Episode 6 of The Curse kicks off with a sneak preview of Fliplanthropy's inaugural episode, starring the ersatz homebuyers from the previous chapter. Whitney sits with Dougie, scrutinizing the final cut before sending it to HGTV. The footage captures the couple's effusive joy about joining a vibrant community filled with warmth and camaraderie. They are presented with an artwork by Whitney and Asher, which is cleverly tied to the concept of 'sustainability.' The entire narrative aims to showcase the resilience and societal fabric of the Espanola community.
However, from a critical lens, the footage appears overly contrived and artificial. Whitney finds it lacking, describing it as "lifeless or something," noting that it lacks the spark and vitality needed. Dougie hesitates to comment but senses an opportunity when Whitney eventually prompts him. She puts him through his paces, but he begins to articulate his vision.
He argues that the current format and style are bland, devoid of drama and conflict. He proposes a solution: introducing the dynamic duo of Asher and Whitney. He rewinds the footage to a moment where Asher offers the artwork to the couple, only to have Whitney shoot him a disapproving glance. She explains that Asher was holding his phone against the artwork while handing it over, adding an unwanted distraction.
Dougie captures this fleeting moment of frustration and incorporates it into the footage, adding a quirky humor to the background music. While he portrays it as a creative impulse, there's more to his scheme than meets the eye. His plan might be to plant seeds of discord, heightening the tension between the couple. Dougie assures Whitney that this would draw the audience closer to the show.
Moreover, he vows to keep Asher from making similar remarks about Whitney, citing the focus group's unanimous sentiment, "Why is she even with this guy?" Whitney then shares her newfound title suggestion for the show: "Green Queen." Dougie brushes it off, suggesting that HGTV wouldn't approve of such a title.
Meanwhile, Asher encounters a bizarre scenario with his casino buddy, Bill, at the department store. They had spoken three days prior, but now Bill is blatantly ignoring him. Asher is baffled, unable to fathom the reason behind this strange turn of events.
Later, Asher and Whitney film at the Espanola Fire Station, where they showcase their solar panel installation, a testament to their commitment to sustainable energy. Dougie stays true to his earlier advice, encouraging one of the firefighters to flirt with Whitney on camera, adding another layer of drama to the already intriguing narrative.
Asher's eyes widened with disbelief as he stumbled upon shredded chicken pieces adorning the sink in the washroom. He attempted to commend Dougie for pulling off such a cunning prank, but Dougie quickly disowned any involvement, washing his hands clean of the matter. Asher was more unnerved than perplexed, determined to uncover the mischievous culprit.
As the next scene unfolded, the fireman, taking Dougie's cue, flirted with Whitney, who responded in kind. Asher, however, remained preoccupied with the mystery of the chicken. His investigation led him to inquire about the food preparer at the station, and upon learning it was Martinez, he promptly approached him. Martinez's list of ingredients for the day didn't include chicken, prompting Asher to consult another foreman, who reviewed the CCTV footage near the washroom's entrance.
Meanwhile, Whitney engaged Dougie in conversation about Cara, their on-set chemistry being quite palpable. Dougie, however, dismissed her with harsh words, labeling her as unattractive and a smoker—two major turn-offs for him. Whitney also fretted over her unsigned release form for HGTV to showcase her paintings on the program. To stir up some drama, she texted Cara about Dougie's unaired dating show with burn victims, a snippet we witnessed in Episode 3.
After a thorough search, Asher found no evidence of Dougie—or anyone else—placing the chicken in the bathroom. The shoot concluded, and Asher hastened to Abshir's residence, Questa Lane. Abshir underwent a chiropractic realignment to address his lingering neck pain. Asher, once again, encountered Nala in an odd encounter, bookending the episode.
He spoke to her about the minor curse, which Nala claimed to have put an end to. To test her honesty, Asher devised a game, hiding nails beneath a bucket. As Nala accurately guessed a few times, Asher clenched a fistful in his hands, gripping them so tightly that blood trickled down, alarming Nala. As he washed his hand, Nala approached him and murmured, "I'm sorry."
