Summary
Considering the stakes are high, “Day Twenty-Two” keeps the drama at bay while adding in more twists.
This recap of Amazon Original series The Wilds season 1, episode 9, “Day Twenty-Two” contains significant spoilers.
We recapped every episode — check out the archive.
The opening
Dean wonders how long they will be keeping the women apart. Gretchen explains that their research is not over yet, and they need to keep going. She mocks Dean’s previous life and suggests this project gives her purpose — she wants him to prove his worth. Gretchen always seems to have people who work for her who seemingly want a “better life” or aspire to be someone greater. She has this hold over them; it’s difficult to grasp if it’s sinister or good leadership.
No food
The women are starting to regret eating all the food as a rescue has not arrived. Shelby seems to have perked up — probably because she doesn’t have to return home. Leah believes that the pilot who saw them is part of the conspiracy because they haven’t returned to save them. Martha keeps up the faith, and Nora narrates and calls it “blind faith”.
An accident
A flashback shows a young Martha jumping on a trampoline and asking for her mother’s attention. She hurts herself on the trampoline. On the island, Toni and Martha reminisce about their childhood; they want to go scavenging together for food, and Toni wants to invite Shelby. Martha is proud that Toni is letting her grudges down. Little does she knows that Shelby and Toni have a little romance going on.
Dancing
In a flashback, young Martha goes through a recovery phase so she can walk again after the trampoline accident. Once recovered, Martha joins a jingle dancing team and she takes it all the way to school. She’s so good she gets into the adult jingle team. At school, her mother delivers her bad news — doctor Ted has been accused of sexually abusing girls. Martha claims that the victims are lying and she has nothing bad to say. “Day Twenty-Two” angles it from the position that although Martha was abused herself, she is still protecting her abuser.
Just a feeling
Leah is upset and tells Fatin she can feel something bad is happening on this island — she relates it to a childhood coincidence. Fatin tries to be reassuring, but that angers Leah, who is extremely stressed and paranoid, even more. Meanwhile, Nora asks Rachel why she will not go in the water and splashes her.
Hunting
Shelby joins Toni and Martha in their hunt for berries. She suggests hunting animals, but Martha is annoyed that they want to murder animals. Toni takes Shelby’s side, stating they will starve if they don’t find something to eat. Martha walks away from the group.
A sleepover
A flashback sees Toni and Martha enjoying a sleepover. They talk about doctor Ted. Toni believes Martha is in denial. Martha gets defensive and turns the conversation on Toni. Late in the night, Toni tells Martha’s mother that her daughter has wet the bed. The mother explains that bedwetting was related to her injury and that’s how she was introduced to Ted — he helped her recover from the injury; she breaks down into tears and regrets allowing doctor Ted into Martha’s life. Although it isn’t the mother’s fault, you can understand why she feels guilty — it’s eating away at her that she never saw what the doctor did.
Water theories
Nora and Rachel go for a walk and end up near a small cliff edge that hits the water. Nora wants Rachel to face her fears as she seems scared of the water. Meanwhile, a mentally distressed Leah wants to swim into the ocean, believing if she keeps swimming, they will be saved.
Nora wants Rachel to dive into the water off the cliff edge. Meanwhile, in the distance, Leah keeps on swimming towards the ocean, and if she continues, she will drown. Rachel has no choice but to dive so she can save her. She brings her back to the beach, but Leah wants to go back in. Fatin calms her down and comforts her.
Leah is at the peak of her intense paranoia in The Wilds season 1, episode 9, which, by the way, is genuinely warranted considering this is an experiment. However, it’s made worse by exhaustion and alcohol.
An arrest
In a flashback, Martha watches the news and sees that doctor Ted has been arrested for sexual crimes. She cries in bed, and Toni comforts her. On the island, Martha forces a goat to run away but Toni and Shelby show up. Toni tells her to face reality because they need food — she’s disappointed that Martha is protecting the goat, and this also implies she protected the doctor in court. In another flashback, Martha attends court as a witness. They ask her about doctor Ted.
Are you sure?
Toni and Shelby continue to hunt for the goat, but then they find a tree full of fruit and start immediately eating. Both women are excited that they can finally consume something. Toni wipes some fruit off Shelby’s face, and they kiss. Toni backs off and asks Shelby if she is sure. Shelby kisses her again to confirm that she’s all in. Everything about these scenes confirms that Shelby is way more comfortable on this island, which in a way is tragic; off the island, she feels she cannot be herself and is crippled by her religious, social circles. On the island, she can enjoy someone she feels a connection with. There’s almost a relief on her face that there is no judgment.
Getting that goat
In a flashback, Martha is preparing herself for dancing, but she seems unsure about herself. She remembers doctor Ted’s words: “You are capable of anything”. She decides to leave the dancing event. On the island, Martha kills the goat with a rock while imagining herself in her dance clothes.
The ending
Dean cannot find anything on Martha that leads to any crimes, and he updates Gretchen. She’s trying to find a way to avoid a lawsuit with her family. Dean does mention the doctor Ted case. Gretchen tells Dean how much she appreciates him.
Nora is talking to a tree in the woods and seems to be updating Gretchen’s team via a hidden camera — in a twist, it’s revealed that Nora is the other operative; she’s talking about how dangerous Leah has become. Leah catches Nora talking to the tree and confronts her, but she’s a little dazed and drained from all the alcohol. Nora helps her walk.
Considering the stakes are high, The Wilds season 1, episode 9 keeps the drama at bay while adding in more twists. It’s interesting how the penultimate chapter of the new Amazon series keeps it safe, and makes audiences wonder what is to come in the finale.
