Make It or Break It
Make It or Break It revels in the soap opera-inspired world of competitive gymnastics at The Rock, an über-elite training facility in Boulder, Colo. Who knew a floor exercise could be involved enough to spawn unrequited love? Or that a sport based on flexibility would inspire so much rigid obstinacy—enough to permanently pit parent against parent, child against parent and teammate against teammate as they all dream of going gold in the 2012 Olympics?
Gymnast Lauren Tanner leads the pack in bad behavior, if not on the balance beam. She's practically cornered the market on rude—and in between working on her backstabbing routines, she's practicing the fine art of mouthing off to her father. She's also been secretly having sex with her boyfriend. Teammate Kaylie is lying about her diet and exercise regimen because she too has a weighty secret. And not to be outdone, Emily has several deep, dark secrets (and a criminal record). She also seems to believe that her mother is an idiot. Payson, meanwhile, is merely infatuated with her (male) coach, Sasha.
We haven't even gotten into the romantic and political alliances, dalliances and/or feuds between many of the parents. Current spouses, ex-wives and ex-lovers all further complicate matters. Steve, Lauren's father, has been illicitly involved with Chloe, Emily's mom. Kim, Payson's mom, is running against Steve to be The Rock's president. And Summer, Steve's ex, is now dating Sasha—much to Lauren's disappointment. Steve's other ex-wife, Leslie, makes an unexpected appearance or two as well.
Now throw in some foul language and a lot of revealing outfits (on and off the mats). Feeling the pressure yet? These characters are. Because life at The Rock is always a balancing act—literally and figuratively. And Make It or Break It's cast of hundreds—or so it seems—is never far from the edge, personally, professionally and athletically.
Episode Reviews
"If Only …"
Emily is sprung from jail after being arrested for stealing medication to give to her brother. Chloe lies about having an office job when she's really working as a slinky waitress. Lauren manipulates video of Payson impulsively (and innocently) kissing Sasha and uses it to frame their coach.
Kaylie lies about her weight, diet and exercise regimen as she struggles with anorexia. Damon dumps Emily, breaking her heart. Lauren's estranged mother, a recovering drug addict, reappears, only to be killed in a car accident before she can make contact with her daughter. Embittered Lauren could not care less.
Foul language includes multiple misuses of God's name along with "h‑‑‑," "b‑‑ch," "d‑‑n" and "BS." "Freakin'" stands in for its harsher namesake. Adults drink alcohol. Teens kiss. Lauren scolds Summer, a Christian, for dating Sasha, a non-Christian, because she wants Summer to be her dad's girlfriend again.
"Follow the Leader"
It's rough going for The Rock's quartet of high-flying damsels. Payson's pretty bummed about her back (fractured during a key competition). Emily's mom ruins her team jacket by washing it with something hot-pink. And Kaylie learns that the new national gymnastics coach is the same guy who slept with her mother—a relationship Kaylie's father knows nothing about.
Kaylie, Emily and Morgan start a covert campaign to get the coach fired by telling other team members lies about him—like he has bad breath, he hates to be looked in the eye … and he inappropriately touches his students. Meanwhile, Kaylie also whines about why life isn't all about her when it should be. And just to prove her point (only not really) she tries to seduce her old, cheating boyfriend, Carter.
Pretty much everybody who's anybody at The Rock learns shallow-but-valuable lessons by episode's end. Dandy, right? Well, except for viewers to internalize them, they must first wade through sex-fueled subplots, drug references and a gymload of bad attitude.