Ep 8. Bubble House

David Makes Man season 1 episode 8, titled "Bubble House," is a deeply emotional episode that will tug at your heartstrings. The series follows the journey of David, a 14-year-old African American boy who struggles with poverty, trauma, and his own identity. In this episode, David's world is turned upside down when he receives devastating news about someone he loves.

The episode explores the theme of loss and how it affects different people in different ways. David's friend Seren, who has been staying with him and his mother, is devastated by the news and retreats into himself. David's mother, Gloria, tries to offer comfort, but she is also struggling to process her grief. Meanwhile, David's mentor, Dr. Woods-Trap, tries to help David cope with his own feelings of sadness and confusion.

The title of the episode, "Bubble House," refers to a structure that David and Seren build in the woods as a place to escape from their problems. It's a metaphor for the way we all create our own mental and emotional bubbles to protect ourselves from the outside world. But as the characters in the show discover, those bubbles can only protect us for so long before they inevitably burst.

One of the most poignant scenes in the episode involves David and Dr. Woods-Trap talking about the nature of grief. David is struggling to understand why he doesn't feel the way he thinks he should feel, and Dr. Woods-Trap explains that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. He tells David that grief is like a sore that never fully heals, but over time it becomes less painful and easier to live with.

In addition to its exploration of grief, "Bubble House" also delves into some of the broader social issues that are affecting David's community. When David visits his father in prison, he is confronted with the harsh reality of the prison industrial complex and the way it perpetuates cycles of poverty and violence. The show also touches on the impact of gentrification on black neighborhoods, as David's mother struggles to keep their home from being foreclosed on.

Ultimately, "Bubble House" is a powerful and moving episode that showcases the strengths of David Makes Man as a series. It treats its characters with compassion and empathy, and it doesn't shy away from difficult topics. The show is a nuanced exploration of the Black experience in America, and it deserves to be seen and appreciated by a wide audience.