Walk The Planche: Sk8 D8

Walk The Planche

SK8 D8 Episode 5 Recap: Race Against the Clock

By Cole Nowicki

Time is of the essence for Austyn on this week’s SK8 D8. Last Tuesday left us with a dramatic cliffhanger as Austyn struggled to stomp down a Front Heel at the bump-to-bar before having to meet Jennifer on the pier for dinner. There were quick cuts that jumped from Austyn getting further and further from landing his trick to Jennifer on her way to the restaurant. Then, in a moment of high tension, Austyn landed and rolled away with the picturesque pop and grace he’s known for, only to be pitched to the ground by a pebble a few feet after—the shot of him furiously throwing his board into the wall contrasted with that of Jennifer sitting alone at the table, not looking up from her phone as the server asked her for her drink order: hibiscus margarita.

After the brief recap of last week’s episode, we see Austyn shuffle into the restaurant, exhausted and late, the wait staff giving his grimy, sweaty person a hard stare as he trudges along; one end of his focused skateboard in each hand. This was only their second date, and if it wasn’t for the great time they’d had at the arcade on their first one, Jennifer would have walked out then and there, she tells the camera in a one-on-one. Austyn apologizes and endearingly tries his best to explain, showing Jennifer iPhone footy of the Front Heel attempts he got his homie to text him. “Oh shit, dawg!” she exclaims as she sees the near-make. “That was hella close!” Things seem to be turning around for Austyn now.

Following dinner the two take a walk along the beach. Austyn strips down and jumps into the ocean, scrubbing himself clean from the session earlier in the afternoon. This seems to wash away the memories of him being late as well, as we see Jennifer unabashedly eyeballing Austyn’s lean physique. After a few lighthearted ribs from Austyn, Jennifer is convinced to dive in as well, having come prepared with a bikini under her clothes.

As the surf crashes around their legs, a rogue wave catches Jennifer off guard, pushing her into Austyn. They embrace, water from his forehead drips onto hers and it would seem like only a matter of time before they—we cut to commercial for a new program which begins airing after tonight’s SK8 D8 episode: Beer Ender.

It appears to be a reality game show where pro skaters go to famous skate spots where other pros got their ender-enders in iconic video parts from the past in an attempt land it themselves as an homage, the kicker being, they have to chug a beer through their asshole before trying the trick! In the quick promo, we see Blake Carpenter reeling at the foot of the handrail his teammate, Billy Marks, Switch Bigspin Heelflip Boardslides in the curtains for his part in Toy Machine’s 2005 classic, Good and Evil. He sobs as he tosses the funnel into the grass, a dark spot spreading across the back of his jeans—chug, chug, trick! a booming voiceover commands while an animation of a beer-drinking butt backsmiths over the deathbox in an exaggerated cartoon pool.

Back now in the ocean with Austyn and Jennifer, we see them kiss, a good sign for Austyn, but not so much for Terry Kennedy, who is Jennifer’s date on next week’s episode of SK8 D8. He watches the two smooch on the live feed from the remote viewing booth in the SK8 D8 studio. As the credits roll, we get a one-on-one with TK as he teases his game plan for their upcoming date:

“I’m just gonna do me, you know? I’m a good dude. A positive dude. That’s what people find attractive. Sure, Austyn is a handsome-ass guy, but I got that positivity and Jen is gonna see that and I think it’ll carry me onto the next round.”

Is Terry right, or will Austyn clinch the second date? Find out here with us next week on ETN’s SK8 D8.