Summary
PEN15 season 2, episode 4 presents a new challenge for the two leading characters as their dynamic has a new addition.
This recap of Hulu’s PEN15 season 2, episode 4, “Three” contains significant spoilers. The first seven episodes will be part 1 — part 2 will be released later on Hulu.
We recapped every episode — check out the archive.
The opening
While in a bath, Maya’s mother asks her daughter what’s wrong as she seems down. She’s not in a mood to talk but her mother tells her not to care about what others think. Meanwhile, Anna’s mother is doing a spiritual ritual on her while talking about the pending divorce — she asks Anna to open up. Anna’s mother suggests a mother/daughter day. Both Anna and Maya look rather depressed as they come down from a high from episode 3.
Maura
A girl called Maura invites Anna and Maya to her house after school. It’s a wealthy-looking house. There is an intercom in the house so Maura can communicate with her mother and request sh*t like “Turn the air conditioning on”. They ask Maura about her friendship group — she doesn’t seem to have a concrete answer — apparently she has a best friend from Arizona who is a doctor. The house is properly stocked and they take advantage of it. Maura gets embarrassed when her mother tries to help out and cater to them. Maura called her mother a c*nt. What was more surprising is how their mother took it — this Maura is clearly a strange character.
Mother’s concerns
At school, Maura keeps asking students who they are going to vote for “Best best friends”. While in the car with her mother, Anna calls her a c*nt and her mother is annoyed. Clearly Maura is influencing them. Anna’s mother rings Maya’s mother about her concerns with their daughters.
Mother-daughter day out
Both mothers take out Anna and Maya and ask them about Maura but they brush it off. The daughters continue to be rude to their mothers as they try to wear clothes. The mothers are trying to get them to wear similar clothes to them. Maya’s mother calls her daughter a b*tch so Maya calls her one back. Maya’s mother starts spanking her in front of everyone and it’s embarrassing for her. Anna and her mother continue to bicker. This is a painful scene to watch for Maya who was clearly overwhelmed with emotions at this moment.
Cheering up Maura
At school the next day, Maura gets jealous that Anna and Maya are not telling her everything so they try to give her attention. On the school speakers, it’s announced that Maura, Maya and Anna win “best best friends” which cheers Maura up. Of course, Maya and Anna did not know that Maura campaigned to make sure they won it. She’s trying to seal a firm friendship group.
The ending
Later, Maya is frustrated with Maura and Anna in her bedroom. Maya’a mother believes that Maura is at fault for the recent behaviour and in her own language, she says she doesn’t like Maura. And then it gets awkward when Maura states that Maya’s mother has an accent. Anna tells them to both stop arguing and they say they love each other.
As the episode ends, the friends do a photoshoot together as “best best friends”. PEN15 season 2, episode 4 presents a new challenge for the two leading characters as their dynamic has a new addition.
