TBS’s Wrecked is comical parody of the show Lost, known for its outlandish storylines and it’s one of my favorite shows on television right now. But Tuesday, July 11’s episode, “Tony Pepperoni,” went too far by making light of a very serious topic - abortion.
Wrecked centers around a group of survivors from a plane crash, trapped on a deserted island. Tuesday’s episode opened with a flashback to season one where main character Owen (Zach Creggar) found fellow flight attendant Rosa (Eliza Coupe) alive but not-so-well on the island. Rosa had gone completely crazy, living with several “friends” made up of tree stumps, suitcases and other objects in her camp.
She attempted to kill Owen but was finally knocked unconscious by another survivor, Florence (Jessica Lowe).
Tuesday’s episode then begins two weeks later, with Owen being kidnapped and taken to another camp on the island with a bag over his head. The culprit is Rosa who is mad that Owen didn’t recognize her at first due to her crazy, disheveled look, despite them being intimate before.
Rosa announces that she’s pregnant and Owen is the father. This is of course impossible, but she "knows" because she took a pregnancy test - meaning she urinated on a tree stick and carved a positive sign into it. She makes it very clear that she doesn't want to have his baby and tells Owen that he must “take responsibility” for “knocking her up” by getting her to an abortion clinic within an hour to “take care of this” or she will kill him.
Owen then enlists Florence to pretend to be an abortionist to help save his life…by pretending to end the life of the pretend baby. (Haha! I always get a good laugh when people joke about the tragedy of abortion! /sarcasm) Florence is happy to partake in the plan and says she has “helped out a lot of friends with this sort of thing so [she knows] the drill.”
When Owen and Rosa arrive at a clearing in the jungle that's supposed to be the abortion clinic, Rosa makes a dismissive comment about pro-life sidewalk counselors.
Owen: So, the clinic's just up here.
Rosa: Oh, I'm just so glad that there's no protestors waiting outside.
Owen: Yeah. We're lucky.
Florence: Ahh, hello, welcome. I'm Dr. Florence. You're right on time. You must be Rosa.
Rosa: I know you. I held you hostage, in camp, with him. Ah! I'm so embarrassed. I had no idea you were a doctor.
Florence: It's okay. Totally fine. It's very understandable.
Rosa: Oh, my God.
Florence: I look very young; my voice is stupid. Please come in, welcome.
Rosa: Color me embarrassed.
Florence: Okay. Now, I understand you had a positive pregnancy test.
Rosa: Yeah, bit of a shocker. Just kind of figured he was sterile, you know, look at him.
Florence: Now, I know this is a very stressful time for you, Rosa, but, you're not alone.
Rosa: This is good. I feel safe here.
Florence: I graduated medical school from John Hopkins and undergrad from Northwestern University, magna cum Laude.
Owen: Okay, so we're here because…
Florence: I founded this clinic in 2010, with the hopes of providing medical services for women, by women, and it is my dream…
Owen: Very cool. So, we're here because Rosa would like to get an abortion.
Florence: Excuse me, sir, would you mind stepping outside? I need to confer with the patient privately.
Rosa: I'll be okay. But I am gonna need you to drive me home when I'm done. If you'll bring the car around.
Owen: Okay. I will just be outside.
Florence: Confidentiality is very important in the medical field.
Rosa: Just read some magazines or something.
Then Florence has a one-on-one talk with Rosa about her decision with an interesting take on right and wrong:
Rosa: I just always thought this was not how I get pregnant, that it would happen on my own terms, you know? With a pilot, probably Italian.
Florence: Yes. Of course.
Rosa: But then I think I'm like, "Wh-who are you trying to kid, Rosa? Huh? Stupid Rosa! Aah!"
Florence: No, no, no, don't, no.
Rosa: Yes, because so little in my life has actually gone how I wanted it to go, you know? And I feel like -- like every choice I've ever made is the wrong choice.
Florence: Oh, my sweet girl.
Rosa: Also, like, I know I'm a little crazy.
Florence: Hey, no, no, no, no, no. You are not crazy.
Rosa: No?
Florence: There are no wrong choices. Only different paths.
Rosa: You're so smart.
Florence: I know.
Rosa: Wow, okay. I think I'm ready now.
Abortion is not just a “different path.” It’s wrong. Period.
Yes, the show is supposed to be ridiculous and none of it is meant to be taken seriously, but that’s exactly the problem. Hollywood tries to make light of abortion and to normalize it but abortion is not a laughing matter, it ends one million lives every year.
In the end, Rosa chooses to have the pretend baby.
