Extraordinary (Season 1) Recap and Ending Explained: Eighteen is an exciting age because it marks the beginning of adulthood, voting, and drinking (in some cultures). In Extraordinary, seventeen-year-olds in particular, but children in general, await their 18th birthday to discover what superpower they are destined to possess. The superpowers include the ability to make people around them hear their own background score, talk to the dead, float, control water, turn back time, and many more.
The protagonist in Extraordinary, Jennifer (Jen), lacked them despite being well into adulthood. Extraordinary focus on this extraordinary individual (the only powerless adult) and her attempts to draw out a power to be extraordinary in her own eyes.
This British series reminded me of the Madrigal family in Encanto, where the protagonist also didn’t possess a gift despite being eligible to receive one.
Extraordinary (Season 1): Recap
Episode 1: Have Nots
Have Nots begins with the protagonist at a job interview. She provided extremely honest answers that seemed to be the things one would generally do their best to conceal. It wasn’t her fault, though, as it was the interviewer’s thing. We learned that by the ‘thing’ she was referring to a superpower, something the protagonist didn’t have yet and struggled to live in the adult world sans them, i.e., as a Have Not.
We then saw that Jen lived with Kash and Carrie. While Kash could turn back time, Carrie had the ability to act as a vessel between two worlds. She, however, was overjoyed that she wasn’t used just for her powers. Errands to get tea and coffee showed her that she was valued for who she was. To cheer Jen, they told her that not having power is the most extraordinary power.
Jen returned from the store and picked up a stray black cat before going on a date. It didn’t work out as Gordon didn’t touch her due to his rather unique superpower. Hence, it turned out to be a disappointing date for Jen.
Later that night, Jen returned to her house to attend her half-sister Andy’s birthday party. When traveling in a car with someone with foresight as a gift, she didn’t ask whether she would get powers. It was as though she was resigned to not getting superpowers.
Jen’s sister ridiculed her for not having powers, likening her to a virgin talking about sex. Ian, Jen’s mother’s new husband, spoke about clinics being there to bring the power out. Hence, it’s clear Jen isn’t alone in going through this and is only one of many.
Andy got her superpower of being superstrong, and Jen seemed slightly upset. She saw everyone rejoice in Andy’s power, and she left. Jen dropped in to visit Luke and made him take her for a ride in the sky. He floated around, took her to a street, and gave her some food for thought. How could she love someone else if she couldn’t love herself?
Jen’s father told her to give up when she desired power. After she sounded upset at the response, he urged her to get it. If she couldn’t, they would figure something out together. The audience learned that Jen’s father was no more and communicated with her primarily through Carrie’s power.
Finally, Jen visited a clinic and wanted to book herself for a Discovery Package. However, she balked when she heard that the package started at 9,500.
Episode 2: Magic Bullets
Jen decided to employ a DIY technique to get her superpower. Her roommates looked for methods, and that saw her order the spiciest dish on the menu and struggle with it. She ran to a supermarket to get milk to combat the lingering spicy taste in her mouth. Carrie then took Jen to the dentist to get her to feel anxious and possibly draw out her power.
Once there, the dentist handed her Valium, as the background music was quite intense. Jen initially refused it as she had to feel the anxiety, but she quickly swallowed the pills once she saw the syringe. Carrie then initiated Plan B with Kash abducting Jen and stuffing her in the boot of his car.
The car got towed while Kash and Carrie were at a bakery. Kash didn’t have the key to the car nor could he admit he was driving it as he didn’t have a license. Hence, they couldn’t open the boot from inside as well. Hence, Andy was summoned to use her super strength to break Jen out of the boot. Jen’s younger sister had one condition,i.e. Jen had to ask her nicely.
Once Jen was out, she and her friends joined Andy, Jen’s mother, and Ian in a car. Jen saw the damage she caused on Valium and realized that she had to send dirty pictures to Luke to divert him from the voice note.
As she undressed and clicked the pictures, the black cat in her room assumed it’s human form. This saw her scream out and exit the room. She proudly told Kash and Carrie that her superpower was to go topless and cause animals to turn into humans.
The trio of Jen, Kash, and Carrie interviewed the cat man and learned that it was his power. In a startling revelation, his answers shed light on the fact that he had been a feline for three years. Jen vowed to not abandon the cat man and then tried out her supposed super power on the street.
As she lifted her shirt in front of a dog, nothing happened. Jen explained that she just wanted to make sure that it wasn’t actually a super power.
Episode 3: Dead End Job
The cat-man tried to open a can and Jen did not help as she wanted him to be able to do basic tasks so that he could integrate into society. She then headed off to her job, where she was a tad too honest with a client. It earned her a chat from her manager who made her realize that temporary could extend.
Meanwhile, Carrie spoke to a client at her place of work and learned that she would need to channel in the spirit of a singer to finish his album. As she needed a friend with her, she asked Jen to join her at the studio.
