Season 3 Episode 1: Return to Hell Semester

Explicit content warning

09/11/23 • 18 min

It’s June, 2003 and Tommy Guiterrez. 19, meets the tennis players he will be coaching at Strong’s Tennis Ranch in Granbury, Texas. One player, Seth Owens, seemingly reluctant to Tommy’s coaching abilities, proves that coaching teens might be more challenging than expected.
Tommy reflects on the beginning of his world collapsing.
Before playing in the NCAA Division 1 annual, end-of-year tournament, Tommy discovers his boyfriend, Renato Denoli, is ghosting him. During a night of pregaming with his friend, Zoe Yip, at Stanford, Tommy opens his social media to find a video, sent to him, of Renato and a stranger having sex. Later that night, Tommy bumps into Renato at a frat party. Not only is Renato reluctant to talk about the video in his bedroom at the frat house, but Renato’s drug habit is revealed.
Completely wasted, Tommy storms out. Shortly after driving away from the frat house, he is pulled over and is charged with a DUI. Tommy’s mother, Marci Guiterrez, flies in from Texas to pick him up.

Previous Episode

Season 1 Episode 1: O'Deameter

Bruce O'Dea, a closeted, gay, sixteen-year-old Junior, takes his first steps with coming to terms with his sexuality by visiting, and eventually entering, his local LGBT center.

Next Episode

Season 3 Episode 2: Wild Cards

Two detectives, Anthony Jenkins and Poi Jacks, investigate and determine Renato’s cause of death, a cocaine overdose.
Tommy and his Mom drive from California back to the tennis camp he grew up at, Strong's Tennis Ranch, in Granbury, Texas.
After Tommy learns of Stanford revoking his tennis scholarship as a result of the DUI, he bumps into an old friend, Darren Grider, at the Strong’s cafeteria. Their friendship is complicated as they had a falling out that lasted 2 years. Determined not to give up on his dream of going pro, Tommy begins applying for wild card positions at upcoming ATP-level tournaments.
Tommy discusses with his mom whether to return to Stanford or not for the upcoming Fall Semester. As he is to fund costs if playing in an ATP tournament, he asks Coach Bob for a job as a coach, but is denied as a result of the DUI.
In desperate need of cash, Tommy secures a job as a dishwasher at the camp's cafeteria.
Darren convinces Tommy to follow up with Bob about securing a coaching job, which Coach Bob eventually grants.
Tommy is accepted into an ATP tournament.