Look At Your Kind Face – As the episode opens, Gabriel “Gabe” explains to Claire (Sharon D. Clarke) how Andy (Fra Free) died after hitting his head. Jake struggles to concept and accept Andy’s death. She informs him that Gabriel “Gabe” (Sion Daniel Young) is sad and won’t be picking him up today. She says it will take time for them to decide his future. He tells her that he would like his toys returned to him before walking away. Claire suggests he believes she and Llinos (Mali Ann Rees) aren’t being truthful.
Llinos and Claire meet with Jackie (Elizabeth Berrington) to determine if she has spoken with Gabe. Jackie assures them that Gabe is capable of being a good parent. Llinos says he and Andy were approved as a couple, not as a single parent. It is decided that Gabe should be allotted several weeks to make up his mind about Jake.
While getting dressed for the funeral, Gabe has a flashback of Andy tying his tie. Sandra (Maria Doyle Kennedy) interrupts his thoughts and ties his tie. He stares at what appears to be drugs in a wine glass. She offers to move it but he refuses. Jake’s drawing hangs on the refrigerator door. Gabe regrets not marrying Andy and questions if he should speak with the coroner because the police have been useless. She asks if Jake will attend the funeral. He tells her that he needs to focus on the funeral. A short time later, they emerge from the house to find a group of drag queens dressed in funeral garb. Berwyn/Fanny Ample (Arwel Gruffydd) says they are there to walk with him to the chapel. Inside the hearse, Gabe looks back to Emrys (William Thomas). Berwyn escorts Emrys to the hearse. Emrys apologizes to Sandra and grasps Gabe’s hand.
Emrys tells Gabe that he was the same age as him with his wife, Gabe’s mother died. Gabe apologizes for his loss when Claire approaches and embraces Gabe. He asks about Jake. She says he is confused. A short time later, Gabe is having a smoke when he sees Emrys approaching and quickly drops the cigarette on the ground. Emrys looks uncomfortable when Gabe embraces him. He suggests it is best that he doesn’t adopt Jake. Surprised, Gabe assures him that the adoption will go forward and demands to know why he shouldn’t do it. Emrys says it would be extremely difficult for him to fix it without Andy.
Gabe leaves the pub intoxicated. He visits the scene of Andy’s death. He imagines seeing someone walking their dog rush up to check on Andy lying on the ground. At home, Gabe angrily empties the closet on his bed. Berwyn finds him distraught on the floor. In the bath, Gabe has a flashback of Andy washing his back covered in abrasions.
Gabe insists on Jake moving in with him soon. Jackie says the adoption papers must be amended because his situation has changed. She promises to do whatever she can to make sure that doesn’t happen. Llinos drops by to collect Jake’s toys. Intoxicated, Gabe takes selfies and uploads them to social media. HungDdy invites him to a party. They have sex and shoot drugs into their veins. At Neverland, Fanny Ample sings “Mad World.” Young Gabriel (Arthur Sion Evans) and teenage Gabriel (Dylan Malyn) sing the song. Back to the present, Gabe walks to Neverland where he collapses on the floor. Fanny Ample rushes over to check on him. Gabe imagines Jake is with him. Fanny Ample takes him to the emergency room. The physician asks about his most recent sex partner. Gabe denies knowing if the man was HIV-positive. A blood sample is collected. Upon leaving the hospital, Gabe mistakes a young boy for Jake.
At home, Gabe breaks down sobbing. He has a flashback of Andy and Jake together. He imagines Andy comforting him. Later, Jackie is concerned about how the adoption panel will take Gabe’s ER visit. He asks if his situation will be taken into consideration. She says it is about Jake who has been through much worse than him. She fears he will repeat the same mistake when life throws him another curveball while Jake is in his care. He vows to never let it happen again. She stresses the need to prove to Jake that he didn’t reject him. Surprised, Gabe asks if that is what Jake believes before realizing that he may no longer want him. Jackie assures him that Jake is too young to know what he needs.
