Episode 5 of Them kicks off with a chilling glimpse into the rigged housing situation in Compton. Amidst a sea of intricate schematics and mind-boggling facts surrounding mortgage payments, Helen finds herself trapped in a seemingly inescapable situation. The consequences of this predicament are felt acutely by the Johnson family, who are reluctantly forced to accept a deal that involves paying 20% mortgage payments in exchange for relocating to Compton. This unethical arrangement is not lost on Sgt. Bull Wheatley, who quickly catches wind of it and confronts Helen in a diner. He gleefully takes advantage of her predicament, essentially warning the beleaguered realtor to brace herself for the onslaught of abuse that's soon to come. Helen lashes out with some choice words, but it seems like she's stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Meanwhile, the show delves deeper into the past, replaying the flashbacks from the beginning of the season in their entirety. But this time, the scenes continue to unfold, revealing a new layer of drama. We see Lucky cradling her baby and frantically hiding him in the closet. Suddenly, men and women burst into the house, desperately searching for Lucky's child. Tragically, they find him, with the ringleader cradling the helpless baby while Lucky is held down on the ground. As she struggles against these towering men, a deranged old lady scoops up her child and carries him out into the living room. With the child wrapped tightly in a blanket, they engage in a sick and twisted game of "cat in the bag," throwing him around the room with reckless abandon.
This is quite sufficient to plunge Lucky into a spiral, dragging her down a shadowy lane twisted by psychological complexities. It further elucidates the intensity of her hallucinations, stemming from her apparent struggle with PTSD and unbearable stress, bringing this episode to a harrowing close.
