Warning: The article contains major spoilers for the Physical season 3 finale, “Like a Prayer”
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Summary
The final scene of the Apple TV+ drama Physical shows Sheila joining Bunny’s aerobics class. The show often blurs the line between reality and Sheila’s imagination, leaving some viewers wondering if the reconciliation is real or not. According to creator Annie Weisman, the reconciliation between Sheila and Bunnyt did occur, but the scene transitions into a more symbolic and metaphorical memory space as Sheila and Bunny dance together.
Physical creator Annie Weisman clarifies the ambiguous final scene of the Apple TV+ drama. The drama led by Rose Byrne goes back to its origins in its closing. Sheila (Bryne) initially has a tense conversation with Bunny (Della Saba), the aerobics instructor whom she first taught Sheila and who helped lead her down the tumultuous path of self-discovery that the show chronicled. Sheila expresses guilt because she took credit for what Bunny taught her, with Sheila’s lawyers closing down one of Bunny’s businesses. Bunny says that someone else taught her aerobics and that it doesn’t belong to her. In a unifying moment, Sheila joins Bunny’s aerobics class. Before Physical signs off for good, the last shot sees Sheila by herself in an empty studio in Mexico. Bunny isn’t there. Neither is anyone else.
Given how the Apple TV+ drama has often toyed with the line between reality and Sheila’s destructive imagination, there are questions about whether Sheila actually reconciled with Bunny. In comments to TVLine, Weisman says that reconciliation really did happen. Read Weisman’s full quote below:
It was very much real. It happened. At the same time, once the music starts and they’re connecting and dancing we [wanted to] move into a less literal memory space. I guess I wanted to have my cake and eat it, too. [Laughs]
How Physical Season 3 Wraps Up Sheila’s Story
The end of Physical season 3 begins with a time jump, as the show moves from 1983 to 1986. This is another moment that harkens back to the premiere episode, which also featured a flash-forward. Sheila and Greta (Dierdre Friel) have successfully made Body By Sheila into a multi-million dollar franchise. But that professional success doesn’t rid Sheila of the loneliness that she feels, which is later alleviated in the scene with Bunny. This loneliness is reinforced by the visions that Sheila has.
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It’s John (Paul Sparks) that Sheila has visions of, imagining that they’re in a happy relationship. It’s not too different from the vision that Sheila had of Kelly (Zooey Deschanel), which shows that Sheila’s success hasn’t rid her of old habits. It’s really when Sheila encounters Tyler (Lou Taylor Pucci), Bunny’s ex, that Sheila decides to make amends. She finds closure with John and has that bit of reconciliation with Bunny.
This is evident in the last moment which very explicitly mirrors the Physical premiere. Sheila looks in the mirror, seeing that she has a blemish on her face. Rather than letting derail her completely, the way that it has in the past, Sheila walks with the sort of confidence that she’s been espousing to others. The voiceover speaks of the sense of community that the lead character has found. And with the clarification from the series creator, it’s clear that the last seconds of Sheila alone aren’t meant to be pessimistic. For once, she may be at ease with herself.
Source: TVLine