Sandra warns Gabe that she would never forgive him if he didn’t try to adopt Jake. Berwyn assures him that they will be there for him and Jake. Later, Gabe records a video for Jake. He tosses all the alcohol in the house. Claire and Jake watch Gabe’s video.
During a therapy session, Gabe tells Sharon (Alexandria Riley) that he feels so good that he believes the grieving is past him. He suggests he is in the denial stage of grieving. When he returns for another therapy session, he expresses his anger toward the police for how they handled Andy’s case. He wants to “unintentionally” kill Andy’s assailant. He gradually passes through each phase of the grieving process. He is laughing again.
Claire finds Jake watching Gabe’s video. Jackie goes jogging and picks up baking. Impressed with his turnaround following Andy’s death, Jackie believes he is ready to speak to the panel. She says Jake has been asking for him.
Steve Thompson (Jason May) explains how the adoption panel works. He stresses the importance of the panel making the best decision for Gabe and Jake. Gabe admits to having doubts and has no way of knowing if adopting Jake is the right thing but he intends to love him. He boasts of his network of supporters who all love him and Jake. He says it may not be the wrong decision but it could also be the best thing to ever happen to them. After a stressful wait in the hallway, Gabe is called back to the meeting. Thompson informs him that it was a unanimous vote to approve the match. Jackie embraces him. Later, Gabe calls Emrys to tell him the news. When Emrys doesn’t respond, Gabe ends the call. Emrys calls him back as Jackie joins him in the car. She insists he meets Jake’s biological mother, Becky (Gwyneth Keyworth). Gabe is not keen on the idea but Jackie is persistent.
Becky expresses her anger at Llinos for not being late. She criticizes social workers in general. Jackie tells her that she is a social worker. Becky apologizes to Jackie but gives Llinos a piece of her mind when she eventually arrives. Gabe asks why she chose the name Jake. She claims to have liked Joseph in the musical but settled for Jake because it is a strong name. Gabe asks how she met Jake’s biological father, Liam. She says at a drum and bass club. Her happiest memory was when she held Jake for the first time and at that moment, she loved him more than anything and still loves him. Becky assures Gabe that she is okay with Jake being raised by a gay man. She stresses the importance of him having a support network. Becky’s feelings toward Gabe soften when he weeps while talking about Andy. She insists he shows Jake that it is okay to cry. She says he has a kind face. Gabe vows to take Jake on holiday. She asks if he will love Jake. Gabe assures her that he already does. She loves Jake and wants him to be happy. She says he takes after her. They take a photo together for Jake.
Emrys sends Jake a card welcoming him to the family. Claire watches as Jake and Gabe drive away as the episode ends.
Lost Boys & Fairies Review
After a brief relapse and grieving, Gabe is ready to go before the adoption panel. He tries to include Emrys in his decision to adopt Jake. Emrys is not ready to accept the idea of a gay man being an adoptive parent. In the end, he writes a welcome note in a greeting card for Jake.
The adoption panel approves Gabe and Jake’s match. Gabe meets Jake’s biological mother, Becky. He is calm while she is belligerent and anxious. She shows empathy toward him when he weeps for Andy. She loves Jake and never wanted to give him up for adoption. She finds solace in Gabe’s kind face.
The series ends with a not-so-fulfilling finale. The episode should have been dedicated to Gabe and Jake’s start of a new life together. Too much screen time is dedicated to showing gay men in an unsavory light. Gay men portrayed as degenerative, impulsive, unstable, and reckless is an unfair assessment of the gay community as a whole.
I found it a bit odd that there was hardly any interaction between Gabe and Jake. It could be that the producer felt it was a matter of little importance. Such scenes were cut from the script during the terrible editing.
The finale is a major disappointment and deserves a 5 out of 10. Get more Lost Boys & Fairies recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating. Learn how advertising with us can help build brand awareness. Join our newly established forum to discuss the latest TV shows and movies.
Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
