Episode 7

My Stand-In Episode 7 escorts us to Joe’s new house as he shows his mother around. She’s upset to learn that he ‘borrowed’ money for it with their current mountain of debt. When he mentions help from a celebrity friend, she wonders if it’s Tharn, from his old agency, but he doesn’t recall that name. Just as they’re settling in, Ming summons Joe.

Apologizing to his body and reminding himself that he’s doing this for his mother, Joe lets Ming kiss him. But as things turn passionate, Ming is reminded of the old Joe, having him sleep beside him instead. The next morning, Joe prepares breakfast and then heads to a music video shoot, agreeing to return afterwards.

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Arriving late, Joe’s surprised to hear he’ll have a main role in the video – as Sol’s boyfriend. And Joe plays a reluctant partner perfectly. But watching the footage, Sol suddenly remembers the intruder at Joe’s apartment. At lunch, Sol dances around the topic of his friend’s apartment break-in but Joe gets a call, interrupting the conversation. It’s Ming, demanding he not work with Sol. To himself, Joe wonders why his new life is so much like his old life.

Ready for a meeting about Tong’s movie, Wut says he’ll tag along with Joe. Both are surprised to hear it’s a sequel to Tong’s first movie and that the stand-in will need to perfectly re-create a sword fighting routine or risk Tong’s reputation. After the meeting, an actor approaches Joe, keen to catch up, but he doesn’t recognize him, claiming his accident affected his memories. But his former friend and actor, Tharn, believes Joe’s playing with him.

Later, Joe’s mother confirms Tharn was an untrustworthy ex-boyfriend and intimates that he was the root of their argument which led to Joe jumping into the river. But now that he’s survived, she’ll accept anything he wants. She notes, however, that Tharn used him and dumped him back then.

Reporting for duty at Ming’s place, Ming demands to know why Joe didn’t tell him about his coma – the same date as the other Joe’s accident. Did Joe dream of anyone during his coma? Frustrated at getting no information, he sends Joe to pack for him. Opening a drawer, he finds the watch Joe had given Ming but when Ming catches him holding it, he throws him out.

At the location set, Joe is keen to not be seen with Ming so he escapes to join the crew. During lunch, Ming sits with Tong but can’t stop watching Joe, spotting a conversation with Tharn. Tong follows Ming’s eyes and later approaches Tharn, proposing that Tharn keep Joe distracted from his brother-in-law. But separately, a jealous Ming demands Joe spend the night with him.

Called away to work, Joe avoids the conversation however later, Ming texts him to meet. Before he can reply he discovers his hotel roommate is Tharn, rather than a crew member. As Tharn first threatens to tell Tong about Joe’s relationship with Ming then crawls on top of him, Ming enters, catching them and ripping Joe away.

A crazed Ming drags Joe to his room jealously shouting then attacking him. With all the noise, Tong comes knocking at the door and Joe uses it as a chance to escape. Back in his room, a humiliated Joe throws Tharn out.

Outside, a worried Tong tries to talk to Ming asking if he’s changed because of the old Joe. As they argue, Ming challenges that Joe had to run away because of what Tong and Ming did to him. To himself, Ming reaffirms that his Joe is not dead and is still out there somewhere.

The next day, Ming is back to ordering Joe around but this time remorsefully thanking him. To avoid confrontation, Joe escapes to work but is surprised when a crew member asks if he’ll get credit for the work.

Off-set there’s implication that Tong didn’t do the stunt the first time, which Ming overhears. Quietly, Ming digs, finding out that the previous stuntman was offered a permanent role as Tong’s stand-in if he let Tong take credit for the sword fight.

Crying, Ming runs onto the set, grabbing Joe just as he finishes the scene. He begs the old Joe to come back to him as the entire crew and Tong look on in surprise.

The Episode Review

So, the shoulders that Ming fell in love with as a young, impressionable man weren’t Tong’s. This changes everything, no? As this monumental episode settles, is anyone else thinking of that quote noted in our Season 1 preview story by the novel’s author: ‘He didn’t know if God was giving him a second chance to live because he wanted to give him extra loving care or was it because he hasn’t messed with him enough.’

It may change the optics but poor Joe is still in the same place – he’s still a stand-in in Ming’s eyes. And more importantly, his own. Joe pushes Ming in this episode, nearly reaching a confession of Ming’s intuitive belief that this Joe is somehow connected to the old Joe. But even if the truth comes out, would Ming believe it? Or would he let logic butt in and presume that he’s being taken advantage of? Just as bro-in-law Tong surely would believe. Much more to come… 

And be sure to check out our hot-off-the-presses interview with the actors behind Joe and Ming.

Have you fallen for My Stand-In? Anyone else awed by this well-developed story? It’s time to confess in the comments below. 

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