Jen arrived as an agent and tried to get Carrie a good price. In hilarious fashion, she tried negotiating for 500 pounds and then folded at what she thought was 300 pounds; in reality, the offer was 300,000 pounds.
Once the terms were agreed, Carrie read the lyrics and found them offensive. Jen said she wouldn’t normally convince Carrie to go against her wish, but brought up the lucrative sum she was being offered. Carrie changed the lyrics, and the spirit noticed it as he sang it. This led to the music label dropping Carrie and Jen from the album.
Kash conducted auditions for his vigilante group and got a variety of applicants. He sent cat-man to the store when the first meeting took place and later bonded with him in a unique game once the meeting was done.
Episode 4: Pet Project
The previous post-credit scene showed that the magnet girl got stuck to cat-man. In Pet Project, audiences learned that his name was Jizzlord. Jen took him to a vet to find out if he had been micro-chipped. They then asked for the data of who did it in order to find the truth about Jizzlord’s past. Jizzlord told the vet that Jen was his owner, but she asked him to stop telling everyone that.
Jizzlord’s owner’s name was David and there was a wake on at his house when Jen dropped in. Jizzlord assumed it was his fault, as his owner died of a broken heart once he ran away.
He then saw a dog that he feuded with when he was a cat. Jen and he stole the cat from the funeral ceremony. They take him to the vet, who can talk to animals. The dog wanted to visit a club and revealed that Jizzlord was a stray near Coburn Circus.
Upon locating Jizzlord, Jen admonished him for fleeing. She suggested they work together and told him she puts up with him as she has a soft spot for strays.
Kash prioritized his vigilante group over having sex with Carrie. Hence, she delved into excessive house cleaning as a coping mechanism. The vigilante group (printer guy, speed guy, phase through solid walls guy) earned rude replies from some and frightened others. After an unfortunate incident where one from the group for stuck in the wall while trying to phase through, they called Kash the leader who would leave no man behind. Kash eventually left the spot and saw his group getting pummeled by civilians. When one of them asked if he was with them, Kash’s reply indicated a betrayal. Why didn’t he use his time turning power? He tried, but there was a limit to how far back he could turn time.
Episode 5: The Jen Show
Carrie and Jen returned to St. Assumpta’s Catholic School for the 45th annual sixth-form Thanksgiving. While Carrie was to give an alumni speech, Jen was there was her sister Andy was set to receive an outstanding achievement award.
Andy and Jen dissed each other before Jen decided to hunt for the drinks she had stored in the school. They were right in their original place.
Carrie refused the drink but agreed, as Jen didn’t want to make poor decisions alone. They then heard Rebecca, their bully, in the corridor. She opened the door and greeted them enthusiastically. What had changed? Rebecca revealed that she changed after getting her power.
Jen overheard a chat and learned that Andy didn’t get into the conservatoire and that they had injured her girlfriend due to her new powers. Jen blackmailed her into doing anything she said. This included making Andy dance and read an embarrassing acceptance speech.
Rebecca showed Carrie that Jen was a drama queen who made her live in her shadow. Her words came true as Jen spilled the beans on Andy after the latter ditched the penned speech for something she wrote herself. The family walked out, and their loud argument distracted Carrie.
Carrie let it all out with Jen, accusing her of stealing the limelight when people turned up to listen specifically to her.
Episode 6: The Real Powers
Carrie put red dots on everything she bought for the flat. This was to show Jen everything she wasn’t allowed to use. Jen went back to the clinic and met another 25-year-old with no powers. She went out with this girl called Hannah, and they went on a drinking spree filled with dares. In fleeing from the club after cutting off a metamorphagus’ ponytail, Jen left all her clinic paperwork behind. When she went out to collect it from the pub, she met Hannah again. The duo decided to ditch the clinic to be free and claimed that the world owed them. Hannah and Jen decided to start their own club.
They broke into The Clinic with the intention of vandalizing it. Hannah then discovered her power and quickly teleported to show it off. After convincing Jen that nothing would change between them, she quickly teleported herself out of the clinic when a security guard showed up. This left Jen to fend for herself, and she quickly sprinted out with the guard in hot pursuit.
Kash apologized to his vigilante group for abandoning them. The speed guy formed his own group, but Kash used his time-turning powers to get back one of his original members.
Carrie and Jen bonded and made a new start. The former then shared her worry about Kash’s vigilante group potentially being a problem.
Episode 7: The Merry Monarch
Kash and Carrie scheduled a date for Saturday. The problem was that Kash’s vigilante group had to go on a drug bust that very day. Jen saw Jizzlord as a route to making money. She pitched a cat contest to him. However, he seemed reluctant, as he was worried that he would get stuck. A few minutes later, he ate the cat food, transformed, and left a voice note which provided consent. Jen entered him into the contest as Hercule.
