Recap:
The episode begins with a voiceover from Reena (Vritika Gupta) stating that on November 14, 1997, Kelly Ellard (Izzy G.) killed her. The shot pans down to a baby being born, which is baby Reena with Suman and Manjit lovingly embracing their only child. The story flashes back to Reena’s grandparents and when they arrived in Canada in the 1950’s. For years they endured against prejudice and racism, until one day the Jehovah Witnesses knock on the door they are welcomed by Reena’s grandparents.
Back in September 1997, Reena is alive and rapping along to a CD in her room. Reena is getting her room and the house ready for Kelly, Josephine, and Dusty (Chloe Guidry, Aiyana Goodfellow) to come over for dinner.
When the girls arrive, they are greeted by Suman (Archie Panjabi) and she is surprised to see Kelly’s mom Susan has joined the group. Introducing herself, Suman is saved from more awkwardness by Reena. When the girls object to taking off their shoes, Manjit (Ezra Khan) tells them not to worry. He wants them to be comfortable in their home. Reena invites them upstairs while Suman invites Susan to stay but Kelly’s mom opts to leave.
Upstairs, while Reena is entertaining her friends, Kelly gives Josephine a conspiratorial smile, while Reena is distracted by Dusty. Approaching Manjit, Kelly compliments him on the home, and when Dusty asks about a picture that Kelly thinks is from Epcot in Disney World, Manjit describes how the picture was taken in Japan. Dusty smirks over Kelly’s mistake and asks her friend if she has ever been to Asia, which quickly angers Kelly.
Kelly looks to Josephine, and Josephine nods her head in approval. The two girls are up to something. Asking to see the rest of the house, Reena leads Kelly and the girls on a tour. Manjit is happy to see Reena with friends and is trying to reassure Suman that everything is ok. However, Suman remains suspicious.
According to Suman, she tells her husband that everyday Reena becomes more like her friends. Her husband playfully reminds her that they weren’t always what their parents wanted them to be either.
Back in 1979, Reena narrates how her father came to visit his sister in Canada and near the end of his trip, thinking he was about to return home, the young Manjit is about to meet the next chapter of his life. At a barbeque, his sister tells him that he might meet someone at the barbeque that could keep him in Canada.
Suman’s mother wants to introduce her to someone who is an engineer and a Jehovah Witness, but she is not happy. Manjit intervenes and rescues Suman from her parents. Getting her outside, Manjit introduces himself and they get a drink together.
Back at the Virk household, Reena shows the girls her room. Josephine spends the whole time searching the house and makes a comment about how creepy it is that she doesn’t have a door to her room. The girls enter Suman’s closet and Kelly and Josephine start trying on Suman’s jewelry. Before the two could steal them, Suman intervenes and describes how she plans to give those precious items to Reena when she is older.
Suman invites Dusty to try on a sari, and Reena suggests Josephine try on a sari too, and while Josephine is using the closet to change, Kelly has left to use the washroom, and starts snooping in Reena’s room. She removes Reena’s pet bird, assuring the animal it’s going to be ok. (I am very worried for this bird.)
Back in 1979, Manjit and Suman are walking through a park, and while Manjit is awestruck by the country, Suman describes how hard it has been in Canada. Suman learns how Manjit washed out of the army in India, and how crushed he was for not making the paratrooper regiment. Suman tells him that she wants a happy life, with a happy family with someone who shares her values.
Reena interrupts her dad at the dinner table wondering why they didn’t order takeout. Instead Manjit has made homemade pizza, and when Manjit then leads everyone in prayer. Josephine is less that polite, but Kelly and Dusty are supportive. When Manjit mentions how hard Josephine’s life has been and how he would like to help, Josephine erupts at the table and storms out.
In the past Suman tells her parents that she is ready to marry Manjit, and her parents are less than happy. Suman’s mom tells her that Manjit is past his visitor’s visa and that he is probably looking for a Green Card.
Kelly leaves the Virk household and tells her mom that the night was awful. Reena is upset because she knows that this was a terrible night to impress her friends. Suman discovers that her earrings have been stolen, and Reena is searching for her missing pet bird. When Reena objects to the accusation of her friends being thieves, she tells her parents that these people let her hang out with them.
Manjit and Suman are upset by Reena’s idolization of her friends.
In the past Manjit leaves his faith and shaves his beard to join the Jehovah’s Witness. Telling Suman that he wants to share her values, Manjit tells Suman how much he loves her and wants to be with her in Canada.
At Seven Oaks, Reena comes to apologize to her friends, and comes to say goodbye because her parents won’t let her socialize with them. When Reena accuses Kelly of stealing the earrings and her bird, the two are only stopped from fighting by Josephine.
Josephine picks away at what Reena has. She tells Reena that she lives in paradise compared to Reena. She encourages Reena to be a gangster like her to get out from her parents’ house. In the lobby of Seven Oaks, Reena approaches the social worker and says she must tell her something about her dad.
Back in the past, Suman’s mom tells her that she knows Manjit is converting to Jehovah’s Witness for her. Before she leaves, Suman’s mom gives her the heirloom earrings, and tells her daughter to give her father time to accept the forthcoming marriage.
Manjit is baptized into the faith, and while the older version of him remembers that happy moment he is thrilled to find Reena’s bird outside and brings him in safely. When he answers the knock at the front door, the police arrive and arrest Manjit for abusing his daughter. They tell him that Reena has accused Manjit of molesting her.
As the episode ends, Reena is shown her room at Seven Oaks, and Manjit is led away to the police station.
Review:
‘Beautiful British Columbia’ is meant to fill in the backstory of the pivotal moments of Manjit and Suman’s life, and to show the viewer that even though this story takes place in Canada, it’s far from a perfect wonderful society that accepts everyone of all skin color and nationalities.
Besides getting a backstory to Suman and Manjit, it’s essential that viewers see a crucial moment in the escalation of Reena’s idolization of her friends, and how it drove her apart from her parents. The night the girls come over for dinner is important because we see their true nature and how little care they have for Reena.
The story is all Reena’s and for the show it’s all Vritika Gupta. She plays the role wonderfully, by perfectly executing the angst of a teenage girl that has no friends and wants to impress the only people who acknowledge her. It’s heartbreaking to see how much Reena wants to be with her friends and how this desire to be accepted will make her act out in a hurtful manner to her parents.