Does Scott Row The Atlantic In ‘Trying’? Season 5, Episode 2 Gives Us An Answer
For the most part, Trying (2020) on Apple TV has been a consistently wholesome and endearing series that never once subverted expectations in a negative manner. It's a series that centers people of all ages, so while there have been deaths and funerals, they've worked in the context of the show and haven't felt harsh or unnecessary. Season 4, however, changed this when it delivered the kind of jarring cliffhanger that made it seem as though Darren Boyd's Scott Filbert might've died before his quest to row the Atlantic even began.
Two years later, and the show's finally back for Season 5, but none of the characters are in mourning during the first episode, so what exactly happens to Scott? Is he rowing the Atlantic? Is he going to make it? Season 5, Episode 2, "First Days," gives us the most ridiculous answer, and really, it's everything we should've expected from the show.
What Happens to Scott in ‘Trying’ Season 5?
Well, he's definitely not dead or even badly injured, and it's still so confusing why Freddie, played by Oliver Chris, came to the house with a somber look on his face, saying, "It's Scott." That moment made it seem as though he'd been in a car crash, and when we watched Scott begin to row, it was almost like a strange heavenly vision.
The thing is, it isn't surprising for shows to pull these kinds of cliffhangers to get fans talking until the next season. There's a reason that many of us who've been fans of TV and movies for as long as we have essentially stand by a "no body, no death" rule. You can say someone died or even imply it, but if we, as the audience, don't actually see a body with our own eyes, then there's always a way for that character to come back to life on-screen. This could very well be a decision made by the executives to bring more people aboard Scott's mission and to garner sympathy for the character who's always been comedic relief.
Still, I won't pretend it's not a strange one to sit with for two years. Because, really, it wasn't hard to believe that the show would go to that dark place. In more ways than one, Trying Season 4 spent ample time showcasing just how much it's bothering Scott that he's essentially someone people don't take as seriously, so taking him out of the picture would've wrecked characters beyond repair. However, when we learn what he's been up to in Season 5, Episode 2, it makes complete sense from a character standpoint.
Scott Pretending to Row Makes Perfect Sense for His Character
While we see Scott and Karen in some weird FaceTime situation in the Season 5 premiere, the second episode ultimately gives us a more concrete answer. Scott's been home, living in their cellar for nine days now. He admits to the fact that he realized he'd eventually run out of food, and once he accidentally killed a dolphin with his oars, he acknowledged that he was basically doing the opposite of what he'd set out to do, which was to save animals.
He also admits to accidentally killing a pheasant on his drive home, which could very well be the reason we saw him almost crash. That part is still a bit unclear. In addition, he also admits to Karen that the sponsorship was covering the boat, and if he doesn't row, not only will people be disappointed in him, but they also now have to pay for the damages.
The gist of it is that the trip will also cost them a ton of money, so Scott proposes that he'll continue the act for six weeks, with Karen fully aware of his location, and he'll later fly to America and say the boat sank, so he swam the rest of the way. It's a ridiculously clever plan, despite it being an absolute lie. And knowing Trying, it likely won't work out or be as seamless as Scott thinks it can be because a lie always comes to the surface.
Still, the decision to do this makes so much sense for his character journey it's almost heartbreaking. Scott really is such a compelling character, and Boyd always does an exceptional job of bringing his idiosyncrasies to life with hilarious layers, but the decision to row the Atlantic in the first place is his way of wanting to feel like there's something he's capable of seeing through to the end.
With a failed book deal and numerous other failed endeavors, Scott recognizes that people don't take him seriously, and that's exactly what this journey was meant to prove. It's why it makes complete sense that he wouldn't want to admit to failure, because that would result in people once again treating him like a nobody. How the rest of the season will explore his arc only time will tell, but this quest surely isn't a failure because at least we know he tried, and that matters. That's often what Trying has always been about, considering the title, and I think we can give Scott the pass he desperately needs.
