Lynn sits at his bedside at the hospital, asking him, “Why? If you die, I die.” He promises not to attempt suicide again.
She tells Co that the hospital wants to commit their son to the hospital. Co is hesitant, but she tells him that Conrad just needs to get back to school and work.
We flashback to the night of Conrad’s death, as Katie Rayburn and Teresa Adams question the parents about Conrad’s mental state before his death and about his relationship with Michelle Carter. They’re trying to figure out why he may have taken his life, but Lynn and Co couldn’t say.
Michelle’s lawyer, Mr. Cataldo, spoke with Michelle and her parents about the investigation into her connection to Conrad’s suicide. He told them that the prosecutor will likely bring charges against her. ..
Michelle insists she didn’t do anything wrong. She wants to text Lynn to reassure her, but Cataldo tells her she can’t contact anyone who has anything to do with the case, including Lynn Roy.
In a flashback, Co picks up Conrad from the mental institution. Conrad says he feels better, and his dad says he could keep up the progress by talking to a therapist. Conrad is skeptical, but decides to give it a try. ..
When Co tells Lynn that Conrad doesn’t want to go to therapy, the two of them get into a screaming match while Conrad settles back in at home.
Conrad texts Michelle to tell her he was in the hospital and tried to kill himself. Michelle feels guilty; she says she should have been there for him. “I get it. And I’m here for you. I love you.”
The president of the United States muses on how to proceed with the case against Michelle, but Adams points out that their evidence is thin. They prepare to question Michelle’s friends, Natalie and Cassie.
In another flashback, Susie and Michelle hang out. Susie says her mom’s been complaining about how much she talks to Michelle. Susie becomes evasive about hanging out with her.
Adams tells Cataldo that the charges they have against Michelle are not assisted suicide, but involuntary manslaughter. Cataldo tells Michelle to turn herself into police custody tomorrow. If she’s convicted, she could be jailed for up to twenty years. ..
After the party, feeling left out by her friends, Michelle “Facebook stalked” Natalie and Cassie. ..
She walks outside and listens to Glee, living out a fantasy in which she and Conrad sing a duet as Finn and Rachel from the show. ..
In the past, we see Conrad text Michelle. He tells her his life is a joke, and she pushes him to open up. He feels everything is pointless, and she insists that he is special. While he thinks he doesn’t deserve her, he tells her he loves her.
Michelle tells Susie that she loves her too, but she also loves Susie’s mother. Michelle asks if Susie can be in love with two people at once.Susie’s mom interrupts to tell Michelle to go home.
After Susie’s disappearance, Michelle goes to see her. Susie tells Michelle that her mother doesn’t want them talking anymore. Susie says she read their texts and thinks Michelle is obsessed with her. ..
Michelle tries to push Susie away, but she won’t let her go. She insists that she isn’t into girls, and she won’t let Michelle come out. Michelle is in tears as her mom drives her home.
Rayburn and Adams are concerned that Conrad’s death may have been motivated by a physical altercation he had with his father in 2013. ..
In the last flashback of the episode, Conrad’s grandfather gives him his truck. Conrad texts Michelle to say he’s going to California, and she asks him to take her with him. They talk about leaving and starting over, even buying a house. ..
In the episode, Michelle gets her mugshot taken at the police station. The scene ends with her being fingerprinted and photographed.
The Episode Review
Conrad and Michelle’s love story progresses, and their adapted text conversations are absorbing, even while tinged by knowledge of the couple’s sinister future.
Elle Fanning continues to shine in her role as a tormented teen who feels abandoned by her friends and yet reacts in the most toxic of ways. The show so far does well to both humanize and hold accountable the titular character.
In this episode, Colton Ryan gets a lot more screen time as well. He is a subtle and resonant portrayal of someone who is losing control and purpose in his life. While The Girl from Plainville is slow to pin blame on any one person for Conrad’s mental state, it does paint a complex portrait of several variables: his difficult home life, alienation from friends, obsession over Michelle. You can’t help but feel for this utterly human teenager who just wants to find his way in life.
This episode is full of conflicting emotions. Even though we know how this history plays out, we can’t help but be hooked by the performances and fascinating character studies. ..
