I'm utterly entranced by Sherry and Cary's role as foils to Joe and Love. Their bond, though ripe for ridicule, underscores strengths the Quinn-Goldbergs sorely lack: They engage in open communication, repose unwavering trust in each other, champion each other's individual pursuits, and (presumably) possess clean criminal records. Sherry's overall strategy in this chaotic saga is, in my estimation, nothing short of ingenious. Her composure amidst this madness earns her high marks in my assessment. Joe's audacity to think he still holds any moral high ground, given his mental state where he considers, "I have some absolute nutjobs in my basement," is sheer madness.
Joe and Love are employing a divide-and-rule tactic in their latest hostage crisis: Joe is tasked with housecleaning, while Love deals with the Conrads. During his chores, Joe stumbles upon a firearm hidden in Cary's luggage. We are then subjected to more tedious and redundant flashbacks to the Queen's Gambit Tranquilizer Den, where the weak are weeded out from the merely forsaken — nurse Fiona's wrist encased in a splint, Joe's abortive rescue attempts — which now feel particularly superfluous as we near the season's climax. We get it: tragic past, fresh demons, a redux of old torments. Keep the narrative focused on where the action lies!
Marianne, as anticipated, received dire news at the custody hearing and finds herself perched on a liquor store curb, contemplating a relapse into sobriety. Joe, abandoning his pressing duty of sanitizing the crime scene, rushes to Marianne, the woman who has repeatedly exhorted him to stay out of her life. Joe, ever the sensitive soul, discerns Marianne's embarrassment. Really, Joe, is this a revelation? Marianne informs him of Ryan and Juliet's relocation to New Jersey due to Ryan's promotion. Joe seizes this moment to confess his murder of his mother's abusive boyfriend. Marianne promptly forgives him for this youthful indiscretion. Joe knows that Marianne would never stoop to the levels of his despicable, harlot mother. It's time for a tryst at Marianne's abode. My notes scream:
Marianne, we'll address your antics later, but Joe, you absolutely cannot be engaging in this amid the clean-up of an attempted double homicide! This aspect of the Joe/Marianne storyline infuriates me: Marianne establishes boundaries, Joe breaches them, and instead of this violation deterring her, she ultimately welcomes his disregard. Each of his transgressions draws them closer, fully validating Joe's perspective that women say "no" when they mean "yes," either out of denial or ignorance of their true desires, which he claims to understand better. Of course, this is Joe's mindset. But for the show to portray Marianne in this manner — not angered by his pursuit or entry into her illustration contest — offers no audience counterpoint, no challenge to Joe's worldview. It suggests that the show condones Joe's actions, rather than merely documenting them agnostically or taking a stance against them.
Returning to our captives, Love's demeanor towards them strikes me as hilariously enigmatic, much like Sherry's astute handling of the situation. (Victoria Pedretti's flawless delivery of "What's up with him?" as her gaze lands on Cary is nothing short of exquisite, as is her pointed accusation that Cary is "acting freaking bizarre.") Sherry, a genius in her own right, skillfully worms her way into the tender, vulnerable crevices of Love's heart by inquiring after her well-being and gently probing if she's penned that all-important letter to the Ashman school counselor yet.
At the bakery (on the mundane floor, far removed from the grim confines of the prison level), Theo confronts Love, spilling the beans about the security footage and his father's heartless eviction. He's set on leaving town, and – just as Carly Rae Jepsen's melody might play in a romantic comedy – he yearns for Love to embark on this journey with him. "I love you," he utters, challenging her, "Look deep into my eyes and convince me that your husband is devoid of violence." Love, naturally, finds herself unable to make such a claim. It's intriguing to witness Love genuinely contemplating this daring escape, as if it might just be her ticket out of her current quandary. Perhaps it is! Theo suggests Love wield the security footage as a leverage against Joe, even though it lacks legal admissibility in court (at last, someone understands the intricacies of the justice system! And who might this enlightened soul be? A teenage skip-schooler, but hey, who's counting!) I ponder if Love is hatching a solo exit plan, framing Joe for all his misdeeds. Surely, Joe is scheming the same, setting the stage for an exhilarating race to the final curtain.
Cary, meanwhile, engages in loud chanting and holds planks in an attempt to "attain a state of readiness," amusing to no end. Shalita Grant's delivery, "Well, I'm caged. And you're planking," is nothing short of mesmerizing. Sherry advises Cary to capitalize on every resource at their disposal, primarily their interpersonal connections. Soon after, Love returns, employing Sherry's facial features to unlock her phone. She informs Sherry of her impending blog post, proclaiming her retreat into the wilderness to learn the art of placenta tea-making. Sherry, leveraging her intimate bond with Love and their shared solidarity as women in a harsh world, embarks on a masterful manipulation. As Sherry had anticipated, Love cracks under the pressure. Their conversation transforms into a gossipy exchange over an imaginary glass of wine. "Theo Engler attempted to persuade me to elope with him today," Love confesses, to which Sherry replies with a playful grin, "Is it weirdly attractive that I find that somewhat scorching?" Absolute perfection. I couldn't be more proud of Sherry. Love also unveils that Matthew has been siphoning surveillance footage across town in search of Natalie's killer, prompting Sherry's ingenious idea to out Matthew on her blog, pinning the blame on the men and securing freedom for the women.
