ve seen last week, there’s enough here to deliver a pretty enjoyable chapter certainly does its job of shocking its audience.
