Ep 2. Relapse

In UnREAL season 1 episode 2, titled "Relapse," viewers are taken back to the behind-the-scenes world of a reality dating show. The show's two main characters, producer Rachel Goldberg and executive producer Quinn King, continue their quest to manipulate and control the contestants for maximum drama and ratings.

In this episode, the focus is on one of the male contestants, Adam, who is struggling with addiction. Rachel sees this as an opportunity to create drama and bumps up his drinking by manipulating the bar tab. Adam ends up getting too drunk and causing a scene, despite the best efforts of his castmate and potential love interest, Faith.

Meanwhile, Quinn is battling her own demons as she butts heads with the show's network executive, Chet. Chet wants to push the show in a more traditional direction, while Quinn wants to continue pushing boundaries and creating the shocking moments that make the show a hit. As the tension between the two escalates, Quinn begins to spiral out of control and engage in self-destructive behavior.

Throughout the episode, the show's other contestants are also featured, including Grace, who is struggling with the pressure of competing for Adam's affection, and Mary, who is beginning to question why she is even on the show. There is also a new contestant introduced, Anna, who immediately catches the eye of the male contestants and begins to stir up jealousy among the women.

As the drama on the show continues to ratchet up, Rachel and Quinn both struggle with the morality of what they are doing. Rachel begins to feel guilty about manipulating Adam's addiction, while Quinn's behavior becomes increasingly erratic. By the end of the episode, the two women come together in a moment of solidarity, but it's clear that the underlying tensions between them are far from resolved.

Overall, "Relapse" is a tense and engaging episode that highlights the cutthroat world of reality TV production. It's a fascinating exploration of the complex relationship between the producers and contestants, and the lengths that people will go to in order to create compelling television.