Made in Chelsea - S06 E09
In this episode some of the gang go to South Africa.
Spencer is for some reason the most well rounded character in this show. Film and TV is endlessly interested in that mysterious and rarely spotted beast: the flawed man. Spencer is the only character whose actions are explored in depth, through his “therapy sessions” framing device. Even though this is constructed reality and so all the characters are versions of real people, Spencer is the only one who feels like he has real development.
In South Africa, Spencer finds out that Andy has gone on a date with a girl he’s been sleeping with, Vitalia. Spencer’s interest in Vitalia until this point has been casual, but when he feels that he is competing with Andy, he is compelled to “win” her.
As Princess Jasmine taught us, women are “not just some prize to be won”, but Spencer’s entire world view is rooted in competing. He’s also fairly brutal, he will deliberately sabotage relationships in order to get what he wants. He’s manipulative, leaving Louise and Lucy heartbroken by his infidelity, but presenting the facts to them in such a way that it feels like his cheating is their fault.
Spencer is almost primal in his need for dominance, and perhaps that is why he has emerged as the most rounded character. He has elbowed his way to the top of the pile by brute force rather than by being more interesting than anybody else. He’s also one of the few remaining original cast members, most of whom have stepped back from the drama and now provide a sounding board for the more prominent newer characters. Spencer is still embroiled in that drama, the linchpin around which much of it evolves, while the other characters (Francis, Rosie) appear distanced and mature in comparison. It’s a bit like the old American fairytale of the quarterback who was a big deal in high school but can’t make it in the real world. Spencer is the Chelsea equivalent of Van Wilder: Party Liaison, still throwing his weight around in a social pool which he is quickly aging out of. Write that down.
