Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Big Sister Is Watching
By Cindy McLennan | Season 1 | Episode 13 | Aired on 02.14.2012
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.Bridget spends much of the episode with Solomon, trying to retrace the Siobhan's steps before her "death." He's helping her, because Bridget-as-Shiv (or Bridget-as-Shiv-as-Cora) tells him she's newly clean and sober, and has a lot of holes in her memory. This is one of the truer things anyone says, all episode long. Meanwhile, Siobhan works on repairing her relationship with Henry -- with lies, when she should be using duct tape. Andrew, Catherine, and an attorney prepare Juliet to give her testimony against Mr. "Logan Echolls" Carpenter.
In a courthouse bathroom, Tessa cries to Juliet she can't testify against Logan, because he never did anything to her. She was just lying to get revenge on him for siding with Juliet in their feud. When Tessa leaves, Juliet runs after her, and Andrea then exits one of the stalls. She's overheard the whole thing. She runs to Andrew and tells him what Tessa said.
Since Tessa won't testify against Logan, the case is dropped. Later, the attorney tells Andrew that Logan plans to sue him for defamation of character. Incensed, Andrew wants to countersue, but the attorney advises against it. Catherine thinks Andrew should settle, for Juliet's sake. Later, Bridget-as-Siobhan says the same thing.
Bridget's Siobhan-search leads her to Shiv's secret Harlem office, where Shiv is hiding in a storage closet, gun in hand! Although Bridget gets the closet opened, she doesn't see Shiv, and Shiv doesn't shoot her. Before Bridget leaves, she finds a key taped under Shiv's desk, so she takes it, along with a Main Street address (which Solomon can't identify). Before the episode is over, Shiv sneaks into Park Ave., has an awkward moment with Andrew, and retrieves the key.
Solomon takes Bridget to a book and coffee shop, where Shiv used to spend hours sitting at a chess table. The table has a secret compartment. The waitress explains that customers write down wishes and slip them in the table. It's a tradition, she says. It's a stupid one, I say. Bridget jimmies open the compartment and finds Shiv's wish: "I wish I could forgive my sister, but I can't." Remembering their last day together, and Shiv's assurance that she was already forgiven, Bridget is devastated.
The next day, Solomon takes Bridget to the place where Shiv used to go for target practice. She sees a picture of NA Charlie/John Delario up on the wall. She asks Solomon if she was afraid of John. To the contrary, Solomon assures her John was her friend. Bridget is confused, since, in his Charlie persona, John introduced himself to her at N.A. Because Solomon used to be in the Special Forces, Bridget asks him to work with her and protect her. She's afraid someone is still out to kill her (i.e. kill Shiv). He agrees. Back at the Harlem office, he points out a set of woman's footprints in the closet, and says the way they're positioned suggests someone was watching her.
Meanwhile, Olivia has strong-armed Henry into getting her a meeting with Tim Arbogast -- Gemma's filthy rich father. Her leverage? A picture of Henry and Shiv being all snuggly-wuggly in bed (and it is not the picture we saw Olivia snag from Henry's phone, however long ago). After Arbogast agrees to do some business with Martin/Charles, Olivia meets privately with Henry and lets him delete the picture from her phone. He then drops the phone into a pitcher of water, for good measure. But from the smile on Olivia's face, it's pretty clear she has back-ups. Shiv is horrified when she learns Henry steered Arbogast to Martin Charles, and says he should have run it by her, first. With the mystery key in hand, she takes him to a safety deposit box. Inside, is some sort of recording. We don't get to hear it, but when Henry listens, his head nearly explodes.
As some of our forum members have been suggesting all along, Juliet's allegations against Logan are not only a ruse -- they're a ruse he is in on, along with Tessa Troublemaker. The three of them celebrate, together, as they anticipate getting Juliet's trust-fund monies back, in this new fashioned way.
I'll be back with the full weecap, tomorrow. In the meantime, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then join us in the show thread, where someone is always watching you.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Dirty Confession: I fell asleep during this week's Ringer broadcast. I had to wake up early the next morning and watch the rest of it to write up the recaplet. I settled down Wednesday afternoon, to watch it all the way through, and fell asleep again. I put it on Wednesday night, and fell asleep, again. Despite its twists and reveals, this episode is the best thing that's ever happened to my insomnia. I dragged myself out of bed at 4:00 AM to watch and finish this write up. The kids will be getting up for school at 6:00, so I figure even if I fall asleep, they'll wake me up, because that's their gift.
Bridget-as-Shiv takes on the Cora persona for a day of discovery with discreet driver, Solomon, who is ex-military -- Special Forces. When Solomon asks why she's asking him so many questions about her own life, Bridget says she's recently sober and can't remember big chunks of time. As I mentioned in the recaplet that might be the truest thing uttered all episode. Per her request, Solomon checks his records and tells her the last time he drove her anywhere was September 8, 2011. She's thrown by the date and admits that something happened around then to someone she really loved and asks to retrace her steps from that day.
Bridget's first stop is at Shiv's secret Harlem office. The security guard comments that, as per her request, her name has never gone up on the building index, but he's surprised to see her come through the front, because Shiv-as-Cora always snuck in the back, Jack. Bridget pretends she lost her keys and gets the guard to let her in Shiv's office. Seated at the desk, she finds a Post-it note that reads 1947 Main Street. The real Siobhan is watching from the closet. And? She's packing heat. Title card.
Bridget finds a small key on a boat keyring, taped under the desk. Looking around to see what it might open, she notices the closet door is ajar. Don't go in there, NICE BUFFY. MEAN BUFFY WILL KILL YOU. Bridget opens the closet door. Shiv slinks into the shadows. Since the closet seems to contain nothing but boxes of records, Bridget closes it and returns to the car.
Solomon doesn't recognize the key or that Main Street address, so she asks him to take her to her next stop. He's surprised she's sitting in front and cracks that she sure is different... sober. I think of something fresh to say, but yesterday, my mother told me she is going to start tsking me when I get bawdy in my recaps, "...because you're better than that, Cindy." I remind her I am a product of my heredity and environment, and she's partially responsible for both. She doesn't care, and tsks me, for the heck of it. I REALLY CAN'T TAKE THE STRESS, MUM!