An organizer tried to intimidate Jen. She played the entire voice note, had an outburst, and then arranged for a bizarre costume. Jizzlord transformed on stage and danced with Jen, earning a 0 from three of the judges. He apologized for his actions, but she kissed him as his words from the voice note moved her.
At the docks, Kash’s vigilante group ran into Gregor’s (speed guy) group. They initially argued about who would lead and feud with each other in a small room.
Carrie channeled in the spirit of a former monarch (Charles) and tried to fill the absence of Kash. She went on a date with him, and just as she was about to spank herself through him, Kash returned. However, Carrie realized that what she and Kash did on date nights was not really appealing. She didn’t seem into it, and Kash, oblivious to her disinterest, was telling.
Episode 8: Surprise!
Jizzlord moved out of the tub and began painting Jen’s room. He assumed people move in together after a kiss, but Jen told him it wasn’t the case. Kash threw a party for Carrie to postpone an inevitable breakup.
Jen’s mother showed up at the party as she had to get away from Andy and Ian. Gordon showed up and conversed with Jen’s mother after they got introduced.
Carrie had a chat with Kash to make him change. He used the time turning to mislead her. Jen saw through it, and exasperatedly turned and left.
Luke showed up at the party, and Jizzlord called himself Jen’s boyfriend. Jen seemed furious as they decided to take things slow. She asked him what it meant and suggested they give each other space.
Jen’s mother hacked her computer to understand what was going on in her life. After a heart-to-heart chat, she left, and Carrie burst in. Carrie told Jen she discovered Kash was turning back time whenever she tried to have the break-up talk with him. As Jen and Carrie discussed Kash, Jizzlord assumed they were talking about him and left the house with his luggage. Carrie and Jen discovered how Kash had the energy to turn back time repeatedly. Hence, Carrie emptied his energy drinks into the toilet. She finally broke up with Kash, who had no energy to turn back time far enough to avoid being dumped.
Carrie broke up after tossing the supplements out. Kash couldn’t turn time far enough to change it.
Luke invited Carrie to float in the sky. Just as they were about to begin, Luke called Jizzlord a weirdo, and Jen didn’t take it well. She defended him as someone who actually wanted to be with her. Abare minimum, but that’s it. Not complicated.
Jen searched for Jizzlord and apologized to him after she saw a cat. She assumed he had transformed, but he was still in his human form and had heard every word. They had their second kiss in the rain, and Jen introduced Jizzlord to her mother.
Jen’s mother also volunteered to pay for the clinic. However, she was stunned at the astronomical sum and vented.
Extraordinary (Season 1) Ending, Explained
Jen received an offer to pay for her clinic. The following day, Jizzlord went to get ingredients to make a pancake for Jen. At the shop, a young girl pointed at him and said he looked like daddy. The girl’s mother looked at Jizzlord and dropped a bottle as she stared at Jizzlord in shock.
Who paid for Jen to go to The Clinic?
Gordon paid the money for Jen to finally go to The Clinic to discover her powers. He did so as he wanted to do a good deed and have a sense of having helped someone out with more than his unusual powers. In hindsight, his powers gave him the purchasing power to help Jen.
Did Jen finally get her power?
This may have happened as Luke could not float after Jen admonished him. However, the show didn’t establish a theme where powers can transfer from one human to the next. Also, Jen didn’t float in this episode to provide the audience with a guarantee that the power switch had happened.
There was also no event to show that Jen had finally gotten her own power to emerge. Hence, Surprise ended with Jen still powerless.
Did Jizzlord recognize the woman and the child?
There was no indication of recognition on Jizzlord’s face as he just stared plainly at the woman and the girl. It may be tough for him to recall as he had spent the large part of three years as David’s car, i.e., Hercule. Things could get interesting as the woman would definitely claim Jizzlord as her husband and look to jog his memory. It will also be intriguing to see how Jen takes this news. Could it be the moment to draw her power out?
Will there be an Extraordinary Season 2?
The show ended on a cliffhanger, but that’s not reason enough to get another season. However, Hulu has officially announced that Extraordinary will return.
What is the situation with Carrie and Kash?
The duo has broken up, which leads to questions about the living situation. Carrie would retain her room as the only one with a stable income. Jen had the other room, meaning Kash would have to find another place. Carrie may have only allowed Kash to sleep in their room as he was a wreck following the breakup. Season 2 will definitely see Kash try to get back with Carrie. However, he would have to compete with a long-deceased monarch who won Carrie’s affection. It could be an easy win for Kash, with his presence being a clincher over a spirit.
What did you make of the first season of Extraordinary?
Also, Read: Promising Young Woman [2020] Review – Presents a vigilante in a fresh light
Extraordinary (Season 1) Trailer
Extraordinary (Season 1) Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes
Extraordinary (Season 1) Cast: Máiréad Tyers, Sofia Oxenham, Bilal Hasna
Where to watch Extraodinary
