The Interview

"The Interview" is the fourth episode of Coach Season 2. It first aired on April 13, 2020.

## Blurb

"Tom has a very special guest on Packast"

## Story

The episode begins with the Packast theme song, however this time it is different. interspersed with the normal Packast intro are frightening cuts of Tohm and Chomas in the crawlspace and the music is slowed to a foreboding speed. Instead of the Packast logo at the end, it is the title card for Coach.

Tom is coerced by the voices in his head (from Chomas) to do the Packast presentation as normally as possible. Chomas isn't satisfied with Tom's performance, and takes control and introduces himself as the guest, casually mentioning that he "disposed of" Tohm and Junior, and cues a glorious entrance for himself as the guest. Tom pressures Chomas about Junior's whereabouts. Tom and Chomas change seats and begin a combative dialogue.

Chomas ribs Tom over his dreams of becoming a full time podcaster. Tom struggles to justify why his desires to take the next step with Packast and Chomas berates Tom as "A fraud who can't hack it". Tom tries to leave but Chomas locks him in for an hours long interview and continues to berate Tom for being selfish. He tries to extracts the real reason for Tom wanting to do Packast, and Tom likewise tries to figure out what Chomas's motivations.

After 3 hours of lackluster progress, Chomas allows Tom to leave, but when he opens the door to go up the stairs, he stares out into a vacant abyss. This implies Chomas is controlling Tom's lived experience as some sort of simulation. Tom degrades Chomas as a byproduct of his own mind, causing Chomas to again manipulate Tom's reality and demands he sing. He refuses and Chomas again manipulates his reality and demands he write his letter of resignation for his teaching position so he can "chase his dreams". Again, Tom cannot. Reality is again manipulated and Tom is pressured to destroy Packast. Again, Tom cannot.

Chomas reveals that Tom is not in control: fear is. Chomas epitomizes fear. When Tom accepts this, he is warped to junior's room, but a stuffed lion is in his place. Tom is grabbed by an invisible hand underneath the bed and again warped to another area of the house. Chomas, the embodiment of fear, continues to lurk around the house as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata plays. Chomas crawls up a terrified and immobilized Tom and whispers "I want control"

Tom is then warped back into the interview chair and Chomas declares the interview over. Chomas demands Tom hand over the reins to him and that Tom relocate to the crawlspace. Tom refuses but Chomas allows him 1 more shot, and hands him the madden controller. Chomas gives Tom an ultimatim "You beat me, I go away. I beat you, you go away." Tom accepts Chomas's challenge.

## Analysis

This episode is insightful into real-life Tom's ambitions to leave his job as a professional educator and do Packast full time. It's something that has been discussed on Packast for several years. From 2019-2021 Tom has worked 90-100 hour weeks balancing Packast with his teaching career. Tom has mentioned he is waiting for the right time and channel momentum in order to do so.

Tom has previously discussed on (actual) Packast the conditions that would be necessary for him to take Packast full time. First was 100k subscribers which was hit, another was he wanted to make more general NFL content to appeal to a wider base, which he also has done. It's a big life decision for Tom, there are likely elements of truth to this episode which is what makes it so meaningful to the fans who had been following the back story behind the channel.

1. ↑ **Considered by many to be among the greatest piano pieces ever composed.**