Every time Joe succumbs to the illusion of love, he transforms into the most irritating creature on earth. He briefly pauses his vigilant watch over a slumbering Marienne to confront the myriad of missed calls and texts from Love flooding his phone. Upon waking, Marienne announces her relocation to New Jersey to be closer to Juliet, crushing Joe's spirits despite his unspoken desire for her to embody the Perfect Mom archetype. Joe concludes that there's only one solution to this quandary: "Ryan must meet his demise."
Upon Joe's return home, he discovers to his astonishment that Love has dismantled their Nest doorbell. She unravels the tale of Matthew's audacious hacking of their security cameras, detailing how she, under the pseudonym Sherry, exposed this intrusion into their safety and privacy on her blog, ultimately leading Sherry and Cary to flee to an undisclosed location. The town erupts in outrage, prompting a flurry of lawyers to scurry about, desperate to bury Matthew's illicit escapades. As their embrace tightens, Love's gaze falls upon the gun nestled in Joe's waistband, eliciting a swift transition from "These people are even more twisted than I imagined" to a chilling proposition, "We could stage it as a murder-suicide; it's worked before, remember?" Her words hang in the air, an ominous reminder of darker days.
Meanwhile, at Matthew's residence, Theo meticulously transfers all security footage onto a USB drive. Matthew's lawyer urges him to explain what specifically haunts him, to which he responds with a eerie suspicion about the clip showing Natalie—whom we recognize as Joe disguised in Natalie's attire—driving away from the bakery. She attempts to reassure him, reminding him that Natalie was flawed, burdened with secrets, and now deceased—a past best left unexamined. Taking her advice, Matthew erases the data and smashes the monitors, eradicating any trace of the haunting images.
Elsewhere, Sherry, still masquerading as Love, fans the flames of discontent against Joe, accusing him of betrayal and meddling in a marriage doomed from the start. This accusation strikes a nerve in Love, prompting her to spin around and deposit a GUN into a seemingly harmless goodie box. Her voice drips with venom as she pronounces the new rules: "One of you must take this and end the other's life. The survivor walks free." The scene is both insane and impeccably dramatic, a wish granted for a season filled with such crazy antics.
The truth is, Sherry speaks the undeniable truth: Joe abandons Love to grapple with this turmoil while he pursues Ryan in his stalker-killer disguise. Joe's overconfidence blinds him to his own shortcomings, allowing Ryan to outmaneuver him—momentarily. In the ensuing tussle, Joe pushes Ryan over the edge of a parking garage. Though the fall doesn't claim Ryan's life, Joe descends to finish the job, plunging an X-acto knife into him four times. He swipes Ryan's wallet, presumably to feign a violent mugging, and flees the scene. Joe feels no remorse for his actions, justifying Ryan's murder by branding him "truly evil" and Love as "insane and impulsive," while portraying himself as a righteous soldier ridding the world of those he dislikes or finds inconvenient. Should Marienne piece together the puzzle and still find favor in Joe, I vow to raise a riot.
Meanwhile, Theo delves into the footage that had Matthew transfixed, uncovering an overlooked detail: an unmasked Joe slipping into the driver's seat of Natalie's car. Logic dictated that he should inform Matthew of this crucial discovery, yet serendipity steered him towards calling Love instead. Afterward, Theo proceeds to the bakery, startlingly unbothered to summon the authorities or alert anyone of his findings. Theo, you rascal, drop a pin already!
Elsewhere, Cary's anxiety manifests in an unsightly spectacle, leaving Sherry puzzled by his lack of digestive regularity sans fiber. Their argument over who would be the more suitable parental guardian in a survival scenario escalates, culminating in Cary's harebrained scheme to shoot open the door. Inevitably, the bullet ricochets, unfortunately embedding itself in Sherry's ear. However, the gunshot's deafening roar serves a purpose by catching Theo's attention. Sherry, trapped behind bars, shouts the truth at a startled Theo, prompting me to scribble in my notes: "OH MY GOD, Theo, call 911, for heaven's sake!" Instead, he foolishly attempts to find a key solo, a quest prolonged by Love's untimely return.
Spotting the key in Theo's possession, Love's eerie calmness is a harbinger of doom for him. Theo vows that he has footage from the fateful day of Natalie's disappearance, incriminating Joe in her murder and insisting that Love needn't shield her deplorable spouse any longer. Love counters by commanding Theo to vacate Madre Linda and sever all ties with her. A sweet deal, I muse! Yet, Theo remains blissfully oblivious to reason. Love falsely assures him of freeing the Conrads upon his departure, only to club him unconscious with a fire extinguisher once his back is turned. In her clumsy endeavor to descend the stairs with Theo's limp body, she loses her grip, sending him crashing hard against the concrete wall. Blood begins to pool around his still form, raising the question: RIP Theo? Perhaps! But in this show's universe, I adhere to the rule that one should never declare a character dead until buried, and sometimes, not even then.
