Upholding an image

Impression management: the art of looking cool while you're freaking out inside

Greer and Tag get interviewed by a favourite book author. The questioning however -which is mainly focused on their seemingly perfect relationship- exposes a few cracks in the image.

As soon as Greer's family comes up, the boundries are high at stake. She does answer the question by saying she went to boarding school from an early age, but you can see the hesitation and uncomfortable expression on her face. There's a slight pause before she speaks, suggesting that she's looking for the right words to uphold her image.The interviewer may not press further, but the moment lingers, hinting that there's more beneath the surface than she's willing to share.

This shows that the picture you get from a façade and the actual situation can be totally different. -> But how does the couple do that?

Here are 3 examples of how impression managment works:

These characters emphasize on what they want others to see. Their concept of "perfect" likely builds on attributes like harmony, confidence and unity. This is the picture they chose to show the world

🎭 - Masking flaws

When the surface is cracked and all the real issues are exposed, the couple begins to brush it off with humour and symapthetic jokes to relief tension. You can see this in small gestures (like soft giggles) or verbal quips, lighthearted remarks, or playful teasing. Other ways of doing this could be...

quick but unsuspicious change in subject, exaggerated emotions, physical affection, sarcasm or witty comebacks

🥸 - Selective Disclosure

When sharing details about their relationship or personal lives, the couple strategically reveals only what aligns with their ideal image. They may omit certain facts, downplay conflicts, or reframe past events in a way that supports their carefully curated narrative.

By controlling what others know, they maintain the illusion of perfection while keeping deeper issues hidden beneath the surface.

Catharsis Hypothesis: The Fine Line Between Therapy and a Food Fight

At this point in the show it's clear that Abby and Benji are not getting married as planned. "No reason to waste perfectly good cake!"- is what Abby and her brother must've thought.

As they take out on the wedding cake, her not so soon-to-be husband joins the room and the family tension is almost graspable.

Catharsis Hypothesis suggests that letting your emotions out is healthy, which is exactly what Benji is onto- with a good old fasioned cake fight settled under brothers.

The idea is that instead of suppressing emotions, releasing them (through physical activity, verbal expression, or symbolic actions) can prevent emotional buildup and reduce stress.

🎂In the cake fight scene, this concept plays out in a dramatic and humorous way

Instead of verbalizing their frustrations in a serious or confrontational manner, the siblings turn to physical action-unintentionally destroying the wedding cake. This moment serves as a release valve for the tension that has been building up, both personally and within the family dynamic.

Cognitive dissonance: when your brain does the split

About half way through the series, there's a scene where the entire family is surrounding a dining table talking about a variety of subjects - from nachos to NDA's.

One of the characters, Amelia, randomly asks why people sign NDA's. With this question she might be referring to the screcy in the family since NDA'S are used to keep ideas and information confidential.

Her brain is probably playing a match of tug of war in this scene. Knowing and trusting her family, she doesn't understand all the secrets going on lately.

Greer's police station decision matrix

In this scene, Greer is faced with a tough situation: being questioned by the police. How will she respond? Will her true nature shine through?

Will Greer show frustration or just bottle it up?"

If yes: She'll snap, get defensive, or sarcastically brush it off.

If no: She'll be calm, collected, and try to maintain control over the conversation.

Outcome:

❌Greer snaps:

• At a certain point, Greer can't keep up the act and lashes out. She starts mocking the questions or makes irritated remarks like, "Are we done yet? I have better things to do."

• She gets visibly annoyed, rolling her eyes or sighing dramatically.

✅ What this tells us about Greer:

• Her frustration shows that she's losing control of the situation and revealing that she's not as composed as she wants others to think. She's someone who can't always handle being cornered, especially when things don't go according to plan.

• It's a vulnerable moment where we see that beneath her cool, detached exterior, Greer struggles when faced with rea' sequences.