Episode 3 of "Wecrashed" opens in 2012, painting a rosy yet deceptive portrait of WeWork's ascendancy. The façade glimmers with staff meetings bustling with energy, cocktails flowing at the entrance, and an entrepreneurial zeal permeating every corner of the building. Yet beneath this shiny surface, an undercurrent of discomfort and unprofessionalism seeps through, casting a cult-like shadow over proceedings.
At the helm of this tumultuous ship stands Adam, who remains the puppet master, orchestrating a chaotic symphony of work, liquor-fueled revelry, and dance parties. This frenetic energy propels us seamlessly into a summer camp spectacle orchestrated by Adam himself, where WeWork's army of employees converges at Lake Raquette in New York, ready to embrace their leader's eccentric vision.
Adam arrives three hours tardy, descending from a helicopter's embrace alongside Rebekah, both seemingly lost in their own grandiose narrative. Their disregard for reality extends even to Rebekah's father, whose calls go unanswered amidst their self-absorbed whirlwind. But those ignored calls bear dire news; her father stands accused of fraud, claiming a rogue accountant's hand in a tax return mishap—a defense that rings hollow given his checkered past with similar allegations.
As the gravity of the situation dawns on Rebekah, her demeanor shifts from carefree to gravely concerned. Confronted by her peers, she addresses the crowd, her words echoing an archaic notion: "It is the woman's role to help a man manifest his own destiny." Her statement, a PR quagmire in the making, sends ripples of unease through Vanessa, WeWork's communications czarina, who fears it may tarnish the company's image with anti-feminist undertones.
Yet, Adam dismisses these concerns with a wave of his hand, leaving Vanessa to navigate this treacherous waters alone, her resolve tested by the weight of her boss's indifference.
As stress mounted relentlessly, Rebekah made a sudden decision to depart amidst the festivities, her mind clouded by the echoes of a troubled past. Intertwined within this episode were haunting flashbacks, painting a vivid picture of her fractured relationship with Aaron, her former partner who abandoned her at her darkest hour.
Dawn broke with a somber revelation: Rebekah found herself the target of a widespread boycott orchestrated by a multitude of women, their discontent spilling over into the digital realm. A cadre of concerned men converged, urging caution in her choice of words, emphasizing the delicacy of millennials' sentiments and the devastating consequences a loss of their pivotal clientele would inflict upon the brand. Faced with this daunting ultimatum, Rebekah reluctantly embarked on crafting a public statement, her heart heavy with reluctance.
However, fate had other plans. Her speech unraveled, inadvertently lashing out at those whose sentiments she had inadvertently offended. In response, the women boldly surfaced the festering issues plaguing WeWork's core: a culture of excessive drinking, paltry wages masked by the allure of stock options, and a glaring absence of HR support. Even the existence of a "fuck closet" was laid bare, exposing the underbelly of the company.
The tide turned, as staff members united in opposition to Rebekah, who seemed to bear the brunt of it all, her shoulders burdened by the weight of the world. The twin crises of WeWork's turmoil and her father's fraud trial conspired to darken her path.
Determined to rise above it all, Rebekah resolved to confront her challenges head-on. Ignoring Vanessa's presence on her way back to Summer camp, she seized the microphone with renewed vigor, her voice ringing out with a call to arms. Her impassioned speech resonated, a rallying cry for collective improvement, where she did not shy away from her earlier stance but instead embellished it with a message of hope.
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, their spirits lifted by Rebekah's courage. Meanwhile, Vanessa, sensing the shift in tides, silently gathered her belongings and made her exit, leaving Rebekah to stand tall, victorious in her own right.
