Offset
In the present, we see that Kirby is now a broken woman, living in her mother’s house and working as a maid. One day, she gets a call from her old boss asking her to cover another trial. She agrees, but on the way there she’s mugged and left for dead. Her mother finds her and takes her to the hospital. Episode 7 of Shining Girls starts with Kirby heading home to greet her mother who is playing loud music before heading out to meet with her band. Kirby is excited revealing that she has been given a solo by-line at the paper covering a trial on a judge taking bribes. This seems to be Kirby’s big break until everything takes the turn for the worst when she is mugged and left for dead by unknown assailants. Her mother finds her and takes her to the hospital where she wakes up in recovery with new hope that things will get better ..
Harper was walking her dog in a park when she was attacked from behind. The attacker cut Harper open, and she was knocked unconscious. It’s unclear why there were so many people in the park at that time, but no one saw the attack happen. ..
Kirby relays this story to Jinny, who tells how Harper stepped out in front of her. Kirby soon realizes what’s happening here, including how the shifting realities are a part of what Harper is doing. His cryptic chatter about Kirby “feeling this soon” is actually part of him changing reality. ..
Kirby and Dan work with more urgency to trace the history of Teenie’s, which we know from the previous chapter is intrinsically linked with Harper’s past. Marcus wants to be part of this investigative effort too but Kirby is still untrusting and unwilling to get him involved.
Kirby sits down with her husband and tells him that she feels like a stranger, how this is from a different part of her life she can’t remember. ..
Kirby and Dan find a slaughterhouse where Harper used to work. The way these pigs are cut is the same way Harper cuts his victims. Speaking to the owner’s brother, he leads the pair down an abandoned part of the plant, with large tanks used to drain the blood from the hogs.
This place has been abandoned for around a decade now, but this is actually where Klara was found after being killed by Harper. The whole place was lit up on account of the radium, hence how they found her. But then, Klara was found in 1920, and was one of the first women to be found there.
It would appear that Harper led her through the door and displaced her deceased body out of time. Kirby realizes that he did this to punish her – which makes sense given what we know.
The team of reporters working on the Jinny Harper story are intensifying their search for the elusive woman after receiving a call from her that day. They find a card for “John Smith” in employee records, which leads them to believe that Harper is the person they are looking for.
Abby takes Kirby’s journal to Marcus, blaming him for Kirby’s memory slipping away. Unfortunately this has a knock-on effect of Kirby being forced into taking a leave of absence to “take care of herself.”
Kirby refuses to let the story go, pointing out that this is her life and she needs to see this through to its conclusion, whether she’s working at the paper or not. Dan finds out and is just as angry as Kirby, who realizes that this story is being run without her there. Kirby refuses to let the story go, pointing out that this is her life and she needs to see this through to its conclusion, whether she’s working at the paper or not.
Jinny is worried that Harper may have killed Kirby.
Meanwhile, Dan and his son track down a receipt from 1981 linking back to that familiar bar we saw in the previous chapter, the one Kirby worked in. With Harper seemingly changing history again, Dan finds an old poster for Klara and in the reflection, notes Harper approaching. Unfortunately, Harper stabs Dan and leaves the reporter bleeding out on the floor. Harper maniacally walks out with his jacket too, telling Freddie to take care of himself. ..
Kirby’s presence alters the course of events, with Jinny also experiencing a change. When she tries to give her keynote speech, she is surprised to find that it has been given by Dr. Gary Hegland instead. Jinny is surprised when reality shifts and she leaves the planetarium, shaken. ..
The Episode Review
In the final episode of this time-traveling serial killer series, we will learn more about the nature of time and the rules of the world.
The latest installment of the Kirby series has definitely stepped up its game, providing some much-needed clarity around the characters and their surroundings. ..
The series has been a little overlong and the plot has meandering a bit earlier in the run-time, but boy has it made the wait worth it! This was another very solid chapter and sets everything up beautifully for a very intriguing finale to come.
