Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Why Women Kill S01E04: You Had Me at Homicide

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Jealousy rears its ugly head
by Chuck Duncan

Last week's episode opened with an explanation of the tango, and this week the show features a mortician with three bodies under sheets, explaining the various things that can lead to murder, and the possible methods of the crime. I'm sure this is setting up the murders that are to come, but we still don't know who will be killed in each era, nor who the killer will be. But there are suspects aplenty. What we do know is that, according to the title of the series, the killers will be women.

Simone

Preparing invitations for her daughter's impending nuptials, Simone and Karl are on a deadline to get them done or else they'll end up with more of the groom's family in attendance ... and they don't seem to have very high regard for that side of the soon-to-be family. Unfortunately, Amy arrives with some bad news: her fiancé cheated on her, the wedding is off and she needs wine. The true story finally comes out that the intended slept with another girl ... two years ago, when he and Amy we broken up (they've had a rocky on-and-off relationship). Simone is in panic mode trying to take Amy's side, but Karl is trying to be more neutral, hoping to convince Amy that it's not as bad as she thinks. Plus everything is paid for already.

Enter Tommy with flowers for Simone. He saw Karl leave so assumed it was okay to pop over, unaware that Amy was also home. And Amy saw Tommy, and Simone had to concoct a story that she told Tommy's mother that Amy was home and he came over with the flowers for her. Already feeling a bit jealous (and still smarting from Simone's horrified reaction to the gift he gave her -- a Swatch watch) that Simone was not yet ready to part with Karl, Tommy gleefully accepted Amy's offer to go out on a little dinner date. Simone had no choice but to let it happen, but became more concerned when Amy boldly proclaimed to her that this was just a date that will end with revenge sex. Oh dear. Simone is not quite ready to share her boy toy with Amy, so she surprises the pair at the restaurant ... with Amy's fiancé. Next thing they know Amy and the guy are making out heavily in the waiting area and Simone shows Tommy that she's wearing the Swatch. Crisis averted ... for now.

Beth Ann

Things are going swimmingly with Beth Ann and April, while Sheila is baffled by this plan that seems to be going further into the friend zone than it should. Beth Ann even pulled out her old rollerskates that Robert gave to her on their first date to go skating with April. Beth Ann doesn't have the best attire though to skate in, but she still enjoyed herself skating through the park in her dress. Back at April's, the friendship continues to blossom but April may have crossed the line by offering the still uptight Beth Ann a brownie. A pot brownie. Beth Ann is terribly offended and starts to storm out but April tells her that her boyfriend enjoys them. That stops Beth Ann in her tracks so she decides to have one too. After she's a bit more relaxed than we've ever seen her, Beth Ann asks April about her date with Robert that night but April tells her that the date is the next night, Robert has a dinner party to attend at his boss' house. Panicked because she forgot what day it was, Beth Ann makes an excuse about feeding her neighbor's dog and heads home as quickly as she can.

Robert is waiting and Beth Ann has just a few minutes to change and get out the door. But she's still stoned on the way to the dinner, and it only gets worse once they arrive and she is oddly focused on one guest who isn't there and another who is obviously from Japan. Then she sees the napkins folded like swans and is so impressed that she can't unfold it and put it in her lap, no matter how insistent Robert is. When his boss proclaims that it's no big deal to fold the napkins like that, the stoned Beth Ann challenges him to make one himself. Robert is horrified, but his boss is actually charmed by the challenge and it turns out to be a fun attempt at futility. Beth Ann proved her point, but Robert wants to know what's gotten into her. Dropping his fork and getting Beth Ann under the table, she very dramatically tells him she's had some pot and she knows what he's been doing.

After leaving the party, and to Robert's surprise Beth Ann was adored by everyone, they get home and Robert wants to know how Beth Ann found out about what he was doing. Before she can answer he proposes that she must have found a joint in one of his jacket pockets and smoked it. Relieved that she didn't have to confront what she really meant, she agreed, saying that she just wants to cut loose once in a while. Robert says that's all he wants because the pressures of his job and the rigid lifestyle they lead -- and probably the burden of losing a child, which went unspoken but is obviously a part of it -- is getting to be too much for him. All he wants is to relax. Beth Ann now sees that all of their problems have come simply from not communicating with each other and now that they share this moment of bonding over marijuana, it seems everything is back to normal. They even go rollerskating down the street together. But will April now become the jealous other woman?

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Taylor

Now that Jade has officially become part of this threesome, the trio are trying to figure out a way to introduce the arrangement to their friends. "Throuple" has become a modern description but none of them like that. Instead, Taylor suggests they just say Jade is family. Jade lights up at that, having never really felt like she belonged to any family, not even hers. There's just one problem -- her ex, Duke, who is now threatening to have her dog Teacup put down if she doesn't come back to him. And then he shows up at the house. And poor Eli thinks he can handle the much larger guy. It took lawyer Taylor to remind Duke that he's on thin ice legally and one misstep here could send him right back to prison. That was the thing that actually struck fear into his heart.

But Jade is still concerned about Teacup, so they hatch a plan to go to Duke's and politely ask for the dog. Eli decides to bring a hammer for protection. When they get there, Duke does not answer so they assume he's out. And if he's out and Eli has a hammer in his pocket, a little breaking and entering isn't going to hurt, right? He and Jade get in, get the dog -- which is anything but teacup-sized -- and also learn that Duke was in the shower and he comes after them. Luckily Taylor's got the car running and Eli, Jade and Teacup make their getaway ... but Duke isn't about to let things go that easily. Taylor isn't happy about being an accomplice to a crime that could get her disbarred but Eli tries to spin it as a good thing because his plan worked. He needs that ego boost because his screenwriting is going nowhere and he's as frustrated with himself as Taylor is, and the fact that Taylor had to step in earlier and save him from Duke only hurts worse. He just wants to have that moment of saving a dog and being a man and calling it a good day. And Taylor agrees. Reluctantly. And then Duke shows up. Eli forgot to lock the door and he lets himself in, tossing Eli against a wall and fighting off Taylor who jumps on his back. He storms up the stairs looking for Jade but there's no answer. When he turns to yell at the couple lying on the floor, he's hit from behind by Jade, with the hammer, falling over the railing and crashing to the floor below, breaking his leg in the process. And then a very scary Jade tells him that if he comes back, she'll break the other one. Eli and Taylor exchange slightly worried glances after seeing this different side of Jade. Can she be trusted?

Back to the morgue where we're reminded that good people end up there for various reasons: reckless love affairs, inviting violent strangers into their homes, and some kept dark secrets from those they loved. These choices lead to death ... and murder.

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