Summary
The conspiracy deepens in episode 7 as the audience learns about the origin of Jeanette, and Gretchen’s well-constructed plans.
This recap of Amazon Original series The Wilds season 1, episode 7, “Day Fifteen” contains significant spoilers.
We recapped every episode — check out the archive.
The opening
“Day Fifteen” opens up with Martha walking down a white corridor; she enters a plane, and the flight attendants all look the same. The attendants then start singing and dancing in a music video routine. Jeanette walks in, and Martha asks Jeanette if she’s dead. It was a dream, of course; Martha wakes up as a wave hits her. There’s a tidal surge, and the women on the island are desperately trying to get all their things, so they don’t lose everything — it took them by surprise. The next day, the women continue to clean up the mess. Leah is still obsessing over Shelby with her theories, and Fatin tells Leah that she needs to calm down. “Day Fifteen” shows the women finally hitting breaking point after 15 days of survival.
The blame game and a paranoid Leah
Dot tells the women that they need to move location so that a tidal surge never hits them again. Their fire is also out which compounds the issue. Nora claims that the tidal surge made them all act irrationally, and it’s now becoming a blame game. Shelby then finds Jeanette’s bag, and they share out her items, including a lighter. The women start to thank Shelby for finding the bag, but Leah begins questioning how she conveniently found it. Leah raises how the bags Shelby has found so far are perfect for survival; she threatens to throw away the lighter and then grabs Shelby by the scruff of her neck. Shelby gets upset and reveals her secret; she wears fake teeth. At this point, Leah’s paranoid behaviour is not unwarranted; Shelby does keep finding bags that help them all.
Jeanette in the study
A flashback shows Jeanette taking part in a study run by Gretchen. She impresses her because she keeps challenging other women. Dr West is not impressed because Jeanette did not keep herself under control in class. It’s then revealed that Jeanette’s real name is Lynn. In another flashback, Jeanette serves Gretchen at a bar — she remembers her from the conformity test.
Jeanette and Gretchen spend time together at the bar; Jeanette explains that she hates men because she was raped after she was drugged. Gretchen now understands why Jeanette confronted the other women in the study and calls her brave. The scene then flits to Gretchen practising a presentation about the island; she explains how she planted operatives amongst the women to help the subjects. The way the camera pans hints that Dot is the other operative.
I don’t help you
Toni finds Shelby in the woods. Shelby tries to explain to Toni that she doesn’t hate her. Toni disagrees with her, believing she hates gay people. Shelby then helps collect wood. “Day Fifteen” slowly conjures up another reveal between these two characters.
Gretchen’s favourite
In a flashback, Jeanette builds her profile so she can be an operative. With Thom, they create her biography and social media profiles. It’s evident that Jeanette is smart, and Gretchen has taken a strong liking to her; they continue to drink with each other. Jeanette enjoys her last night as Lynn and decides to do karaoke and blows off steam. Gretchen joins her on the microphone.
Everyone is at boiling point
Rachel starts to hand out tough love to the other women on the island. Nora begins confronting Rachel and then reveals to everyone that her sister does not have an athletic future and that she was cut from the team.
Meanwhile, Shelby tries to tell Toni about her issues; how hard it is under the microscope all the time and feeling judged. She’s tired of meeting expectations. Toni casually states that her parents have never been there for her. The characters continue comparing each other’s lives and getting frustrated, but then, surprisingly, Shelby kisses Toni. In shock at what she’s just done, Shelby runs off. Meanwhile, on the beach, Rachel and Nora are fighting while the others watch. It’s surprising it took this long for the group to reach this level; especially when they have been struggling to survive from day one.
Let’s not kill each other
Dot and Fatin then start arguing over a toothbrush. Fatin punches Dot square in the face. Dot gets up and tells everyone to stop fighting and arguing; she tells everyone there’s a possibility that with many days passing by, they may never be found as they will no longer be in the conversation in the media — “It’s been 15 days”.
Jeanette hurt herself
A flashback sees Jeanette heading on to the plane, and she’s immediately in character. She introduces herself to everyone. It’s revealed that the plane crash was fake and it landed; Gretchen placed them all in certain parts of the fake wreckage. Before they begin the scenario they are planting, Jeanette sees Leah unconscious on the floor; she freaks out as it reminds her of the time she was sexually assaulted. Thom tries to calm her down, but she has a nasty tumble. Jeanette hides her injuries and continues with the mission. This is the real cause of her death.
The end of the presentation
Gretchen continues practising her presentation; she concludes that the project will prove that women should lead and male domination should end — she talks about progress. She explains if that she’s asked about Jeanette, she will lie and say they are all proud of her progress.
The ending
On the island, all the women have calmed down after a tense day. Suddenly, Fatin hears a plane, and they all try to signal to it. The plane sees them, and they all celebrate. The only person that doesn’t seem excited is Shelby.
The conspiracy deepens in The Wilds season 1, episode 7 as the audience learns about the origin of Jeanette, and Gretchen’s well-constructed plans. At this stage, the audience will understand the purpose of this island and why Gretchen is keen to ensure it reaches the end of the project. It’s obvious that a big twist is coming, it’s just a guessing game on what the twist will be.
